The record-union., 1892-11-12
STORMS, AND THEIR ORIGIN.
An Interesting and Instructive Dis
course by Lieutenant Finley.
How lie Entertained an Audience Under
the Auspices of the Lecture
Association.

The Congregational Church was filed
last evening by ladies and gentlemen who
wished to hear the lecture of Lieutenant
John p. Finley, Chief of the Pacific Coast
Weather Bureau and Signal Service, upon
the subject, atmospheric Phenomena"
Lieutenant Finley began by giving
general dissertation upon the atmos-
pheric changes and vicissitudes which
bring about changes in the weather, pro-
duce storms and other conditions. The
actions and meteorological changes which
have puzzled the world for so long. Mr..
Finley thinks, are becoming understood
since the system of telegraphic signal sta
tions have been established, but he says
that Investigations in this science are re-
tarded mainly by the fact that all our OBJ
seryations are made from beneath, or in
the atmosphere on the surface of the
earth.
In this respect man works at about the
same disadvantage that he would did he
undertake to comprehend the ocean cur
rents by study OF the bottom OF the sea.
The atmosphere extends from and out
ward from the earth to a distance not
definitely known and variously COM
puted at from fifty to 500 miles.
As most of the phenomena which pro-
duces changes in The air currents and
temperature are produced far from the
surface OF the globle, TO reduce the study
OF them to accuracy at any given point is
impossible.
The establishment of signal stations
over wide area Of the globe, where OBJ
servations, thermometric and barometric
data and weather reports are made at the
same moment and sent to a central sta
ton by telegraph communication, en-
ables the service to predict and make
weather maps of great value.
In the past fifteen years great advance
ment has been made in meteorological
science, and will continue to be made;
but Lieutenant Finley looks forward to
aerial navigation to finally and accurately
solve many of the problems which cam
not be solved by study or observation of
the atmospheric and air currents nearest
the earth.
The advent of the weather map' now
furnished by the Bureau, was made pos
sible by the telegraph, reveals actual
changes over wide eXpanse of country,
and gives fairly reliable probabilities of
great value TO the world. Information from
this source opens the way TO consider
able extent to practical and scientific
knowledge of the weather and the atmos-
pheric changes constantly produced.
Illustrating his lecture and the results
obtained by the bureau, Lieutenant Fin
ley used many stereOpticon views. These
were chiefly in the form of maps and
charts, ana showed The regular tracks of
storms, their variation in summer and
winter seasons, and enabled the lecturer
to give his audience clear and instruct
i've understanding of sudden changes of
cold and heat, rain, storms, etc.
lie explained, and showed by chart, the
tracks Of storms or cyclonic currents AL
ways travelling from west to east as the
earth revolVeS), across the northern por-
ton of our continent, and which come
south in the winter and produce our
rainy season.
tie showed also other currents affect
ing the Eastern coast, and explained the
effects of the Gulf stream upon the
southeastern portion of the United States.
particularly. To show the impossibility
OF predicting changes in the weather
without observations and data from
wide scope of country, the storm centers
OF many great storms, or sudden hot or
cold waves were mapped and their
boundaries and extent explained, show
ing that they might range for hundreds
OF miles, or have their start and forma-
ton at great distance from a given
locality.
OF California and the Pacific Coast Mr..
Finley showed many maps of storms,
heat and cold centers, and gave much in
structive information concerning notable
and sudden changes in the weather. He
showed clearly by mapped observations,
covering many years, the fixed paths OF
storms, and gave very substantial reasons
why some sections OF the southern coast
would always lack rain.
In this connection he said extreme
Southern California need never look to
climatic changes for rain, but should rely
upon system of irrigation with water
taken from the mountains.
A picture of the 'rain-makers," or ex-
perimentaI party sent to Texas to pro-
duce rain by explosions, was shown, and
Lieutenant Finley explained that the re-
suits of the experiments were negative.
20 rain was produced by the explosions:
that which fell was found by a study of
the weather charts to have been produced
by natural causes, and the experiments
We're futile.
He predicted the production of rain by
explosions 10 prove impracticable and
impossible, and, as an instance, he re-
1erred TO the Berkeley powder explosions.
There was seen the effect of an eXpIo-
sion OF greater magnitude than it would
be practicable for even the Government
TO set off to produce rain, and none was
produced there. In fact, not so much as
a cloud resulted.
Many illustrations were given of the
terrific and destructive cyclones, and a
map showing where they have occurred
in the last hundred years in the United
States showed them to have happened
frequently in nearly all sections except
upon the Pacific Coast. This was ac-
counted for by the meeting of certain at
mospheric or storm currents.
Many scenes of the havoc and destruc-
ton wrought by these terrific phenomena
were shown and photographs reproduced
on the canvas.
Signal stations used by the service on
Mount Washington, Pixies Peak and in
many other places were shown, and
many scenes in the Arctic regions and
high mountains all over the continent.
The lecture was highly entertaining
and instructive throughout.
To-Day's Auction sale.
Bell Greer & Co will hold fhnir rn,rr,-