New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-30
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE.
SECOND DAYS PROCEEDINGS.

POSSESSED OF MERELY DOCUMENTARY ORGANS
Is THE AMPHoxUs A FIsHf
There was a somewhat larger attendance
yesterday than on the previous day at the meeting OF
the National Academy OF Sciences In the ehapei OF
Columbia College, but the was not uncomfortaoly
crowded. Among the new arrivals was Prof. Baird OF
the Smithsonian Institution. Prof. Agassz was ex-
pected, but did put in an appearance, ana Prof'
Perce, who had been present the previous day, was
absent yesterday TIE public session was bref lasting
only from l2 to p m the remainder OF the afternoon
being devoted to the business OF eectng new members
which carried with closed doors II was announced
during the day that the supply OF papers" would only
be sufficient for days proceedings, ana that
the session OF tomorrow, HobokeD would close the
meeting.
PHENOMENA OF GREAT sToRMs-BY PROF. ELIAS LooMls
This paper was described by title as " Some Results
Derived from ton OF the United States weather
Maps"
The remarks purpose 10 make consist rather OF a
statement Of what am engaged in dong than OF re-
suits which prepared to communicate. IL Is known
TO persons that many years ago undertook the
investigation OF certain storms, particularly Winter
storms. Some 80 years ago / published In
the transactions OF the Philosophical Society
OF Philadelphia my Investigations Of a remarkable
storm which was experienced throughout the united
States in December 1896 Some two or three years after
that published in the samo memoirs an investigation
OF two other storms which experienced about 1872
| arrived at that time considered Of considerable i'm
portance They gave us more precise information with
regard 10 many storms than had been ar
rived at before. I very DESTROYS at that time OF
prosecuting subject further but the difficulty OF OBJ
tanning sufficient amount OF accurate material
was great that I felt obliged to wait
hoping at future time we might
have a greater abundance OF the requisite data This
storm Of December 1896, followed few days after
by remarkable storm in New-York and many eonJec-
tured at that time that there connection between
the two storms that the American storm crossed the
Atlantic Some years after in 1885, spent some time IN
Europe, and improved the opportunity to collect OBJ
servations relating this Storm collected copies ef
meteorological journals for that PERIOD and on my re-
turn undertook new investigation OF the phenomena
OF that storm and of the American storm that preceded
it, An OF these results was published by the
Smithsonian Institution. have INDUCED the hope
ever since that / might be able TO resume this dis
cussion under more favorable circumstances. and
with more extensive materials When the weather re-
ports urn she'd BIS our Government came to he made,
and when they assumed the systematic and precise form
that they have done latery, It occurred 10 me that
these would furnish material for the kind OF research
have had in mind for a long time have received maps
regularly from the Department for about two years. and
have preserved them carefully. l have received only
one Of these reports each day. whereas the War Depart
ment receives reports three times each day. The mate
rails have at command although extensive, are by no
means as complete as those at Washington nave
thought Il worth while however to undertake myself
systematic examination OF these maps
first prepared skeleton map upon precisely the
same scale as the Washington maps, contnlng myself
however 70 that portion of the country over which these
Storm tracks usually pass Although these weather maps
extend 10 the Pacific the department has never drawn
isobarc lines extending beyond the Rocky MOUNTAINS
with one exception, that was compelled to reduce
the dimensions OF skeleton map, though retaining
preeiselyhe same The first step consisted 10 trans
errug the tracks Of these barometrc mnlma to tins
map.
Prof LOOMS exhibited the map showing the result OF
the protection OF these tracks for the month OF January
for tho years and 1879 also similar maps Tor the
| months OF February, March, and April.
The next step consisted in abuatnS all these results
The lines on the maps measured and the dates aud
movements recorded Ia tables for two years The drec
ton OF the storm track and its motion per day. IL lhd
Gated al that the tables show the progress In q hours Oh
| the barometric mlnma and their direction lie had
complete tables for these four months for two years
These tables together would show the average rare OF
progress Of barOmctrc minima ana AVERAGE ulroc'iu
The average rate OF progress each day for January was
$50 miles for February, 40 miles for March siO miles
! for April CHS miles The average iOr tneso lp'li
months was Little less than 700 miles-a tribe less
| than go miles an hour For the month OF January the
average direction OF progress - degrees nOI.n vi
ease that Is the direction toward which the STORM uaN
els II very indeed that storm IaHo.s az
week There only two decided cases Oh tnlC
| lind in ~ %
Div travel toward aud Little north o. east fJr
February the average Is about - degrses ~ dceree
for March grces north Of east Tor APRIL 10 ucsreoS
The object which propose in this research viii Dc De
70 investigate the various circumstances when seem 70
cause these movements, the rate anu tne ureclon "
determine what other meteorological elements arc ro
nected with these. | tabuate with these hump.cls
therefore good many other points one r. 9a9nl,o
of what they call the "ow, which means slnpy uo
est indication the weather maps Another
the fall in q hoursthe fall 81 inc s aseraned
| he OF
The rise the next "A hours at the same pate Is oa
in the same az fbe Way 0ne day low Will DO 294
tbe next day IL will be found SOME 5OO ies east a
nerbaps will be 20 50 or 293 IL will not be generally
pationsrv from one day 10 another. In other words
the storm will be increasing or dllninshinR III o
There is one point in regard to when ne eouiu ,aA1
| somewhat precise statement 1t Is what might DC
called the stationary low that is stationary sIor.
| In general. these storms travel with cOnslueraoe
Velocity; occasionally we find examples OF storm, sta,
tonary for % hours, sometimes two OF pee aion
are examples of very violent storms REMAINING staoh
airy days. The European storm 81 aoSo Shic
tended through Great Britain and all over the CONT
| neut, At that time there was formed a low hoss
s tour days and the isobarc at that time were
quite symmetrical and nearly crcnar t Ibe cnty
of the from to OF an men OeoW INC aver
S,mar nhenomena have been noticed since then In
MANY instances In Europe The localities wlere tney
have been most frequently Observes are On b hue narf
| of scotland following down the English ana French
to that OF Spain An average Of % oT yeS pr
| apnum where the barometer SANK very ~" anu Ooh
| tpued long the same depression
| In examining the United states maps ne hao peeh
struck with the circumstance that storm travelling
scross the United States 70 Maine aud New
wolld atom there and the slow be marked here Tor
two or three successive days There was no evidence
whether low proceeded beyond that point as the
/ man cannot give further Information However, by
compsrng these observations carefully twill De found
that the actual hight Of the barometer AZ these most
| easteriy stations continues the same during two
| or three successive days Prof LOOMS attrio-
| utes this phenomenon 70 local causes I9ese
| arc PROBABLY the characteristics OF the surface
| of the countryside high ranges or mountains when
Sore currents upward and condensation