Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-01-02

IL
s,u,aucatons must be accompanied by the names of
;ass and rejected communications cannot be returned
PROGRESS OF AMERICAN STORMS. re-
MORT of the Secretary of the Smithsonian In
s,itute for 1866, refers to the line of march of
the great American storms, as quoted below
Iustead of progressing from South to North,
as supposed by Dr. franklin the movement is
from West to East the storm presenting d
line OF BATTLE so to speak, that stretches from
Canada to the Gulf and fronting towards the
East:
The fact is now fully proved that ali the
meteorological phenomena OF at least the middle
and more northern portions of the temperate
zane are transmitted from west to east. The
passage of storms from one part of the country
to the other was noticed by DR.. Franklin on
The occasion of observing an eclipse Of the
moon. lie showed that our northeast storms
are felt successfully later and later as the point
OF observation is further to the northeast; that
they arrive last at the extreme northeastern
portions OF our continent. We now know,
however, that the successive appearance OF the
storm at points further along the coast is due
TO the easterly movements, sideways. as itwerc,
OF an atmospheric disturbance, greatly eongat.
ed north and south, and reaching sometimes
from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Hence
to persons residing along the seaboard the
phenomenon would appear to have north
wardIy progression, on account of the north
cas,crly trend Of the coast yet the storm not
u.!trequently reaches Bermuda simultaneously
with Nova Scotia.
Few persons eau have failed to observe the
continued motion of the higher clouds from the
west, or to have recognized the just meteoros-
copy of Shakespeare III we'll known passage:
"The weary sun hath made golden set,
And by the bright track of his frery car
Gives token Of a goodly day tomorrow"
The breaking forth Of the sun just before his
setting shows that the rear of the cloud which
has obscrred his beams, has, in its easterly
course reached our horizon, and will soon give
pacoto an unobscured sky.
1t must be observed, however, that all the
storms which visit our coast are not OF this
nature a; those denominated cyclones, and which
seldom extend far ihto the interior, are probab
Iy Of rotary character. These usually COM
mence in the Caribbean sea, move first to the
northwest. and gradually curVing round before
they reach our latitude, take an easterly direc-
ton, as has been shown by Redheld and others.
''ATrENPT TO AssAssINATE" "On Wednes-
day night gentleman put up at the Wash
inston Hotel, and registered as sc. E. Noble,
We>feld, Massachusetts,. A gentleman
from the same State, at present residing in
the city as banker, and boarding at the same
hoaSe, observing his name on the reg lister,
thought that out OF courtesy, though stranger,
he would call on him. and show him some at
tention. Accordingly he requested Mr.. Davis,
the accommodating clerk to 60 up to the room
RI tbo md
did so but was met by positive refusal on
the part of the occupant of the room to open
his door. Mr.. Davis explained but it was no
use the gentleman from the North was reso-
lutte he had no idea Of surrendering the ad
vantage he possessed; noibloody rebel was to get
admittance into that stronghold except at the
end of a battering ram.
Foied and repused, the clerk withdrew and
reported to the gentleman in awaiting below
The latter then determined to try his strategy.
lie asccnded to the bolted door, hailed the
vlgllant watcher within, ard askedfor An inter-
view. But the new arrival could not be caught
In any such trap as that; he was too old a
bird to be fooled with ckatf--and the door. re,
that he was his friend; was from the same
State, and only wanted to have little friendly
conversation with him. But it was no go;
that was very nice scheme but it would not
avail with him. And the gentleman intent on
deeds of hospitality was, like his predecessor.
forced to abandon his undertaking, retire and
leave the stranger alone in his castle. No doubt
his slumbers that night were disturbed by Wis
ions of bowie-knives and revolvers What an
awful idea they have of the sanguinary rebels
up North.
The stranger took his departure by the early
train the next morning, rejoicing greatly no
doubt, at his hair breadth escape from muir
der, and probably ere now has written for
the Tribune highly colored description Of
an attempted assassination of Northern
man at Lynchburg, Virginia, '-L"ychb"g
FHyanlan
ENGLISH Fox HUNTING ON TIE DECLINE
The London News says '' 1t is to be feared
that the difficulties Of fox hunting are on the
increase We are constantly reading OF OBJ
staces 10 sport raised by tenant farmers
Dead foxes are found with increasing trequen'
cy, under circumstances of the gravcst suspl-
clon. Methods Of fencing arc also resorted TO
which make hunting not only difficult put
exceedingly dangerous; the worst of them BE-
ing the use Of wire, invisible at distances too