Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-05-25

We give below the prirDIes upon |
which Mr. Espy, the greatain King, |
relies to make rain at anYyen time,
and place he may choose 5 to what
may be the result Of his :cula:ions,
we leave our readers to JUDI
MEssRs. EDlToRs:-knovg the diff
Guilty. If not the impossibilitpf making
the subject Ineligible in dhort news +
paper article, II is with reliance that +
| am now induced, after nh solicita /
ton from my friends, both ear and re-
mote, to give very preliminary of
the reasons and facts whichave led me
TO desire that an experimt should be
made to see whether rain M be produc-
ed artIficially In time of dught.
The documents which lave collect
ed on this subject, if the DO not prove
that the experiment will cceed, do at
least prove that it ought toe tried; this
| trust will most satisfactorily appear
when they shall be publish entire. In
the mean time 1t has becoe necessary
TO present to the public omething on
the subject, lest longer since might be
construed into an abandonment of the
project.
LIST. 1t Is known by exriment that if
air should be expanded to double the
volume by diminished preure, it would
be cooled about ninety derees of Fab
renheit.
Cd. have shown by eoerIment, that
if air at the common du poin' in the
Summer season in time ohrought, sew
eGtv-one degrees SHOULD 60 up in a
column to a height sufficnt TO expand
it by diminished pressui into double
the volume, it would condese into water
or visible cloud, by the col ofeXPansIon,
more than one half ofitS yaPor-a
quantity sufficient 10 Poduce nearly
three inches of rain.
Sd. It is known by clinical princi-
plies, that the caloric Of elsticity given
out during the condensatio Of this vapor
would be equal to about O,O00 tons Of
anthracite coal burnt on each square
mile over which the cloudextended.
4th. | have shown by experiment. [see
Saturday Courier, March s, 1887 that
this caloric of elasticity would prevent
the air from cooling only lbout half as
much as it would if il had 10 ,apor in it.,
or about 45 degrees at the height assum-
ed, which would cause the llr in the
cloud to be, at that height, abut 40 deg
warmer than the air on the ouside OF the
cloud at the same height. bve shown
from these principles [see JoUnal of the
Franklin Institute for 1885, that the
barometer would fall unde the cloud
thus formed, In favorable circumstances
a quantity as great as it is kown to fall
sometimes under the middle of a dense
and lofty cloud, and that Consequently
the air would rush in on oil sides to-
wards the centre of the cImd and up
wards in the middle, and thus continue
the condensation of the vipor and the
formation of cloud and the generation o
rain. See also Journal of he Franklin
Institute for September and October
1888, and January, February and March
and subsequent 1889
5th. | have shown also in the volume.
quoted above, that the air moves Inward'
on all sides towards the centre of the
space or where n great rain u falling
and of course upwards, after it comes II
under the cloud, which is so much lighte
than the surrounding air; at least, tina
it does so in all storms which have beer
Investigated, which now amount to six
teen, besides several tornadoes, In all o
which the trees were thrown with theiI
tops inwards.
From the principles here established
by experiment, and afterwards confirm
ed by observation, it follows, that if 1
large BODY OF air is made to ascend in ;
column, large cloud will be generated
and that the cloud will sustain in itself I
self-sustaining power, whlcl may move
from the place over which il was formed
and cause the air over which it passe
to rise up into it, and thus form more
cloud and rain, until the rain may be
come general; for many s.orms which
commence in the West Indies, very mar
row, are known to move from the place
of beginning several thousand miles wi
dening out and increasing in size, unit
they become many hundred miles wide
ISee Bedfeld and Reid and the reports o
Joint Committee.
Mr.. Espy draws his conclusions iron
the foregoing positions, that no other re
suit can follow but success, and request
gentlemen in different parts of tn
Union to keep a watch out on all tn
clouds that pass near them, and rePor
where they come from, and how fas
they travel, and whether they NOV
side or end foremost, or obliqueIy- TIL
experimenter finally asks TO be inform
ed, whether any gentleman intends
clear a piece of ground in the west G
northwest part of Pennsylvania. w
suppose he will lay claim to all the raj
that ia lis in the western part of Pennsy
vania this summer and fall.
TuE y Ar. Ro.0Af Rio Black tn