The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-25
Researches in Gyclonology.

f'oSS~'o 10 WI e"his leEI ODllthNs
-4 Researches in GyclonoIogy.
important discovery has recently been
announced touching the difficult science of
managing ships in cyclones The avoidance
of these moving terrors on the ocean has
been the study Of many Of our ablest minds,
and any discovery that throws additional
light upon it will be gladly hailed by INTEL
ligent seamen and by all "who do business
in the great waters" Ever since the mag
nificent, generalization, which was given to
the world in 1881 by Mr.. Redfield, of New
York, the mariner has ceased TO tremble be-
fore the fall of the quicksilver in his barom-
eter and the other premonitions of the hur-
ricane. This American meteorologist, of
justly worldwide celebrity, clearly estab-
blished the fact that storms, seemingly the
most violent and lawless, moved with pre-
cision in fxedTpaths, and executed their ro-
tative movement with almost the regulari-
ty of the balance-wheel. He also demon
strated that hurricanes in the Northern
hemisphere. revolvel around their centre in
variably in direction contrary to the mo-
ton of the sun and the hands Of q watch.
Since the death of the lamented author of
this physical law, now so well known as
"the law of storms" little or nothing has
been done to perfect its details, and many
seamen, having but crudely grasped it and
having failed rightly to apply it their first
attempts, have frequently found it impracti-
cable, though countless cases are on record
in which it has saved large vessels, and
even whole squadrons, from probable de-
struction.
AT recent meeting of the Meteorological
Society of Mauritius, Capt. Douglas Wales
(of that Island), sailor Of long experience
and great practical knowledge and skill,
the Wind in Cyclones.'' in which he argues
that, on the margin of these storms. whose
diameter is often several hundred miles,
the wind does not always blow around the
central area of the storm in concentric cir
cles, but frequently it converges or curves
inward, in nearly radial lines upon the CEN
tire of the gale. As it is in the centre that
the vorticose motion of the cyclone is most
intense and deadly, it is, of course, of the
flrst Importance to give it a wide berth.
According to 'sthe law of storms" as first
laid down by Mr.. Redficld, Reid, Dove and
others, the winds within the entire area of
atmospheric disturbance blew in perfect
and concentric circles around the common
centre. Captain Wales, however, after
multiplied observations. shows that
this rule is not strictly observed by
the winds, and illustrates his view
thus: Let US, suppose the vessel in the
Southern Hemisphere, where, by cyclonic
theory, the wind moves around the storm
centre with the, hands of watch. q Her
commander, in latitude twelve degrees
south, longitude seventy degrees east, we
will say, finds his barometer falling, sky
overcast, confused swell and other cyclonic
premonitions.. What shall he do sl.Heave
to on the port tack" or ''run to the south
west and make use of the storm?" 1t is
hard to tell which will be the most danger
Gus. The wind being northeast the infer
enee he draws is that he is on the southeast
edge of a cyclone, whose centre bears
northwest. Considering that in, the lati-
tude and longitude where he is sailing the
storm is probably travelling west-south-
west, he thinks, that by running to the
southwest he will diverge continually from
the perilous centre, and, by making loco
motive of the storm, he will have fine runs
for several days. But if the northest wind
be only convergmg toward the fearful tenn
pestuous whirl in the centre, that centre
bears west by north, half north, instead of
northwest; SO that, by following the law
of storms and running to the southwest, he
runs into the very jaws of destruction.
AT any rate, without doubt, ON the suppo-
sition of converging wind on the outer
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