Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-05
Sun SPOTS AND CYCLONES.
Some Memorable Storms That Were
Very Disastrous.


Very Disastrous.
1t is claimed that storm periods travel
in cycle, and that every eleventh year Is
likely to produce atmospheric disturbances
of great violence.
While Prof. Langley has stated that the
presence of spots upon the sun does not
indicate an increased degree of heat upon
the earth, it is contended by others who
have studied the subject that these spots
indicate great activity in this source of all
heat. and that when they are present an
appreciable variability In atmospheric con-
ditions on our globe may be expected, and
tfat hurricanes, tornadoes etc, will pre-
vail
Memorable Storms.
1t is interesting to recall some of the
fearful catastrophes which have taken
place in different parts of the earth in past
years, caused by the action of the ele-
ments, and to note the awful destruction
that followed in their wake. The loss of
life and property from the St Louis storm
mas been great, but when compared with
the results of some OF the typhoons and
hurricanes OF the equatorial region il loses
in part its appalling aspect
storm in India in the seventies resulted
III Inc destruction OF over a quarter million
of lives. The sufferers were not of a high
grade of humanity, but imag CINE a multi
trde of nearly three hundred thousand
people losing their lives in one night,
In IS23 cyclone near Calcutta DESTROYED
l,22@9 fishermen's houses. with their oc-
cupants. During the storm, it is said. q
piece of bamboo was driven through a stone
wall hve feet thick. In the same region a
terrible seawave, in October, 1877, DESTROYED
2l5,oo natives. Dead bodies were washed
from town to town like SO much driftwood
and for years the district was uninhabit-
able.
A cyclone in 1850 generated, 1t is believed.
IN mld-Atlantic, near the equator first
made its appearance in Barbados where
IL destroyed houses, blew the bark from
trees, and. 1t Is stated, fairly uprooted the
bottom and depths Of the sea. Forts and
castles We're washed away, and guns car
ried in the air like chaff A French trans
port fleet, consisting of forty vessels, was
destroyed, with 1850 soldiers Nine thous-
and persons persisted at Martinique, LOCO
at st. Pierre, where not house was left
standing. st. Vincent st. Eustache and
Porto Rico were devastated. AT PORT
Royal the cathedral. seven churches and
fourteen hundred houses were blown down
Sixteen hundred sick and wounded ware
buried beneath the ruins of a hospital At
the Bermudas fifty British ships were driy-
en- ashore, two battle ships went down at
sea and 22.10 persons persisted.
In the year 1899 cyclone swept over a
portion OF France near Paris, which did
incredible damage. Thousands were killed
n popularity of this storm was that it gut
ted the inside CT the houses without blowing
them down. A stone wall was cut III five
equal parts, of eight yards each, the first.
third and fifth pieces being laid in one di-
rection. the second and fourth exactly op-
posite.
At Guadalupe, on July %, 1925 hurri-
cane destroyed the town, carrying debris
over an arm of the sea fifty miles to Mont
serrat The wind drove tiles from the roofs
through thick doors. Buildings were blown
around like cards, and a piece of deal 80
inches long, 10 inches wide and nearly an
inch thick, went through a palm tree 1S
inches in diameter.
In England, in the year 1903. during a
violent hurricane, whole fleets were cast
away, and mansions blown down. London
and Bristol gave the appearance of having
been sacked. Eddystone light house, re-
garded as impregnable, was destroyed, with
the architect who built it inside!
In October, 1864, great gale prevailed in
India, during which 10000 persons persisted
This was year during which the spots on
the sun are said to have been especially
prominent 1t is stated that during the
storm vessel was actually lifted out Of the
water and torn to pieces by the elements in
m