Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-12

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nbertc conditions other than barometno
or thermal, presagins storms or s
cvcloues before even the ordinary instr"s
m,ent takes note OF them--are rev =.
the problsms remaining 70 be soiveu Are
blue Hiil observatory concerns Nseii sS.s
iv with matters Of this kind. ana MI.
CLAYTON has won reputation seconu W
none In certain specialties. or. IN ,ac.,
In all the lines Of work for winch o'u'
Hill stands. An.
He briefly outlined. recently, wnne
watching the kites. few OK the proo'e,n'
that the new instrument, II succssS,u,.
would go far to solve. Inc VIM nas
been found 10 increase In velocity az ohe
GOES inward Within a field OF. say.
mile from the earth. this truth is appa-
rent TO most anybody. but beyond that.
what, Does the wiuti's velocity increase
in regular ratio? Have the velocites
AT the different upper levels always the
same ratio TO the surface winds! There
are many other questions Of like CHAR
acter. somewhat reconcile for news
paper article. which II answered to
scientist would add new weapons 10
THE FORECASTER'S ARMORY.
Mr.. Clayton says there Is a veritable
gale constantly blowing ten miles from
the earth. Farther up 1t has been con"
tec,ured that breezes, the fore. OF
which is far beyond anything within
our experience, are blowing ali the time.
A plausIble theory was advanced sew
eral years ago that. at best, the tor
nadoes on the surface were but Stray
fIickers Of the celestial gale that
through certain conditions OF the at
nosphere, managed TO reach the ground
for a moment. This theory awaits proof
t,,t q b,o poyar haan 1faprOyei.
IL there is such celestial gale. IL II
INDEPENDENT OF any surface wind? Can
its direction, II constant, be discovered!
II il changes with the seasons, or TOT
any other cause, what are the laws gov
erning the movement? Does the gaze
Ito distinguish the upper eurreno acceie-
rate surface winds II blowing WIN theh'
or retard II opposed in direction, agGra-
waiting conditions that would other~ise
pursue a normal course? hundred such
matters suggest themselves IN the study
OF which lies the hope Of science IN clint
mating the uncertainties OF weather fore-
casts.
All the foregoing applies to the mat
ter of winds alone There are even more
important questions OF temperature await
ing solution. and the vast field OF atmos-
pheric electricity has scarcely teen toucn-
tQ, OWlIR W blAhNhhoNS
high enough into the air.
on Blue Hill this study has been
followed by watching the clouds. ana
Mr.. CLAYTON Is an expert. Apparatus mas
been devised for ascertaining their height'
rate OF movement, and character. CLOUDS
nine miles above us have been studied
and followed as they flew along with
yeIocities Of q hundred and more miles
per hour.
THE TROUBLE WITH CLOUDS.
4, that they do not accommodate
themselves to the exigencies of regular
study. No clouds. no investigation.
When you want TO study NJ the nine
mile level, there won't be anything higher
than three miles in weeks.
Here Is where the Kite comes In. IL
may not be possible to send one up
nine miles, but suppose cloud is seen
nine miles UP, moving eastward. ana
another is noted six miles w, moving
southwark, The surface wind Is blowing
from the south. and 1t Is desired TO
find out whether there Is an intervening
current blowing in any other directloh'
The opportunities In this line were shown
last Friday, on the afternoon night, Whicn
attained a. height of $50 feet. Ine wlhd
was south, and two miles ABOVE inc
topmost kite cloud was moving from
the west. Al,
With a line Of kites reaching TO the
height Of a mile, a kite on every inter
yening 800 feet, for instance. each KITE
with an thermometer attached, the rauo
OF Increase in velocity upward would pe
recorded exactly. With electrical appa-
ratus there would unquestionabiy be iac's
CLEANED bearing on the law OF thuhoer-
storms
An outside suggestion was presented
for providing an aluminium string, ana
perhaps light metallic frames which
would admit Of more or less permanent
aerial weather station.
The possibilities OF the kite question are
fascinating, 20 say the least, to the irnasi-
nation, and the results so far obtained on
Blue Hill would seem TO warrant nope
that the kite was more than a scientinc
TOW. Mr.. Eddy was prompt to locate 'he
defects OF his iight-wind kites, raised IN
strong winds, ard will continue ms ex'
periments this week with new and more
powerful products OF his skill. II 10 proper
TO note here that his inquiries thus far
have been largely in the propien VI
aerial navigation. The use or the Kites
| as a. meteorological instrument came as
AN afterthought.