Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-01-16
weather Fr.s.e.tie. 3 d. people.
tFsom til. 1is,ouriD .moer..1 !.

Il III. - Iletum Tue 81
In 1921, william G. Redfield Of New
York, made the important discovery
that the winds are governed by fixed
laws, and that In obedience to those
laws, the storms that sweep from the
Equatorial regions towards the Poles,
pursue paths almost as settled and
compact "a those followed BY ships In
crossing the oceans from one port to
another.
Further Investigations showed him
that all wlnd.storms blow 10 circles,
or rather, gyrate about O central axis,
with velocitIes varying from 20 to 100
miles per hour, and that they have,
also, n progressive movement Of from
two to forty miles an hour. These
phenomena were found to be always
the same In the Northern Hemisphere,
and Just the reverse In the southern.
That Is, that whilst the storms north
Of the equator invariably reyolve from
right to left, or against the hands Of a
watch (held horizontally, those In the
southern half OF the globe, revolye
from LETT to right, or with the hands
Of a watch-and that whilst tho pro-
gressive movement. or path Of the
northern storms, Is, from near the
equator, first to the northwest, until
getting beyond the limit of the trade
wind, where 1t recurves to the north
ward and eastward; then expanding
as 1t progresses, and moving with ac-
CELEBRATED velocity, It Eases its strength
or rotative force. just In proportion to
the rapidlty with which It expands,
and Is usually exhausted about the
Arctic Circle.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the
path Is to the southwest, until free
from the influence OF the southeast
trades, when 1t recurves to the south
east, and extends to the Antarctic
regions.
These laws and their operations, be-
Ing confirmed by the investigation Of
European m~eteorologlsts, were pub
llshed IN due time for the benefit Of
science and navigation, and were
taken up and ably elaborated by Mr..
Piddington, the British Colonial SEQ
rotary at Calcutta, who being an &C.
complained seaman, published a work
entitled the "Sallor's Horn Book ~
containing detailed instructions for
the management Of vessels, when en-
counterinR storms at sea, and the ill.,
dications by which their approach can
be foretold-the direction In which the
vortex. or dangerous center Of the cy-
clone, may lie from the ship, and the
best means by which the storm may be
made to save the ship, by speeding her
on her course towards her port, In
stead Of being the cause OF her destruc-
ton.
1t might reasonably be supposed that
information Of such vital Importance
to the safety Of human life and ofcom-
merce on tho ocean would DO at opoo
adopted by seamsn and insisted upon
by underwriters. Yet SO slow nrc
people to accept new Ideas, aud so DIFF
icult Is It to get them out Of habitual
grooves, that now, after q lapse Of DO
years since this discovery was made, 1t
Is believed that not more than one ship
master In q hundred has ever heard Of
these "laws Of storms" and not one
In a thousand ever applies tho rules
laid down by Redtield and Plddington,
when involved In a storm, though they
are so simple that any man capable Of
navigating a vessel oan learn them In
q few hours.
1t IL to be hoped, however, TINT the
progress now being made by u storm
signal bureau In Washington, In the
utilizing Of tho observations made un-
der It's directions In all parts Of our
extended country, and the care that IL
taken to enlighten the people-not
only In regard to the theory Of storms,
but also as to the advantages which
every class Of the community may In
one way or another derive from a gen.
eral knowledge Of this branch of me-
teorology-wIll soon awaken such an
intelligent Interest In these matters
that agrlculturlsts, as we'll rs sea-far.
Ing men, will feel 1t q reproach not to
be- informed upon a subject that 80
nearly concerns their interests and
success.