The New York herald., 1879-11-07

the latitudes of Sable Island and the New
foundland Banks affords some rare illus
trations of the law of Atlantic storms
centre of this phenomenal gale apparently
passed over the steamship Abana on the
morning of October 20, when the wind
''became suddenly calm" and her barom-
eter fell to %. As inches--a memorable de-
preston. accompanied by all the indica-
tions which go to show that the vessel was
caught in the vortex of the storm. 1t is
usually too confidently assumed by COM
manders of full-powered steam vessels that
they can brave the crushing forces of
cyclones; but the experience of the ALBANIA
ought 10 be warning to them. That ves-
sci, according to her captains own account,
passed out of his management. refusing to
answer her helm, and drifted at the mercy
of the gale for several hours. That the
Britannia, the France, and other steamers
experiencing the same gale did not
fare as badly, or worse, was probably due
not to their superior strength or sea-going
qualities, but simply to the fact that they
did not approach SO near to the centre.
The officers OF the France, indeed, state
that they "do not believe that they reached
the heart of the Storm" which might have
proved too violent for any ship to with
stand.
The claw of storms" which was enun-
ciated nearly century ago, and by which
it has long been claimed vessels at sea may
elude the storm centre, is so we'll known
that no shipmaster can be justified in allow
ing his ship to enter the fatal vortex. Es-
pecally does this hold true where the ves-
sci Is propelled by steam and can by
slight detour, without serious loss of time,
keep on the margin OF the hurricane. But
the experience of the steamers encounter
ing the recent Cyclone calls for consider
able modification Of tho low of storms as
generally applied to the meteorology of the
North Atlantic. The gales of this ocean do
undoubtedly conform to the general
law of revolving" storms, yet with
very important exception now just
coming to light. The forces mar
shalled around barometric depression
passing from America to Europe are not
evenly balanced. Recent observations
show that the wind force varies at points
equidistant from the centre, and the aerial
indraught is greater in one quadrant than in
another. In the great August hurricane of
1873, which approached Nova Scotia very
nearly as did that OF last week, the indraught
on the southeast quadrant was greatest, and
consequently the southerly and easterly
winds the most furious The indraught also
increased ms the centre was approached.
In the equally memorable October cyclone
in the Bay of Bengal three years ago, as
large supplies of vapor poured in from the
evaporating region to the south of that sea,
the southeasterly quadrant Of that storm,
in its northerly advance, became the scene
of its severest winds and heaviest rainfall.
This, we are told by an able Indian meteor
ologist, is the rule in the Indian Ocean.
But it will. perhaps, be found still more so
in the North Atlantic
The great equatorial air current, known
as the .anti.trade wind" belt, which in the
tropical zone encircles the globe, and thence
moves toward the higher latitudes, is ever
advancing along converging meridians; and
this circumstance, together with the north
ward conveyance Of the Atlantic shores.
gives rise to permanent area of high pres
sure north Of the Tropic of Cancer. From
this vast atmospheric bank. lying in mid
ocean, enormous masses of air are supplied
to any deep barometrio depression travel
ling across the higher latitudes of the At
lantic, and make its gales so terrific on
their southeasterly sides. 1t is, perhaps,
this high pressure to the southwark and
southeastward of the Newfoundland Banks
which crowds our American storms at times,
while en- route to Europe. over upon the,
Labrador coast. or forces them to take more
northerly Transatlantic paths than they
pursued when first deploying off the coasts
of the United States. The high barometrio
pressures (trom 80. II to 80 40 inches) noted
by the westward bound steamers last week
before reaching the Grand Banks clearly
show the important part played by the
great anti-cyclonic area of high pressure
stationary in the middle of the North At
lantic.
The investigation of this immense baro-
metric phenomenon, lying between the
Azores and the easterly margin Of the Gulf
Stream, by means of the simultaneous ma
rine observations now taken for the inter-
national weather service. would enable sea-
men and scientists to determine the most
controlling factor Of the North Atlantic
cyclones and cast flood of light over it's
meteorology. The elucidation of such
points as are raised by the reports of the
late cyclone is possible only when such ac-
curate data are compiled. For random OBJ
servations cannot suffice to reveal the nicer
operations of these terrific meteors, ga dis
tance of ten miles from which," as an old
observer says, 'may make oil the difference
to ship between being totally dismasted,
il not laundering, and the loss of q few
ou1 cai1s "