The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-04-15
HOYT g. CO., Proprietors
Tbe Origin and Phenomena Of Cyclones.

The Origin and Phenomena Of Cyclones
Admiral Rapheal Semmes, in his memoirs
of Service Aaoat," gi ives graphic description
Of the origin and phenomena of cyclone or
tvnboon. an extract from which will prove IN
teresting:
clone is called a typhoon. 1t prevails there a
with even more destructive effect than IN tne
western hemisphere. 1t takes its origin during
the change of the monsoons Monsoons a are
periodical winds which blow one-halt OF the
wear frem one direction-the northeast, 1or ex-
ample-and then change and blow the otnef
half of the year from the opposite directlon-
the southwest When these monsoons al are
changing there is great disturbance IN the
atmosnberic equilibrium. A battle of the
winds. as it we're, takes place; the outgoing
wind struggling for existence, and the !ncom-
dng wind endeavoring to throttle 1t and take
its place. Gains, whirlwinds, water-spouts and
heavy and drenching rains set in; the black,
wild looking clouds sometimes rent and torn,
sweeping with their heavy burdens OF vapor
over the very surface of the sea. Now, the
outgoing or dying monsoon will receoe 1or
days together, its enemy, the incoming mon
soon, gradually advancing to occupy the space
left vacant. The retreating wind will then
rally, regain its courage and drive back, at
least for g part of the way, the pursuing WIND.
I'm this way the two will ALTERNATE for weeks,
each watching the other as warily as it they
were opposing armies. It is during these
struggles, when the atmosphere is unhinged, as
it were, that the typhoon makes its awful aP-
pearance. Every reader is familiar with the
phenomenon of the miniature whlrlwlnd,
which he has so often seen sweep along street
or road, for s short distane and then disappear,
the want of local equilibrium in the atmos-
phere, which gave rise to it, having oeen re-
stored. These little whirlwinds generally, oc-
cur at street corners, or at cross roaos, anu are
produced by the meeting of two winds; When
these winds meet the stronger Will Deno Tue
weaker and whirl will ensue. The two WINDS
still coming on the whirl will be increased, and
thus whirlwind is formed which Immediately
begins to travel-not at random, OF course, out
in the direction of least pressure. The meet
ing of two currents OF water. when FORM a
whirlpool, may be used as another illustration.
It is Just 80 that the typhoon is formed. IL
steps in as a great conservator of the peace to
nut an end to the atmospherical strife which
has been going on, and to restore harmony TO
nature It is terrible scourge whilst it lasts !;
the whole heavens seem to be in disorder, and
that which was only partial battle between
outposts of the arial armies has now become
general engagement. The great whirl sweeps
over q thousand miles or more, and when 1t mas
ceased nature smiles again the old monsoon
has given up the ghost, and the aew monsoon
has taken its place. All will be peace now
untl the next change-the storms that Will
occur in the interval being more or less Local.
We have monsoons in the western hemisphere,
as we'll as ia the eastern, though they are much
more partial both in space and duration. Inc
cyclones which sweep over the North Atlantic
are generated, as has been remarked, to the
eastward of the West India Isles, somewhere
between them and the coast OF Brazil. Ihey
occur in August, September and October, some.
times, indeed, as early as the latter part OF
July. In these months, the sun has drawn
after him, into the northern hemisphere, the
southeast trade winds of the South Atlantic.
These trade winds are now struggling with the
northeast trade winds, which prevail IN these
seas for three-fourths of the year, tor the mas
terry. We have, thus, another monsoon strug-
gle going on; and the consequence OF TINS
struggle is the cyclone. If the reader, being
in the northern hemisphere, will turn his face
sowarde the sun at his rising, and watch his
course for short time he will observe that his
course is from left to right. AS the course OF
the arrows in the figure is from right to lett,
the reader observes that gyration OF the wind,
In the storm, is against the couroe OF the sun.
This is an nvariable law I'll both hemispheress,
but in the southern hemisphere the reader Will
not fail to remark that the gyration of the wind
is in the opposite direction from its gyratlon IN
the northern hemisphere for the reason that to
an observer in the southern hemisphere the
sun appears to be moving not from left to right,
h1t from right to left. Whilst, therefore, the
storm in the northern hemisphere gyrates from
right to left, in the southern hemisphere 1t
pyrates from left TO right; both gyrations being
aqasysst the course Of tie sun.
This is a curious phenomenon, which has,
thus far, puzzled all philosophers. 1t isa dou-
BILE puzzle; first, why the storm should gyrate
always in the same direction and secondly,
why this gyration should be different IN tne
two hemispheres. The law seems to be SO SUD-
4le as utterly to elude investigation. There IS
q curious phenomenon in the vegetable world,
which seems to obey this law OF storms, ana
which I do not recollect ever to have seen al
luded to by any writer. It may be we'll known
to horticulturists, for aught that know, but 1t
attracted my attention in my own garden, for
the first time, since the war. 1t is, that all
creeping vines and tendrils, when they vino
themselves around q pole, invariably wlnd
CuCLlSclNcS 1lOu AlShV w ASAS3 SA
course of the SUM-
What is the subtle influence which produces
this wonderful result2 May it not be the same
Law which rides on the whirlwind and directs
the storm. X It is the rain which adds
such fury:to the wind. These storms come to
rs, as has been said, from the tropics and the
winds by which they are engendered are highly
charged with yapor. In the course of taking
I'D this yapor from the sea, the winds take up
along with it a large quantity of latent heat
or heat whose presence is not indicated by the
thermometer. AS the raging cyclone is moving
onward in its path the winds begin to partwith
their burden-it begins to rain. The moment
the vapor is condensed into rain the latent
heat, which was taken up with the vapor, is
liberated, and the consequence is the formation
the raging storm and travelling along with h it:
The more rain there falls, the more latent neat
there escapes, the hotter the furnace becomes,
and the hotter the furnace the more furiously
the wind races around the circle, and rushes