The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-10-16
THE PACIFIC
obertiser
OCTOBER I6.
The Science of Storms.


The science of storms is but imperfectly under
stood. A disagreement exists between the closest
students Of meteorOlOgy on the subject. RedheId
leads a strong following in the advocacy OF the
theory that $ storm consists Of q column of air Of
unknown height. and varying in diameter from a
few hundred feet TO one or two thousand miles. re-
volViDg around an axis perpendicular or somewhat
inclined, and moving onward, its base being the
surface Of the earth" This has been designated
the rotary or cyclone theory. Espy, Peltier, Brandes
and others advocate the centripetsl or inblowing
theory. which sets forth that u the air in every
storm blows from all quarters toward q common
centre, if the s'orm Is round, and toward a common
line if the storm is Oblong.'' This motion is attri-
buted g to the rushing upward Of a current above
this centre or line on the surface Espy attributes
this upward air current to heat, while Peltier aud
others sscribe il to q " connective discharge Of cleo
tricity." Il is unnecessary to explain these two
theories in detail. The adherents of both have e-
patiated on the phenomena OF the same tornadoes,
claiming that they proved conclusively the correct
ness Of their respective deductions. Professor Will
liam Blasias is the promulgator of 8 new theory,
embracing some of the principles embodied in the
cyclone and the centripetal theories, and which now
appears in the form of 3 book, entitled Storms:
their Mature, CLASSIFICATION and Latcs. He attri-
butes all storms to q disturbance in the equilibrium
Of the atmosphere, produced by the effects of the
suns heat-"a difference in temperature at different
points the main cause Of motion in the air" But
the currents producing this disturbance are always
ia opposite directions. If the disturbance is Of a
perpendicular nature. the warm current ascends
and the cold one descends; if horizontal. the warm
current flows above the cold current in one direction,
while the latter flows in the other. He Classics
storms and their Characteristic clouds as follows:
l.. Local or Teriical Storms. Stationary. Cen
tripetal. Produced by q tendency Of the atmosphere
to re-establish in q vertical direction an equilibrium
that has been disturbed. Characteristic clouds
cumulus.
2: Progressive or Lateral Storms. Travelling.
Produced by q tendency Of the atmosphere to re-
establish in q lateral direction an equilibrium that
has been disturbed. There are two kinds (a) EguG-
toTiGl or Northeast Storms. Winter storms. Pro-
dueed by a warm current displacing a cool one to
supply q deficiency toward the poles. Temperature
changing from cool to warm. Direction to the north
eastern quadrant. Characteristic clouds-stratus.
(b) Polar or Southeast and Southpest Storms.
Summer storms produced by q cool current displa-
equator. Temperature changing from warm to cool.
Direction to the southern semi-circle. Characters
tic clouds-cumulo- stratus.
3. Loco Progressive or Diagonal Storms. Trav-
cling locally. Rotary (tornadoes, hail-storms, sand
storms, water-spouts, etc.. produced by a tendency
of the atmosphere to re-establish the equilibrium Of
q polar storm which has been disturbed in the plane
Of meeting by o peculiar confguration of the ground.
Direction, the diagonal of the forces of the two
opposing currents transversely through the polar
storms. Characteristic clouds-conus
Professor Agassiz was very much interested in
Blasius' Investigations, which commenced with the
destructive tornado that swept over West Cambridge,
Mass, In August, 1851, and aided him in every pos
sible way. In gratitude he has in part dedicated
the result of his labors to the memory of his de-
parted friend. But Professor Henry and Lieutenant
Maury had but little faith in the new storm theory
of Blasius, if we judge it by the measure of the en-
couragement they were willing to give him. Neither
Of these two scientists would invite him to address
the Smithsonian Institute on the subject, although
given very distinctly to understand that such an in
vitation would be acceptable. Blasius now intimates
that Maury has been trying to steal some of his
thunder by tactily indorsing the statement that he is
the author of Blasius' explanations of the tropical
Gains. and he quotes a paragraph from one of
Maury's letters, which completely upsets that gen.
tleman's claims, from whatever source they may
have emanated. A colored map of the West Cam
bridge tornado. plates representing the various
cloud-forms. and diagrams illustrating the theories
promulgated, are ~profusely scattered through the
book. Original articles from the New York press,
and communications published in the Signal Service
reports on the phenomena of storms, form the ap-
Jpendices.
The United States Minister at Stockholm states
that 10000 pupils study horticulture or forest cnl-