The New York herald., 1875-09-20

high pitch OF perfection and its study illustrating
the wonderful and unalterable laws that govern the
physical system Of the universe possesses as great an
interest as any within the range Of human knowledge
At this moment hundred stations Of the Weather
Signal Service are watching the vagar les and prog
ress OF the formidable cyclone that, starting
from the southern coast OF Cuba nine or
ten days ago, struck and almost overwhelmed
the city of Galveston, in Texas, last Wednesday
ing The first knowledge that this dangerous visitor
was on its peregrinations a despatch from San
tago de Cuba published days ago in the HERALD
and relating its mschievous panks in that quarter Of
the West Indies. The meteorological eye at once
directed to its course and the Of maps that have
since been issued illustrating its Journey and locating
its daily whereabouts make an intensely interesting
study. When properly explained it is as simple as
marvellous At this moment, in the Gulf of Mexico,
the barometer indicates a low pressure. When that
is the case there is Of the wind south from
north to fill the vacuum, BY the admirable
of the telegraph it be found instantly where the
northerly wind is in contact with the
OUTER OF THE CYCLONE
The latter pushed northeast. The other day low
thermometer found Mobile but the warm breath
of the cyclone advancing and the cold breath OF
northeast wind was forced to withdraw Until yester
day it had retraced its steps far back point in
southeastern Pennsylvania showins the speedy en-
croachment of the precursor OF tho cyclone Friday
last the HERALD published despatch from Houston
Texas saying:-"A fearful gale has been blowing at
Galveston since yesterday morning The city is par.
TALLY underwater The gale Is increasing and the
barometer falling The bay is full of that if
the wind changes the north the whole island will be
lost.n
STORMS DIRECTION.
This was the identical cyclone reported few days
before prevailing the southern coast of Cuba Its
regular would be to sweep diagonally
the South and impinge the Gulf Stream at Cape
Hatteras 1t might take eight ten days to come
abreast OF the Jersey coast but that it will turn
fearful traveller to the North Atlantic may be
judged from its dongs at Galveston. 1t is possible
however, it may make wider sweep than usual
the land on its way meet the warm, humid company
of the Gulf Stream
WHAT 1 A CYCLONE.
To learn something for September reading of these
singular bodies of air called cyclones and equinoctia
gales, HRRALD reporter called yesterday at
THE WEATHER SIGNAL STATION
top of the Equitable Building, Broadway, and
through the courtesy of the gentleman in charge Dr.
Hiram J. Penrod who was four years in charge of tho
station at Baltimore learned many things that were
and of interest The bulletin for the afternoon
just been printed and indicated that the cyclone was
moving in northeast direction, the words being
brisk and high winds and stormy weather have pre-
vailed the Middle Atlantic coast, and of
usually low barometer is central Eastport Heavy
rains have prevailed in the Gulf heavy gales
have prevailed in the Gulf" On the wall hung
weather map, just printed, showing the baromctrical
conditions all over the Union. This was worth full
hours study,
COMING CYCLONE
has originated In the southern region Of the of
eastery trade winds east of the Wndward Islands, pos
sbly in the meteorological orrd equatorial belt
OF CalmS and low and humidity
In Its central region Toward this the wind blows from
all points, and DETECTING the right pursues spiral
course upward and inward. The moisture brought by
this wind condenses as the pressure is reduced and
clouds are formed with heavy rain. In the of
the cyclone upward current is supposed exist
high above are formed the cirrus clouds which stream
far away IN avaDce on the upper currents Of air This
cyclone is carried to the north and west un. " passes
into the meteorological temperate zone where the pre-
vailing south and west winds control its motion The
cyclone is supposed to pursue course northward
parallel to the Gull Stream with its attendant band OF
warm, moist air. 1t will produce heavy east
ery gales East Atlantic coast and will finally
get lost in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, may reach
the coastof Great Britain and cause damage among the
| shipping A despatch from New Orleans yesterday
stated that the ship Marcia Greeneaf from Reva re-
ported encountering terrific hurricane in latitude
rs deg. 2S min, longitude S4 deg 40 min.
The signal station is at high elevation above Broad
way The instrument shelter is an iron copy of the
observatory on the central Office in Washington and is
sufficiently elevated from the roof guard against the
effects of radiation from the fiat roof of the building The
wind vane, thermometer and rain gauge fixed upon
the roof of the observatory and the first are
made TO register inside the former by shaft running
into the building the latter by means of electricity
Two large nagsas for the display of signals have been
erected upon the roof of the main building and are in
full view of greater part of the harbor Reports from
the east, west and south here transferred
and interchanged, and the routine work is
laborious and exactng Full reports from all
stations received. Twenty bulletins of the morn
ing and eleven of the afternoon and seven of the
midnight reports issued and distributed. All
the papers that publish them supplied with bulletins
The office has printing press for maps 1t issues daily
279 and has another press that strikes Off what called
the farmers bulletin" about 700, and copy is
sent TO each postmaster, designed to reach him the
day of ISSUE and for the benefit of all interested
THE STORM SIGNALS
There is much complaint that the EQUITABLE Company
refuse to give the department more room over the
Cedar street entrance of the building night signal
light has been placed at great elevation, and in
twenty-five miles.
CHARACTER OF CYCLONES
Cyclones extend circle from 100 to 500 miles in
diameter, and sometimes a thousand miles The ap-
proach of cyclone is generally announced by swell Of
the ocean, resulting from the action Of the wind upon
neighborng sea, while the thus agitated
advance more rapidly than the storm. The char
acter Of the weather at any time is affected by so
many circumstances that it is of impossible to
predict what weather may be expected given time
and place. To some extent however such predictions
are possible. When telegraphic reports can be easily
received from the Mississippi Valley IL possible to
predict the approach OF storm twenty four hours
ahead OF its coming Along the Atlantic coast of the
United States rain occurs most frequently with the
wind from the northeast II has been noted at New
Haven that storms begin with easterly wind and end
with westerly one so that the same storm is attended
by both winds; but, the rain snow with the first
wind generally continues longest the eastery wind is
recorded accompanying rain at greater number of
the regular hours of observation throughout most of
the interior of the United States the principal part of
the rain comes with westerly wind.
now THE BAROMETER WORKS
The instruments used by the Signal Office are affected
before the wind actually begins blow the ram to
fall The length of time which passes between the first
appearance of change of weather and its actual setting
in Is not the 1t is much greater when a south
west wind Is going to succeed northeast than when
the opposite change is about to take place The wind
usually shifts with the sun, from lef to right in the
northern hemisphere. change in this direction is |
called veering Thus an east wind shifts 10 through
southeast south and southwest and a west wind shifts
through northwest north and northeast II the
wind shifts the opposite wayviz, from TO SOUTH
west south and southeast the change called backing
and 1t seldom unless when vhe weather is un-
settled II the barometer be high (above 80 81 and re-
main steady for some days il is because there is so 10
speak,
the place. The wind will be light and the weather
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