New-York tribune., 1874-07-04
SCIENTIFIC.

orvIcr. IN THE POPULAR s0ihNOh NoN'''Ni'
FEBRUARY 1878.
In the following remarks SNAIL III oluol
- avoid mere generalities ana VagueneSS' 00H"0
attention to literal exu"o'@
. ,hs wear 1871 the law OF storms. simple as IL rs
was to the most P,o9.TS a tSep discovered
and announced by Mr.. William G. Redhed OF Nc aInst
S by labors of that great MUD aeanss
he constant and opposition OF the seehn0
empires OF his day' c,,;.;.,
This is not true "The law of storms" was not an,
pounced by Redheld until 1881 tsilimans journal
Vol Xxx 1871 The attention OF Redneld was nrs' 'no
oughy drawn to subject in 1871 by the grea' o'P
tember storm OF that year
,.,,.. -, s,o-,,s .n1onhced by Redheld) assumes
nothng supposes nothing, but presents tne of
ssioo and in the attempt hud that center ao-
Quiring a yortleOse or rotatory mouoh'
Criticism
mi, q, ,hs worry reverse OF the theory maintained by
,oaoa,d against the constant perversons and oppos
ton of the scientific empires of his day. heoneiu
maintained to the last that the depression al 'o ~
of the storm was the cause OF the WhrhuS o'iou'
but the effect OF centrifugal force generated D 'he
whirl This was the very point upon which Hare anu
other "scentihc empires" with whom it seems that
Prof Maury is agreed, attacked Redfeld The law
which Redheld announced in 1851 sillmans Jourhal,
Vol Xxx p. S2) was, that the northeast traoe-"lhus
came into collision with the great archipelago OF lsanus
As the OF moving atmosphere presses down upon
the islands," the obstruction which they afford pro-
duces q constant tendency TO circular eNOluVon'
hese masses OF ofatmosphere. thus set into active
tOn continue sweep along the islands with hcreaseu
,ariditv OF gyration, until they impinge upon the
American coast" In short, Redhelds law OF storms
.s announced in 1881, may be summarized thus Winds
encounterDg material obstacles are thrown into whr
ing eddes and these then carried forward by the
prevailing currents. 1t seems impossible that MI
Maury can have studied single one OF Redheids
works
The axal rotation of the globe ncessany so acts as
TO the right Of the line on it moving matter
whether that lue be from cast TO west hofln W sVu'
Criticism.
The rotation OF the earth only throw body 10 the
right Of the line along which it is moving when the
body is passing from ATTITUDES revolving with greater 10
Iatudes revolving with less velocity, and vice versa
Consequently the revolution Of the earth can have no
influence upon the motion OF the bodies moving from
west east from east TO west (HerscheFs meteor
oogy" D. 6s) Moreover, Redfeld knew nothing OF TINS
influence OF the earths rotation IN making air swerVe
from straight toward the center Of depression
because already stated he attributed the depression
TO centrifugal force. DR.. Reye W Wnbestrlae Tornndos
pnd WeterSGien in der ErddtnOsphdre," p 1871 than
whom there ia greater authority, states that Belt
was the first to this law of storms in 1882
Extract p. 1856.
The whole system OF Vet MonsOons NAV also justly pe
as a
the heated plains Of Central Asia
Extract p. 3S7. .
The final OF storms imposes upon the cyclone the
tack OF gathering to its center tue lde ana
scattered over the surface of the eartn con
deDslug it into ram ana snow
Criticism
These two statements appear be contradictory. II
n is the final OF to gather moisture to their
centers greatest cyclone M the world, and the one
of longest duration which Prof Maury describes as
having ITS center Central Asia, must totally fail OF the
for xUb{ was Is known
that the central plateau OF Asia Of the most dry
and barren in the world. In this respect 1t comes very
little behind the Sahara. In general men of any pre-
tension science leave tnal causes 10 priests and
,neaphy ysicans, their natural protectors How really,
Prof Maury tell but that the final cause Of cyclones
birds insects and infusora 10 their centers
since it is notorious that they do so.
Extract, p. 9S9.
The most extended typho0ns OF the East upon en,eL
ing dry ana raniess continental reeionS dwindie
inIo the weLknown and diminuIive dust wmriwind'
Criticism
Yet Prof Maury has Just described the greatest cy-
clone as being central Of the greatest deserts In
the world 1t reasonable TO describe the whirl
formed upon beds OF heatedlava upon the sum
Inits of volcanoes in action. upon piles OF burning
wood small whrls of dust OF two or three feet III
diameter which we see upon Summer day. as dwinded
cyclones the sand pillars of the desert The sands Of
the Sahara have frequently temperature Of 1902 and
are quite competent TO generate whirs on
comparatively large scale.
LJNNCL y.
In the West India hurricane, blowing at the rate OF
200 miles per hour, houses have been blown down
ships innumerable sranded-but all this Is mere ehildt
play compared 70 the suction and Whir or the tornado
Criticism
This is exaggeratou In the Antigua hurricane
or 1897 24pounder blown from the fOrtf-
In the Guadaloupe hurricane OF July 25 1925,
pine board three feet broad, foot in length
and six inches thiek, was driven through palm tree
one foot in diameter. Three 2i-pounder cannon were
also pushed forward to the breastwOrk There is at
least one Instance mentioned of ship having been
carried up bodily We not aware that the tornado
has ever developed greater mechanical energy than
these instances prove 10 belong TO the West India
hurricane.
Extract .. S92.
1t observation Old Aristotle that storms OF
The middle attudes IN the northern hemisphere advanc
Criticism
am not OF any such observation, and venture
suggest that the first mention Of the observation is TO
found in the above quotation. The ancients like the
Inoderns up very recent times believed the
come with the winds Franklin the first TO main.
tain that a northeast storm from the southwest
tsniman's Journal" Vol. XIX, y. 4O)
Extract. p. ss3.
The theories OF other writers except Mr.. Redded)
have all long since been abandoned by themselves
evidently incapable OF explaining the nature OF
cyclones.
We have seen hat Redhelds theory totally and
dametrically opposed to that held by Prof. Maury.
Red1eld all his life cOmbatted the idea OF the rareiac
ton the OF the being produced by heat
Mr Espy held and the Professor holds The Professor
has therefore abandoned Redneld's theory himself
without knowing it. But who are these others whose
theories have disappeared from the scientific world .
DIR. Theodor Reye published bs great work Die Wuael-
StUrBle, &e, in 1872 and therein he maintains his
theory with the greatest determination. The same can
oe said OF Prof. ssnna soiaroo in his ReehercAes &c