The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-12-27
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO MARINERS.
Indications in Regard to the Approach
and Duration of NOrthers ON the Gulf,

WASHINGTON, Dec M--The Superintendent o
the Coast Survey has lust Issued the followins
In regard to the. approach end duration o.
have been deducedsby Lieut.. Il. D. Hitchcock Ii
navy. Assistant Coast Surveyor. commantiin.
The steanqer gedney, from indications made bs
himself IN The vicinity .of Pensacola, Florida
Curing the seasons o. OF 1875 and 1876 extending
1877. extending from November to July e'N
BY permission Of Gen. Myer, chief signal
was made. by Lieut.. D. Nichols. United States
Navy. assistant surveyor OF the records of the
sMiEnal M " observers Ct st. Marks. Fla. and Mobile
tiuns Of Lieut., Hitchcock we, g confirmed by the
experiences at these two points
for several rt days during the periods 9
and eastward to southward and westward with
calms bad prevailed the following indications
tached black clouds to the northward and west. est
ward; sometimes these clouds were noticed in
small patches all around the sky just above the
horizon. while. 1t was clear and bright over
head by very heavy dews with a clear attnos-
phgsre and by cobwebs in the rigging.
The Rorther was always preceded BY sgaal
OF w1nd, sometimes from the southwark and
westward and sometimts from the nertbward
and westward. but more generally from south
gf west. This s9uall was usually. accompanied
by rain. From the strength of this suua could
be estimated the strength Of the norther, The
suuall was immediately followed by the norther
accompanied by rising barometer and falling
thermometer. The norther. usually lasted from
one to three days although northers of fout
days duration were observed.
sometimes varied In Its direction from north to
northwest. decreasing In strength from day to
day. but occasionally freshening at night the ba,
rometer always continued to rise until 1t attain ed
It's greatest height, when Ii remained steady.
Wilt With cold weather and very clear atmosphere.
The northef would sometimes blow itself out EN-
tirely, and be followed by a calm, or. having
expended its strength. the wind would haul t.
the @ nhorthward and n eastward In either case
backed TO southwark, After blowing from fro the i
northward end eastward, the wind would con
regularity for several days, accompanied bv
cloudy and oftentimes hazy weather. but sell
dom with rain.
After continuing for time from the north
ward and eastward. it would make the round
OF the compass, passing regularly to the east,
aoutheast, south and southwest dying out oe-
casionally, and then springiag up again.
u rain occurred It was generally after the
wind had passed south of east. although one or
TWO cases OF rain were observed with a north
east wind. Another norther would not follow
until the wind had made the regular round of
the the compass m and the time elapsipg was neer-
tain, but generally varied from one to three
weeks In case the regular round Of the wind
was broken. unsettled weather followed, until
the round was again established.
The northers were always accompanied by
very low tides. The southeast gales, which were
the heaviest experienced. occurred at rare in
OF them being of but short duration. They did
not come with every round of wind between the
nofthars. hnt coming they dropnnd into the
same round and did not break the regular
routine.
With the approach Of soutbeaster. the wind
would begin to freshen at east northeast and
continue to gain In force, accompanied by a
falling barometer and rising temperature as it
hauled tp southward and eastward: ae II passed
eastward the barometer would fall very rapidly
reaching Its lowest limit when the wind had
gained It's greatest force at southeast lust at the
point of hauling TO southwark, during which
girrnpginn n Ia n
occur.
After the squalls commenced the blow would
last for short time. Il few hours at most the
winds hauling rapidly southwardly and west
wardly. aceompanied by rain squalls; These
Squalls were always a sure sign that the force
Of the blow was about expended and were fol-
lowed by clearing weather. accompanied by a
rising barometer and falling temperature and
sometimes by MOTHER
Vessels drawing twenty feet. bound across
the oar at pensacola. Fa.. caunot cross during
or Just AFTER. q norther, on account OF the low
water, or during a Southwestern, on account of
the heavy sea on the bar
In general. vessels bound out to the south
ward. will have best weather by leaving Just at
the beginning of a norther. or on top of a
norther.' as the pilots express it,
Q. z. PATTERSON,
Superintendent Coast Survey