The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-08

we sometimes find. after we have traced
thelr descent from the upper sky. Whether
they are originally gaseous, or are simply
matter collected from the atmosphere and
chemically changed in descent by electricity
or other forces, Is impossible TO determine"
You have been a very close observer of
storms, captain; what are the conditions
most favorable TO electrical disturbancesp
they vary according to the location and
typographical surroundings. Here, in New
Y ork city, | have noticed that whenever
we have south or southeast wind, of hot
summer afternoon, and when there were
clouds III tue air well charged with cleo ri
city, the wind blows them over in the direc-
lions OF the Orange mountains There thew
meet the dry, cool air of the hills and
tney back right up and float over the city
A thunderstorm is the result of this en-
counter. Oh. we are very favorably loca-
ted for thunderstorms. They are usually
preceded by gusts of wind-the couriers of
the storm behind"
The nimbus is always the storm cloud
never the cumulus. 1t Is a heavy cloud
and lies low in the air. usually a quarter If
mile or so from the ground, but | have
seen them much higher. When all tho
conditions are present and the at
mosphere is thoroughly charged, there Is
a flash, and IN ten or twelve seconds there
after thunder is heard. Then follow flashes
and thunder with increasing defamation
ana decreasing intervals between the flash
and the noise. This continues until the
storm reaches its maximum, when, five or
ten seconds after the rumble, there is n
startling crash. After that the shocks
gradually grow lighter, and finally die
away. It's not safo to calculate the dis
lance of storm center by counting bot
ween the fash and the report, although |
know that 1t is a very old and generally
accepted way. 1t is certainly very unscien-
tlnc, for there are many considerations
that might make this method useless, such
rs the direction of the wind, the imperfect
conductivity Of the cloud, etc.
The color of lightning varios, according
to the strength or weakness of the current.
The strongest is the blush, the weakest the
yellow. or course the stronger is the more
deadly. 1t is the heavier too, and can do
most damage. Lightning storms are
| generated by inordinate evaporation, uu-
even temperature and the meeting of warm
| currents
I'm thunderstorm, where is the safest
| place for person who is outdoorsW
He should stand up aud get wet" said
| the captain. " Then he will be in much less
danger of getting struck than if he were
dry. This is on tine theory that water is a
| good conductor, and will carry the electri-
|
| There is variety of conductors Hot air is
one-that is how SO many tall chimneys
are struck; dry wood Is another or course
the best conductors of all are the metals
iron, platinum, zinc, gold, copper and sill
ver, the last being the best of all. Light
ming has an affinity for silver, and, put on a
house, it should be an efficient protection:
but the iron rods now used are good enough
to answer all purposes"
"A great many ladies arc excessively
nervous during thunder Storm" observed
another gentleman, land some of them
would give anything to know what to do &c
be perfectly safe, They are MORALLY
afraid of lightuing rods, too, probably re-
membering how Mark Twain's thickly-
rodded house drew all the lightning in the
neig b)rhood aud kept it long after 1T had
cleared up elsewhere Now, assuming that
any one can be perfectly safe. it can be best
done by insulating ones self in hammock
swung with slkJn strings in room, or, il
one has no hammock one should lie down
on a feather bod. Then the chances of being
struck are certainly much les than even
the pro7erbial 'one i'll Million"
S. II. SANDIsoN.