Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-10
PROPHET DE woe.
How he Occasionally Predicts Elemen-
tai Disturbances.

How he Occasionally Predicts Elemen-
tai Disturbances.
Mr.. Andrew jackson De Voc, an hon.
orary member of the Farmers Club, Of
New York, and a well-to-do manufacturer
of Hackensack, n. j., says the Philadel-
phia Record, has employed his leisure
moments to great advantage, while saw
ing firewood by machinery, in observing
the actions of the elements. He is a radi-
cal meteorological reformer, who enter
tains a lofty contempt for the Signal Ser
vice Bureau, and has directed the focus
of his mental sagacity upon the heavens
with such good results that he feels conf
dent that he has overturned many of the
prevailing scientific theories, and has I'M
earthed a great volume of truth not in the
books. His theories have the advantage
of plausibility, and in this respect surpass
the efforts of Mr.. Virgins and the late
Mr.. VennOr.
81 understand" queried a reporter,
"that you claim TO have discovered a new
theory of storms r'
Yes" replied he, 81 have, and [ pro-
TESS to accurately fOretell the weather for
at least four or five days.
cit would be interesting to know the
results of your observations" pursued
the reporter.
'Well, will tell you briefly said he,
"what my ideas are, only don't make fun of
me, for am in earnest about what l say.
You know that the Signal Service prophets
and the scientific tOplights of to-day are
agreed-to begin in the middle of the
stoTy-that lightning is caused by the es-
tween the electricity il the
cloud and that in the earth,
on the principle that water seeks its level.
On the contrary. lightning is caused by
the hasty and violent condensation of the
moisture in the atmosphere. My idea of
the origin of storm is this, that when
ever perfect calmness occurs in the up
per strata of the air the cold air above de-
scends. The normal temperature of the
strata of air in which we live is about 70
degrees. AS soon as this descending cur
rent of cold air strikes the lower strata it
eXerts an attractive influence upon the
moisture with which 1t is more or less
| charged, and the moisture, moving to-
wards the cold current, forms a cloud,
and is afterwards condensed into rain"
"But scientists claim that it is the
warm air going up to meet the cold air
| that causes rain p suggested the reporter.
"That is the point. IcOntend that both
warm air and cold air descend. But,
more than that, l am OF the opinion that
| the heat which we experience in such
varying degrees arises from the fact that
| the equatorial current of air descends to
the earth's surface"
''But water will not run up HILL" said
the reporter, doubtfully, land heat al
ways ascends.o
The weather prophet smiled. He fished
out of his pocket small boys rubber ball,
| and pointing to the rim around it, made
| by the mould, said with a smile:
WHY PEOPLE ARE SKEPTICAL.
81 appreciate your skepticism. But
did you ever see a cork held down under
water? This is the condition in which
! the hot air finds itself. Let the rim around
the ball be the earth's equator. Here the
heated current of air ascends to the maxi
mum distance of five miles, and then,
parting, extends through the upper strata
of the atmosphere north and south. The
motion of the earth, which makes the
atmosphere assume an elliptical shape,
exerts a corresponding effect upon the
equatorial current, which thus grad
ually is brought nearer the earth. At the
equator the temperature is uniform, and lit
grows in yariableness as you go north or
south. This current would be close to the
ground at the poles, lifts presence were not
interfered with by the other colder strata
of the air, which keep it back. These
other storm-belts are moving eastward,
but drifting southwark. The law Of con-
densation is the first cause Of wind, and
not Of heat, as scientists claim. Hence it
is that in the Arctic regions they some
times have rain and temperate weather,