New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-21
THE NEW RAIN MAKING TESTS.

The general verdict OF disnterested scientists
upon the ranmalSing experiments OF General Dy-
renforth last year was that they had failed Ia
demonstrate more than this Under very favorable
conditions when the air is heavily laden with
moisture, a slight momentary spatter too inss-
niGcant TO be measured or - do any good, can
sometimes be produced by heavy explosions; but
that no evidence had been secured that when
drouth prevailed, or during the temporary prev
alcncc Of fair weather, any shock given TO the
air by bombardment would produce even a drop
Of rain Careful scrutiny OF the situation at each
Of the points where tests were made at the time
Of the experiments showed III every instance OF
rainfall after explosions that rain would probably
have fallen anyhow in the natural course OF
events. General Dyrenforth. however, and some
Of lis assistants were at first disposed . claim
that their efforts had been very successful, 50
far rs results were concerned, although they were
not satisfied with their own methods and appa-
ratus In the face Of strong protests from meteor
ologists of high standing therefore, they secured
another appropriation from Congress, and are now
in Texas for the purpose Of making renewed eN-
pcriments.
In several respects these fresh tests will proba
biz b. better conducted than the Others were. 1t
is evidently General Dyrenforths intention 10
have n careful preliminary survey made, by in
strumcntal observation from balloons of the HUI
midity temperature and wind directions Of the
atmospheric LAYERS a few thousand feet above the
earth before each bombardment that his fire
may be more inteligently directed. The exact
elevation AT which the firing will be done, il IS
said will he the subject Of closer calculation than
last year Explosives Of higher power too. TO be
employed In addition TO the money provided by
the Government for this purpose private capitalists
who own lands in Kansas and the Dakotas, and
boards Of trade In the Southwest, have also con-
trbuted literally TO the fund for meeting the eA-
pensc Hence 1t will be possible TO experiment
more thoroughly now than year ago. II. there
fore. under these moro auspicious circumstances,
no better results are secured than before, the judg
mcnt OF the scientific world against tho scheme
already on record. will stand. And yet scepu-
cal MS are nearly all practical meteorologistS who
have studied this matter carefully the would-be
rau-makrrs are likely to be Judged dispasSonately
The case las not been finally closed If any con-
siderable rainfall follows with reasonable prompt
ness "A vigorous bomharlment of the skies. Wien
the conditions such u render its occurrence
improbable from purely natural causes tho sky
stormcrs viii have achieved a victory. Rut if
days ON which: precipitation might properly be pre-
dctcd are selected, and if no greater results are
secured close at hand than at distance especially
in the quarter from which rain-producng ntlu-
cnces are already shown 10 be- approaching by the
Government weather maps, not only the scepti-
cism, but also the suspicious 10 the sincerity of
the management of the tests excited last year
Will be- confirmed