Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-25
The Theories Of Prof. BIasius and of the
Leading English Savans, who Believe
that Planetary Movement Is the
Source OF All Great AtmOs-
pheric Disturbances and
Storms.
Statement by Professor that to the Ter.
rife Forces Of Evaporation are Due
the Electric storms and TOrnadOes
that have Recently Played
Havoc In this Country
and Europe.

al chart of the United States signal service.
a long-haired, cadaverous-looklng person
was similarly engaged, He passed a courte-
GUS "fne day, sir!'' and inquired whether the
reporter had made meteorology subject of
study? The answer being chiefly negative,
the philosopher invited the scribe up to his
house. A Broadway car carried the profess
sor and his pupil to a mansion In University
place. Once seated in well-stocked library,
the proprietor produced series of elegantly
executed meteorological maps and score OF
volumes on the weather, storms, etc. A huge
was labeled 'Tornadoes." 1t
contained all the teles rams, editorial COM
ments and letters touching the late terrible
magnetic storm in Kansas, as well as those
which preceded it in other portions of the
country.
1The theory of Prof. Blasius, of Phil
Is well enough so far" he said;
'but, unfortunately, it does not start early
enough. 1t takes the subject up in the mid
die. It begins with two strong currents OF
air opposed to each other, of nearly equal
force but of different temperature. The one
commences to push and thrust with the other.
Sometimes the one has the best of it; some
times the other. All at once they reach In
their frantic contest the bank of deep ravine
or precipice like the
HUDSON PALISADES.
The colder antagonist tumbles into the ra-
vine. HIS warmer f,e precipitstely follows
him. They both roar like thunder. The
tornado has begun. Down the ravine it
rushes, and the oscillation becomes more vio
lent each moment. 1t ziRzags to and fro,
and destroys everything in its path. As
usual everybody smells phur and sings
adjectives. Some wiseacres talk about cy-
clones; the wiseacres of the signal service
department 60 on drawing their salaries as
usual; the public reads the graphic accounts
by our own correspondent, and goes con-
tentedly to sleep until the next
METEOROLOGICAL CATASTROPHE.
1t is we'll to bear in mind that the next might
develop on the steep crags of the Hudson
river, and take dash through New York.
In the course of long conversation, the phi
losopher, whose name, by urgent request, is
withheld, quoted several theories relative to
the origin of the fearful phenomena which
recently wrought such havoc in Kansas and
a portion of Missouri. "Meteorology," he
said, sis still in its infancy as q science, and
every hint, however trivial, should be duly
considered. The most vulgar prejudices may
originate important theories. Now, there is
a vulgar prejudice which has prevailed from
time lmmemorlal In some parts of New En-
gland, that Saturdays moon brings blus
try, wet weather. By some accident it proved
true during twenty years of Posters meteor
illogical experience. Ny observations
OO4ulAu Lu6 1u6IC
may be natural causes why the conjunction
of the sun and the moon, happening at some
such dismal periods, may, in the long run,
be connected with rough weather. Now take
Fullbrook, the well known writer on rainfall
and intercollegiate name Fullbrook is apt,
isn'tit? He states that, from extensive OBJ
servatlons, he believes he has established the
fact that whenever two planets form right
line with the earth some disturbance con-
nected with their light, electricity or mag
netlo reaction takes place In the atmosphere,
and much larger quantity OF raln-espe-
clally about the fourth or fifth day after-is
the result, and the greater number of the
more violent and extensive storms, hurri
canes and magnetic manifestations have oc-
CURED at or about the time of the excess in
rain. Fullbrook AYERS that lie has verified
this fact by the investigation of three hum
dred conJunctlons of the planets in longitude,
using the register of Luke Howard for the
vicinity of London, between the years 1907
and 1880, inclusive. The coming copjunc-
ton of Saturn and Mars on the thirtieth of
the current month will afford all students of
meteorology an admirable opportunity for
testing Mr.. Fullbrook's theory
81 am persuaded" continued The speaker,
''that the planets exert physical, chemical,
magnetic, electric or actinic influence upon
our earth, and upon the sun and upon each
other. What the particular influence is, and
what particular term to apply to it, science
has not yet discovered. But In the case of
planetary lnfuence-eall it by any name you
please-lt Is a necessary inference that the
effect will be dependent upon distance. The
attraction of gravitation and light and sheat
vary InverSely as the square OF the distance.
