The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-30
WEATHER PROPHETS.

WEATHER PkOPHETS.
Ever since "Old Probs" became feature
in the American daily journals, the weather
wise people, Of whom there is always plenty
and to spare, have been fred with renewed
ambition to look beyond the morrow and to
vaticinate on the state Of the atmosphere,
not only tomorrow or the day after, but two
or three or six months hence. Basing his
calculations upon the unusually protracted
and severe winter We have just gone through
the meteorological Calchos now predicts an
equally uncomfortable summer. Whether,
after being nearly frozen in January We
are doomed to be parboiled IN July, is
what sOid Probs himself knows
nothing positive about, although there may
be some truth in the popular notion
of a compromising alienation OF heat
and cold and Of moisture and dryness during
the course Of each revolution Of the earth
around the great planetary dispenser Of the
essentials Of organic life upon our globe.
1t is not irrational to assume that our
planet is constructed on self-adjusting prin-
ciples, and needs no wheeler" to keep it
going round like the finest piece Of clock
work. Whenever one Of the directing forces
! that act upon it operates with greater energy
than usual. contrary force is Immediately
evoked, which counterba!ances and offsets
the action of the first, and thus preserves the
equilibrium Of this sublunary world. # per-
petual oscillation Of opposing forces reault-
ing in an average mem balance Of atmos-
pheric and other terrestrial phenomena could
be scientifically established and calculated,
weather almanacs could be just as easily writ
ten by scientific men as they now are by in-
pudent cherl.tans, and their predictions
would prove Of immense value to mankind.
The idea upon which this still crude theory
is built may be illustrated as follows: II the
summer heat has been excessive, abundant
eveporation has taken place and the atmos-
rhere becoming impregnated with moisture,
the resulting clouds have been interposed
like screens between the sun and the earth.
On the other hand, the snow and ice accumu-
lated at the polar regions and on the top Of
high mountains have been melted by the ab-
normal heat in proportion to its intensity and
duration, hence the plains and valleys have
been watered and cooled by increased volumes
of ice-cold water, whereby the surplus heat
absorbed by the soil, aud which might other
wise have proved hurtful to vegetal and
animal life has been brought down to the
proper standard or degree. On the other
han J., during a severe winter, the moisture
contained in the atmosphere has descended
in solid or semi-fuid shape, abandoning in
the process of solidiication an immense
amount Of caloric; the atmosphere becoming
purer is more easily penetrated by the solar
rays, the earth is moro quickly warmed,
evaporation again takes place and the equilb-
| rim is restored.
All this looks very plausible SO far; bu: who
shall tell in what exact proportions the
varions terrestrial and solar influences enter
into this perennial conflict? Who can fore
cast the direction and the strength of the
winds, the course Of the polar currents, the
ever shifting position Of the clouds in the
upper regions of the atmosphere? Who can
assure us positively that the much disputed
influence of the moon over the weather and
over vegetation is merely popular error, and
hiss no foundation in fact? On all these
points, we are still reduced to conjecture,
nor is there any likelihood that we can make
much progress towards rational solution Of
the problem until the simultaneous and COM
bined influences Of the electricity, terrestrial
magnetism, heat, the winds, the oceanic
currents, the lunar and solar action, etc., can
be definitely ascertained. Even then, we
shall still be left to contend against an in
superable dificulty-the difficulty, we might
even say, the impossibility Of foretelling any
thing with regard to the new regions of space
through which we are constantly drawn with
the entire solar system, and whose influence
should nevertheless be taken into account
before We can arrive at any certain conclusion
with regard to coming meteorological
changes.
Nevertheless, it is very satisfactory to know,
as we now do twenty-four hours in advance,
and may soon ascertain, with improved in
struments and methods of observation, for
several days, what kind Of weather we are
likely to have in any given locality. 1t is
great and useful application of modern
science, and even if it should never 60 far
Their, must inevitably confer inestimable ben
efts, particularly upon the "ploughers of the
sea" and the tlllers OF the soil.
MR.. BROWN, THE MIND READER.
One evening last week, at one Of the pub
lie halls in Philadelphia, Mr.. ]. B. Brown ex-
hibited evidences of very remarkable pc ver,
which ha claims to nQsSess. that of telling