Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-05
THE CYCLONE SYSTEM.
What Has Been Learned bv Scientific
Observers About the Winds.
New York Tribune.

| New York Tribune.
The general system of winds, pouring
by sort of spiral line into an era of low
barometer, was in part discovered by
several persons. Buys Ballot has the
credit of formulating the rule, but two
Americans, Espy and Redfield, largely
assisted in developing the truth, although
| both were somewhat in error. One OF
them believed that the winds blew
stright in towards the center; the other,
| that they simply went around in circles.
| They agreed, however, i'll making ba-
rometric depression the common factor.
| Franklin, half a century ahead of them,
caught a glimmering of the truth. when
| he observed that storm came not from
direction from which the wind blew,
| but the quarter towards which it blew.
And it is a beautiful illustration Of the
good which may come out of misfor-
tune that this significant fact, now one
of the fundamental principles of me-
teorology, was broght to his attention by
bitter disappointment.
An eclipse which he greatly wished to
observe was concealed from his view in
Philadelphia by northeast storm,
which. he naturally imagined, came
from New England. To his great sur
prise he found that his brother in Boston
enjoyed bright skies during the celestial
occurrence. So enlightened a scientist
as NJ. Fave, who will not admit that
there is an ascending current in storm,
and is naturally bothered to dispose of the
air which would otherwise accumulate
at the center, still holds out against the
incurvature theory; and within the last
few months Professor HaZen has be-
trayed a curious sympathy with him.
But Looms and Blanford have so con-
clusively demonstrated the principal that
all other reputable meteorologists, like
Greedy. Scott and Mascart accept it as
indubitable.
But as to the influence debating the
force of a gale there is practically no diff
ference of opinion. Formula may vary
slightly local Typography modifies effects,
and forecasters are much puzzled at
times, but, in general, the steepneSs of
gradient between the high and low areas
of barometric pressure decides the thing.
In applying these laws. meteorologists
are at times embarrassed by the uncer-
tainty as to the course which cyclone
system. like that which has affected our
Atlantic coast for nearly a week past.
Will take. The influences likely to de-
termine this are tolerably well under
stood: but data are often lacking. This
is especially true when storm several
hundred miles across lies almost entirely
out at sea, beyond the reach of teIe-
graphic reports. 1t has been proven re-
peatedly, for instance, that the oaromet-
ric pressure near the Bermudas may
either crowd West India hurricane
against our shores, and almost entirely
prevent its escape toward Europe, or, on
the other hand, enhance the storms
natural tendency to move of northeast
ward along the gulf stream. \ dozen
words cabled daily from Bermuda late
last week TO the signal service or hydro
graphic Office would have facilitated
forecasts OF immense value 10 the sum
mer resort proprietors, ship owners and
other property owners along the jersey,
Lon. Island and New England coasts.
But, alas, as yet, Bermuda Is still
isolated geographically from the rest OF
the world.