The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-31

wide space hlled with broken trees, naked
stumps, and heaps of shapeless ruins, which
marked the path Of the tempest"
If II appeared, on a careful comparison OF
observations made in different places, that
these winds swept directly along those tracks
which they appear to follow comparatively
simple problem would be presented to the
meteorological. But this is not found to be the
case. At one part OF hurricanes course the
storm appears to be travelling with fearful
fury along the true storm q; at another less
fuTiOusly directed across the storm-track; at
another, but with yet diminished force, though
still iercely, in direction exactly opposite to
that of the storm-traok.
All these motions appear to be fairly
accounted for by the theory that the true
path of the storm is spiral-Or rather,
that while the centre of disturbance con-
tinually travels onwards in widely extended
curve, the storm wind sweeps continually
around the centre of disturbance, as a whiri-
pool around its vortex.
And here a remarkable circumstance attracts
our notice, the consideration Of which points
to the mode in which cyclones may be con-
eeived to be generated, II is found, by care
full study of different observations made upon
the same storm, that cyclones in the northern
hemisphere Invariably sweep round the onward
travelling vortex OF disturbance in one direction
and southern cyclones in the contrary direo-
tion. If we place a watch-face upwards upon
one of the northern cyclone regions in a Mer-
GATORS chart, then the motion of the hands is
contrary to the direction in which the cyclone
whirls; when the watch is shifted to a south
ern cyclone region, the motion of the hands
takes place in the same direction as the cyclone
motion. This popularity is converted into
the following rule-of- thumb for sailors who
encounter a cyclone, and seek to escape from
the region of fercest storm:-F Facing the wind,
the centre or vortex of the storm lies to the
right in the northern, to the left in the south
ern hemisphere. Safety lies In flying from
the centre in every case save eone-that is, when
the sailor lies in the direct track Of the ad-
vancing vortex. In this case, to fly from the
centre would be to keep in the storm-track;
the proper course for the sailor when thus
situated is to steer for the calmer side of the
storm track. THIS is always the outside of
the q, as will appear from a moments con-
sideratiOn of a spiral curve traced out by a cy-
clOne-he will probably escape unscathed.
There is, however, this danger that the storm
track may extend to or even slightly overlap
the land, in which case scudding before the
gale would bring the ship upon lee shore.
And in this way many gallant ships have,
doubtless, suffered wreck.
The danger of the sailOris obviously greater,
however, when he is overtaken by the storm
on the inner side of the storm 9. Here he
has to encounter the double force of the CYCLIC
mic whirl and of the advancing storm system,
instead of the difference of the two notions
as on the outer side of the storm track. His
chance of escape will depend on his distance
from the central path of the cyclone. If near
to this, it is equally dangerous for him to
attempt to scud to the safer side Of the track,
or to beat against the wind by the shorter
course, which would lead him out of the
storm q on its inner side. 1t has been shown
by Colonel Sir w. Reid that this is the quarter
in which vessels have been most frequently
lost.
But even the danger of this most dangerous
quarter admits of degrees. 1t is greatest
where the storm is sweaping round the most
curved part of its track, which happens in
about latitude twenty-five or thirty degrees.
In this case, a ship may pass twice through
the vortex of the storm. Here hurricanes
have worked their most destructive effects.
And thus it happens that sailors dread, most
of all, the part of the Atlantic near Florida and
the Bahamas, and the region of the Indian
Ocean which lies south of Bourbon and Mau-
ritius.
To show how important it is that captains
should understand the theory of cyclones in
both hemispheres, we shall here relate the
manner in which Captain J. V. Hall escaped
from a typhoon of the Chinese seas. About
noon, when three days out from Macao, Cap
tain Hall saw "a most wild and uncommon
looking halo round the sum-" On the after
noon of the next day, the barometer had
commenced to fall rapidly; and though,
as yet, the weather was fine, orders
were at once given to prepare for a
heavy gale. Towards evening, bank of cloud
was seen in the southeast but when night
closed the weather was still calm and the
water smooth, though the sky looked wild,
and scud was coming on from the northeast
81 was much interested" says Captain Hall,
Gin wa ching for the commencement of the
gale, which now felt sure was coming. That
bank TO the southeast was the meteor 10y
clone) approaching us, the northeast scud the
outer northwest portion of it; and when at
night strong gale came on about north, or
Tth-northwest, felt certain we were on its
western and southwestern verge. y ranidlv
increased inc in violence, tuut I was pleased to
see 'ne VIM" .. veering to the northwest, as it
convinced me thai had put the ship on the
right tTack-namely, on the starbOard tack,
standing, of course, to the southwest. From
ten A. NJ. to three P. NJ. it blew with great
violence, but the ship, being we'll prepared,
rode comparatively easy. The barometer was
now very low, the centre of the storm passing
to the northward of us, to which we might
have been very near had we in the first part
put the ship on the larboard tack.''
But the most remarkable point of Captain
Halls account remains to be mentioned. He
had gone out Of his course to avoid the storm,
hut when the wind fell to moderate gale he
thought it pity to lie so far from his proper
course, and made sail to the northwest. "In
less than two hours the barometer again began
to fall and the storm to rage in heavy gusts.
He bore again to the southeast, and the
weather rapidly improved" There can be
little doubt that but for Captain Hall's know
ledge of the law OF cyclones, his ship aud
crew would have been placed in serious leo