The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-10-30
Heavy RainfaIls Of the World.

The month OF August, inthis present
year is likely to be long remembered
for it's heavy and destructive rainfalls
in most parts of the world. Perhaps
the most remarkable falls reported is
that of which an account was received
from China a few days since, where
1922 inches We're precipitated in a
period OF "a hours. What afall of 10
inches in "a hours means may be real
lied from the fact that one inch of
rain gives 100 tons Of water per acre,
or 10000 tons to the square mile.
Ten inches, therefore, gives 1,O0Otons
OF water to the acre, and 600, 900
tons to the square mile. Yet the
Chinese rainfall referred to is by no
means in the front rank OF such occur
rences. For instance, Arago reports
that on October 8, 1927, no less than
800 inches of rain fell in % hours at
Joyeuse. Thatwas three timts the Chi
nese precipitation, and consequently
reached 5000 tons to the acre and
100000 tons to the square milt.
Again, on October 25, 1886, a watel-
| spout broke over Gibraltar, and BOIL
inches Of waterfall. This is nearly two
thirds of the average rainfall of New
England. No such fall has. ever l,een
recorded in England, though in August,
st. Paul's churchyard in London.
This was the more notable since in
London a fall OF more than one iuch
in t%wenty-four hours is a rare event.
In The west of England the precipita-
ton is somewhat more abundant.
Thus, on July IA, 1875, in Monmouth
shire, $50 inches fell in twenty.four
hours, and on June3O, 1881, at Seath-
waithe, 4.8O inches fell in the same
space of time. The average annual
rainfall at the last named place, in
deed, is l54 inches-a record not to
be matched elsewhere out of the trop-
les. The wettest parts of the globe
are naturally such as are exposed to
westerly winds blowing over extensive
ocean tracts, and depositing their
moisture on the first coast theymeet.
Such places are the khasia Hills, in
Assam, with C~herraponga, where the
annual rainfall is, according to Scott,
400 inches, and according to Lyman
600 inches. This would give a pre-
cipitation of 10000 tons to the acre,
and 100000 tons to the square
mile. 1t represents a body of water,
in fact, so feet in depth. There is, as
might be supposed, no such tremend-
GUS precipitation in any other part of
the globe, though several places do
their best to emulate Cherraponga.
The Western Ghauts of India are per-
haps first in Importance Of these,
where a record of 26O inches is found
for one year. Next comes Buitenzey,
in Java, with 16O inches, and Seath-
waite, England, runs it close with 154
inches. Bergen, in Norway, Sitka, in
Alaska, Valdivia, in Southern Chill
and a place in New Zealand follow,
while Maranhao in Brazil holds its
own very sturdily. 1t appears that
an elevation ofabout 1000 feet above
the sea level affords the mostfavorable
conditions (other things being equall
for the heaviest precipitation, for that
is the height OF both Cherraponga and
Mahabulashma in Observation-Disclosures
On the plains in our western states
have occurred what are termed CLOUD
bursts and the precipitation is prob
ably as heavy rs that OF the Gibraltar
waterspout mentioned above, though;
no record has yet been obtained Of
such phenomena. In New England
remarkable rain-falls have been rare
and exceptional, and ofthe exceptional
periods the present month Of August
will doubtless hereafter be regarded
as one.-Boston Traveller.