Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-10-10
A Most Important Question to all HUI
manity Intelligently Discussed
by Experts.
Remarkable Fact That Storms AaYe
Followed Nearly Every Great
Battle OF History.
The Recent Experiments Prove En-
tirely successful Prof. NewcOmb
Scouts the Idea.

1t rained after every experiment made
with explosives by Gen. Dyrenforth in
Texas recently, but this circumstance does
net deter tue scientist, Prof Newcomb,
from maintaining that forced preeipita-
ton Of moisture by detonation is an inn
possible Accomplishment. The practical
man and the learned theorist present the
opposite sides of the question in the cur
rent number of the North Ameri-
can Review and the reader is given
ample opportunity to form his own
conclusions from the facts and postuates
offered. If he is not at loss after perus-
ing the arguments as to which side to fa-
vor, the chances are that he will pin his
faith to the practical side of the question
But it will be generally admitted that
General Dyrenforth rather detracts from
the force of his argument when he says:
As long ago as the time of Plutarch it
was "a matter Of current observation that
unusually heavy rains fall after great bat
ties, and it is not impossible, according
to the theory of the commingling of air
currents, that such rains might have been
produced by the great battles of ancient
times. Let ten thousand Greeks march
into battle chanting their ''pRans" and
shouting their "alalIas." beating time
meanwhile on their shields, while hun
bred thousand Persians are advancing
against them, continually shouting their
terrible battIe-Cries; then let the great
armies rush together with the tumult of
clashing swords and shields, the fierce
shouting of the mutitudes, the hoarse
death cries and shouts of victory, and
surely the sound waves rising from such
din will literally shake the heavens, and
are capable OF producing so insignificant
effect among the volatile currents Of the
upper air. Moreover, the heat generated
from the struggling masses and the mOis.
ture eyapOrated from their perspiratiOn
would exercise a decided influence in dis
turbing the equilibrium Of the atmos-
pheric conditions.
That mere armies of struggling men,
scarcely more consequential in the extent
of space than so many fighting ants,
should be able to exert an influence on the
clouds above so great as to produc, ram
verges closely on the ridiculous When,
however, Gen. Dyrenforth commences to
enumerate the many instances where rain
has at once followed heavy cannonading
in wan times he begins tos hake ones con-
gictop about the impossibjity of one cir
cumstonce depending on the other.
He cites many instances oc-
curing during the Franco russian war
to prove the reasonableness Of his theory
and then alludes at some length to the
publication many years ago by Mr.. Ed
ward Powers, of DeIevan, Wisconsin, of a
work entitled War and the Weather,
which contained many statistics concern
ing the sequence of transforms after bat
ties From the statistics published in Mr.
Powers book, it is found that heavy rains
followed almost every engagement of inn
portance during the eiyi war, and so far
as can be ascertained, the same phenome-
non was common during the Mexican war
upon the arid cactus plains of thilt coun-
try. A notable instance Of its occurrence
during the Mexican war was at the battle
of Buena Vista fought on the 22d and
23d days of February, 1847, in the midst of
the dry season in that region. The facts
as they occurred on the second day of the
battle, as related by Brevet Major General
II. W. BerIam, of the United States en-.
glneers, are as follows:
Between and 10 a. m. the artillery
was engaged in heavy firing, and between
III and 100 clock a most violent rain" fell.
In the afternoon the cannonading was re-
sumed, and in about two hours after il
ceased another violent shower of rain
fell. ""And what consider the SafiSJac-
tory proof. says Cen Beuham, THAT this
was caused by the shocks to the atmosphere
produced by the cannon firing, is that no
rain had fallen in that vicinity for many
months previously was told six or eight
months--and none fell, as / k1lofr was the
clse. for three or four months after the
battle, as ! continued at that position.
The battles OF Palo Alto, the siege Of
Monterey. Contreras, Churubusco, Moline
del Rey and Chapult,pec We're all fought
during the dry season, which in Mexico is
very severe, and each of these battle, was
followed by heavy rains. Mr.. Powers /
mentions l9S battles Of the civil war, in
Guiding every battle Of importance, which |
were Immediately followed by rain, as he
has definitely ascertained These storms
were generally heavy but varied some
what in proportion TO the magnitude Of
the engagements. Army officers give
their testimony that rain fell Immediately
after the battle Ct Antietam, Fredericks-
burg, CaancelIoryilIe. Shiloh, the Wilder /
ness. Store River, Spollsy Shelby /
VILE, Cold Harbor, Cbieamauga, Peters
burg. Five Forks and Vicksburg
Gen. J. McNul.a contributes this i'm
portant straw to tho controversy:
soon after We crossed the Boston moun-
! 4 a A..