Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-29
Written for TEE EVENING srAn.
sHIGH'' AND sLOW.0
The Game as Scientifically Played on
the Weather Map-Facts and Theories.

are necessarily introduced So a word comes
to have technical meaning, and to be used in
peculiar and enlarged sense. In meteorology
we have the terms high" and slow" stand
ing respectively for high and low barometer.
Bdronaeter being a long word, to repeat it every
time, would be quite task; SO it is dispensed
with and the simple terms "high" and ''low"
stand as their substitutes.
The movement Of these two factors over the
surface OF the earth produce all the atmos-
pheric changes which we term the weather.
The general movement is from the west
towards the east, or towards the rising sun.
That these factors do thus move. and that
their movement day by day, hour by hour,
does produce all the changes in the weather,
Is a fact that it would be useless at this day to
question. 1t is a fact beyond dispute. But
Notwithstanding such primary and unques-
uonabie fact, many people seem to regard
the beautiful system whereby our weather
changes are wrought, with indifference, for the
reason that the weather map does not appear
to them to record, also, the cause of the
highs" and flows" and why they move as
they do.
As disciple of the map, I challenge anyone
10 show wherein any other branch of science
can surpass this wonderful map in leading the
mite mind to q closer and more satisfactory
relationship to the holy of holies of science.
There is more on the map than is revealed to
the mere Indifferent observer of the movement
and economy Of these factors.
REVEALED BY THE MAP.
To the close student the map reveals what at
first may seem hidden secrets. 1t has revealed
to us all the phases of the weather that il is
possible for the human mind to conceive of;
the tornado" the '.local," Indian summer"
the blizzard" or any of the combinations
that man, In his long years here, has expert
enced- Name the condition. and the student
OF the map Will construct the juxtaposition,
contour, and intensities of the "highs' and
lows" even as the naturalist from a single
bone Will construct the animal to which it be-
longed.
But men who have paid little or no attention
10 the map, who know not even how to inter-
pref It's most simple conditions, will not be-
come interested init because they cannot under
stand what these mysterious factors are what
thelr cause, and why We cannot with mathe-
NAUTICAL nicely calculate in advance their
movement and effect. There is not another
branch of science of which they would think of
demanding SO much. They do not demand
what sunlight is at least before they will ac-
ceFt all the results of that important factor.
In all departments of science there are certain
potion facts, or first causes. /" beyond which
we cannot go. Yet too often the mere novice,
VINO VIII not bother himself with ascending the
nrst round OF the ladder will demand of the
seer what cannot even be seen from the top
most round of the Jacobs ladder Beyond the
primary facts. in all branches of science the
mind OF man cannot go. We must simply ac-
cept them as forces that accomplish certain
results.
WHERE THEORY COMES.
Thus, in all departments we are led up to
the veil that hides from our view the first
cause, beyond which we cannot pass. At this
juncture, however, a new power comes to our
assistance, known in the department of science
as theory. From facts already known to us we
construct our theories and by them we often
times gain deeper insight into these mys-
ferrous powers of nature that surround u.s.
The theory though is not final like a fact; it is
always at the mercy of new fact, or the new
Interpretation of an old fact
In the department of meteorology the great
question is, what is Glow and thigh" and
why do they move ON such peculiar lines? As
to fact we know nothing and it would not
seem that it were possible for the finite mind to
know anything absolute in the matter. Still
there Is satisfaction in well-founded theory
With many people the first suggestion for
cause in this line is that most of all
mysterious hnrder forces, electricity, put the
to answer the purpose No one knows
what electricity is. but if an unknown effect is
mysteriously saddled upon this unknown agent
with the many it is conclusive; they are salts
ned and think not to push the inquiry further.
t.
lsfactory Tor 1t simply shifts the responsibility
on an unknown factor. Then in meteorolopy
electricity, like the wind is a mere effect and
not cause. Without heat of some kind, there
Is no electricity. No one ever heard of a
thunder storm where there is great display of
electricity, tcah only relatively south ..lO,o."
The thunder storm with its accompanying
electricity is thing of heat, caused by the rel.
atively north ''low." This is a fact. So cleo
tricity is out OF the question as an agent of
cause; 1t is merely an effect. Like the wind it
may become the agent Of an effect, but it is
secondary.
THE THEORY OF Low.
So we come to the theory of Glow, Heretofore
given in various communications on the subject.
The surface Of the earth, as we al know. ia
very irregular. We're it all one even condition
of uninterrupted plain, or water surface. the
movements OF these factors, ''high" and low"
would be correspondingly regular and if these
factors were regular, L. e., if they travelled at
regular intervals, the area of ''high" SO many
miles wide; and the low so many miles wide,
In regular belts, and like the movement of the
earth, had regular speed, then the coming
and going of these highs and lows would
be very easy to calculate. But instead they are
as irregular as the topography of the earth's
surface, and OF course, the more irregular the
surface OF the earth, the more irregular must
be those factors that are governed by it. The
neat power OF the sun Is, comparatively speak
ing. quite regular, and relatively to the differ
ent portions of the earth, it is regular. But
the surface on which this sun shines is very
irregular and diversified by land and water.
The only, or perhaps the better way to under
stand the theory of ''low," is to imagine orr
selves present when the fat of the Creator
first started in motion all the machinery of
creation, or so much as we are practically
interested in. There were no s.higbsn nor
flows" The earth is in regular motion: the
sunshine is steady. Some portions Of the
earth's surface will be more susceptible to
heat than others; on these favored spots as the
earth revolyes the suns rays will become con-
centrated and the favored spots will become
heated beyond others, and particularly beyond
those portions the latest to be presented to the
direct rays of the sun. Concentrated heat. we
well know, causes a movement of the surround
ing air toward that point, whereby the slow" is
formed. This is a fact, which we must deal
with as such-just as much fact as that the
unsupported weight will fall, or that light and
heat will emanate from the sun. By this con-
centration of heat the surrounding atmosphere.
technically termed the winds, is set in motion
toward this center. Wherever the rays of the
sun are felt evaporation becomes active The
winds watt the suspended moisture. which We
term the clouds, toward this rarified center on
area Of "low," where we learn, by that instrn-
ment known as a barometer, the atmosnber;c
pressure is the least. In common parIanca ar
atmosphere at this point ia heavy pnt - =: