Evening journal., 1898-09-19
A STORM CENTER.
Sailors Have 20 Find ont Where II
Is and Avoid It-HOw
They DO IL.

When caught in a cyclone, seaman
must determine as quickly as possible
the whereabouts of the center of the
storm, and the direction in which il
is moving. The first is easy to find
out, for il it is remembered that the
wind is blowing around vast circle.
in direction opposite to the move
ment of the hands of watch, one can
face the wind and know that his right
arm, extended, is pointing nearly to-
ward the storms center. Thus, when
the wind comes from the east, the
center is TO the south.
Now to discover which way that cen
ter is moving we must wait for the di-
rection of the wind to change. If the
direction from which the wind comes
changes gradually toward the right,
the wind is said 10 ''haul." lit changes
to the left the wind is said to back"
If, then, our gale backs, and we con-
tinue to face IL. our right hand, al
ways pointing toward the center, has
swung around TO the left, showing
that the center is moving from
right TO left. If the gale hauls,
its center is passing from left
to right. II the wind neither hauls
nor backs, but persistently blows from
the same direction with increasing
violence, the center is approaching in
straight line.
When in a cyclone, it IS a seaman's
endeavor to avoid its center; for, like
the swirl:ng water around the hole
in the tub, the motion is more rapid,
the hurricane more violent, as we APP
proach that center. Sometimes, like
the hole in the water over the place
where IL runs out of the tub, there Is
a dead-calm center, for the air all
around 1t is rushing upward; but woe
betide the foolish or unfortunate cap
tain who gets his vessel therel Into
that confined circular area the waves
have been dashed and driven like count
less wild cattle into a corral. Like
cattle, these confined waves madly
turn hither and thither, leap upward,
and pile upon one another; for around
them sweep, in endless circles, the
regular, onrushing seas of the storm.
A ship in the midst of these confused
seas knows not which way to turn TO
meet them. They leap about her with
demoniac frenzy, falling in mountain
heaps upon her decks, until, perhaps
she is swamped and sinks.
The discovery Of the direction OF
motion OF a cyclones center may be
matter of hours or even Of days; for
the storm may be of such vast area
and travelling so slowly, that the wind
blows from the same direction for q
long time. Once discovered, Il is a
seaman's endeavor to cross the storms
path. If cross he must, behind the cen
ter instead of in front of It. In the
southern hemisphere cyclones revolve
right-handedly, and move toward the
south pole, so what is here told must
be reversed to fit storms in that par
of the world.
If a ship has left port in goot
weather. the captain will be warned
of storm by his barometer. YoI
know how in that instrument a column
Of mercury is balanced by the pres
sure of the outside air. When, there
fore, the barometer falls steadily hour
after hour, the sea captain knows thai
his ship is approaching a spot wher,
the uprushing atmosphere of a cy
clones center is making the ali
around il thin and light. Then h,
must watch and wait for the wine
TO tell him which way the storm &
going.-Lieut.J ohn N. Ellicott, U s. n
J in ST. Nicholas.