The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-11-19
THE POWER TO PRODUCE RAIN.
Tho Opinion ola Local Scientist.
Newber1.y Observer.

Newber1y Observer.
Mr.. EDITOR: 1t is true, as you say in
your brief editorial of October 22nd, that
when l suggested the invention OF an
apparatus that might produce rain when
ever needed, wrote jocularly. Never
theless, I have frequently, and for long
time, thought that it might indeed be
possible to so completely master the
operations of nature in producing rain
as to be able to follow her processes and
produce it ourselyes-without the use of
explosives.
All great inventions and discoveries
in science are simply the application OF
the principles eternally existing in na-
ture to the practical purposes of life.
Man makes nothing; he only learns to
use that which already is. The expan-
siye power of steam is inherent in it, and
was there when the process of eTapora-
tion first began. And, so far as we
know, it has been only little while
since that expansive power was put to
uso. The light of the sun to-day is pre-.
cisely the same that it was thousand
years ago. How long has it been since
it was used to paint pictures? How long
has it been since electricity was first used
for sending messages? And 80 on
through all applied sciences to practical
affairs. We make nothing, ne only learn
to use.
Now, what is rain? And how does
nature prodce it? Once the process by
which nature causes it to rain is tcor-
oughly understood, can any one presume
to say that natures operations cannot be
followed in this matter, as they nave
been in others Heretofore We have
only understood in a general way-not
thoroughly and psrticularly-how rain
is produced. We know what rain is
that it Is the condensation of watery Va.
Dor in the air into drops too heavy to be
borne up by the atmosphere. Sometimes
these drops are very minute, so minute
as to fall very slowly; but when the con-
densation is very rapid the drops are large
and descend almost like shower of rifle
bslls-and when frozen it is sometimes
quite dangerous to be exposed to their
descent.
Rain, then, is the result of condensa-
ton but what causes or forces are in op'
GRAFTON to produce rapid condensation
and some times congelation of the vapor
of the clouds? I think it is quite clear
that there is some other force st woEk
besides the mere absence of heat or ca
loric. Though the absence of caloric does
produce condensation, as We frequent
ly see on a glass vessel filled with cold
water-great drops gathering on the out
side as though the vessel was sweating
or perspiring and the water vas soaking
through.
But there are other rain producing
forces than mere cold. 1t is not unusual
to have long. continued spell of clear,
cold weather, when the whole surface Of
the earth becomes dry and dusty, and
the dew itself is unknown. And yet the
air is full of vapor. Evaporation is al
ways going on; and I think it safe to
to say that there is as much water in the
air at one time as at another. 1t seldom
rains in Egypt; not because there is nc
water there not because the atmosphere
cverhanging Egypt is not charged with
moisture; but because the conaagration
of the earth's surface that produces con-
densation is wanting:
Wa a closely great hail-produclng
thunder cloud in the spring and sum-
mer, and I think you will have clew te
tn mystery of rain and hail. I thinA
YOU will find that in the centre OF every
such cloud storm is raging as terrible
as those tornadoes that swept over the
country few years ago. think you vii
find, also, that that principle or powel
known as electricity is playing there
distinguished part, as it does in every
operation of nature throughout the uni
verse. Its powers, its uses, is just be-
ginning to be discovered and applied
Everything in its time. God gives 10th
ing to man before the time comes whel
he can rightly use it.
A living author thus writes of the law
aud processes of law and the powers oil
electricity:
"There are laws and processes of la7
which if known would enable combina
tion of scientific experts to divert tn
rains from any region of the globe for
period, and again to food that region tt
the entire destruction of animal and hu
man life.
"Tbe fluid known as electricity is
compound ether, itself the reservoir ant
medium of more subtle and potent agen-
cies. These are capable of many com
binations in hands that"are educated t
the unbinding, recombinding and direct
ing of them ;-capable, in one qualit!
and efec: of force, by being discharged
upon land as q deadly pestilence sui
hcient to destroy life down at the ver]
germs within the soil capable, in an
other form of force, of inducing snothe
form of madness in the minds ofa peo-
pie capable of lighting up whole dis,
tyicts by night, without any visible sp-
paratus capable of suspeudiDg th'
properties of sound, of inducing loca
earthquakes and of opening vast chasm
in the soil"
What amount of truth there may be il
what the writer says, l do not know, bu
1 think ii altogether probable that he ii
right. What the Australian professor
process Of rain making is, / do not know
but have no doubt that it is through
the use of electricity mainly. tbs tn
| T. Al