But as the influence may be electric or mag
netic, or actinlc, as l have said, science has
not yet discovered law whereby to express
the ratio of exerted power. We can hardly
truzt l0cIaol Infp in khIc oakf b11fi
Is fair to assume that the influence of Ehe
several planets will be In proportion to their
distance, their bulk, the extent of their IL
Illuminating surface, and their temperature.
The last element, temperature, is of supreme
Importance in determining the result. Vapor
IS wonderful In the production of electricity;
and Jupiter, as we know, is excessively hot
Wi b immense cloudbelts-or rather
sToRMBELTs.
Probably when the earth is situated in a
line between the sun and Jupiter, or when
two planets like Saturn and Mars are in con-
junction, there may be an excess of electric,
magnetic or actinic force. If such excess
amounted to, say one-sixteenth above the
mean, undoubtedly dire disasters would en-
sue. The most plausible theory, however,
as Prof. Colburn points out, is that the
planets so situated act on our earth indirectly
through the medium of the sun, by exciting
LII W OuOoOdA OACASJS lOu44HOus, uudkuOOlC,
or otherwise. A little figuring will enable
US to form some slight conception of the value
of this theory. Taking the quantity of mat
ter in the measure, and dividing the mass by
the square of the distance, we have for rela-
tive power Of the sun, according to Colburn:
Earth, j; Jupiter, II 40; Saturn, 1.02;
Uranus, 004; Neptune, 0.02. The square of
the relative diameters being taken instead of
the mass, gives Earth, l; Jupiter, 4.35;
Saturn, 0.92; Uranus, Q.05; Neptune, OO2.
1t is necessary to remember while institutlng
comparisons that the larger planets are con-
fessedly very much hotter than our earth,
and are therefore capable of exerting very
much greater electric or thermal force per
ton of matter or per square yard of surface.
Jupiter is so hot that it will require at least
THREE THOUSAND MILLION YEARS
Before his surface will be sufficiently cooled
down for the reception and support of life,
as we understand life. His clouds, or rather
vapor- belts, produced by his own heat, at the
least calculation, are two thousand miles in
depth. When we remember that our own
atmosphere extends only about forty-nine
miles, we obtain faint notion of the ire
mendous FRACTIONAL pressure of the cloud
masses on the face Of Jupiter. 10 obtain
some idea of the enormous generation of
electricity in his atmosphere, it is first neces-
sary to glance at our own.
ave well know that atmospheric electric
ity is largely due to evaporation, directly as
well as indirectly, on account of the amount
of vapor contained in different currents of
air. Of the immense energy of vapor some
idea may be formed when it is stated that in
the tropical and sub tropical regions fall of
rain often takes place over vast extent of
surface, sufficient in quantity to cover it with
STRATUM OF WATER
more than an inch in depth. If such fall of
rain were to take place over the extent of a
hundred square miles, which frequently hap
pens In Kansas, the vapor from which such a
quantity of liquid would be produced by con-
densation would, at the temperature OF only
fifty degrees Fahrenheit, occupy a volume one
hundred thousand times greater than that of
the liquid. Consequently, in the atmosphere
over the surface of the hundred square miles,
it would fill a space of nine thousand feet, or
nearly two miles in hight, while the extent of
the vacuum produced by its condensation
would be volume nearly equal to two hun
dred cubic miles, or to the volume of a col
umn whose base is square mile, and whose
hight is two hundred miles. Now, the most
common cause of hurricanes, thunder-storms
and tornadoes Is undoubtedly
THE SUDDEN CONDENSATION Oh vAPoR,
and, after this explanation, 1t is easy to COM
prehend the prodiglous force of storms i'll
tropical and southern regions. Apply the
same reasoning to the planets, and it ls easy
to see that Jupiter must be delu0ed by peri
, L.. H.