The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-10-07

parts of our West Indian hurricanes. The
Manila typhoon of September, 1882, had
a forward movement of but five miles an
hour when it left the Philippines, but when
it reached the coast of Japan, few days
later, it was progressing at the rate OF
thirty three miles an hour; but this move
ment increased to over fifty miles an hour
just east of Japan; thence it passed along
the Aleutian Islands to Oregon, which 1t
reached in about two weeks after leaving
the Philippines; thence it moved through
the northern United States, Canada, Hud-
son Bay and Labrador to Greenland.
crossed the North Atlantic Ocean, and to
the west of Ireland united with another
cyclone, and, after remaining stationary for
nearly a week, moved in a southeasterly
direction to France, and later moved north
easterly to the Baltic Sea, where is disap-
peared, having travelled II, 600 miles In a
little over month This was, of course,
a most unusual case, but very frequently
the West Indian cyclones cross the Atlantic
Ocean after leaving the North American
coast.
MIGHTY FORCE AND HEAVY RAINFALL.
While these hurricanes are never more
than few hundred miles in diameter, yet
the long paths which they pursue distrib-
utes their force over large territory, and
they are thus the most powerful while not
the most intense storms which we have.
There have been long lists compiled Of the
L Il Tho Il Iar
which has marked their paths, and 1t has
been computed that the energy exerted by
the hurricane of October, 1874, would not
fall far short of 1000, 900, 600 horse
power, and this devastating force was ex-
pended on a path but 500 miles wide.
The amount of rain which falls as an
accompaniment Of these hurricanes is enor-
NOUS, being frequently upwards Of 10
inches. The wind movement in hurricanes
is seldom over fifty or sixty miles an hour
but the furious gusts of wind must have
velocities of eighty or ninety miles an hour,
in order to create the havoc caused by these
storms
The time which it takes for hurricane
to pass over a given place lying within Its
path depends, of course, upon the diameter
of the hurricane and its velocity Of transla-
ton. and varies from few hours To day
or more. Ii must be remembered, on the
contrary, that tornadoes seldom last but
few minutes.
PECULIARITIEs OF THE STORM.
A. the hurricane approaches any one
stationed in its path there Is TO lie noticed
a falling Of the barometer, slight lower
ing Of the temperature and rapid increase
in the wind ; velocity Bat the direction
Of the wind remains quite constant.
This may continue for fouF or five hours,
then suddenly the wind dies down and there
Is calm for from half an hour to an hour,
which signifies the passage Of the centre Of
the storm; then. at the rear Of this centre,
the barometer rises, the temperature iu-
creases and the wind blows with great vol
enee from direction nearly opposite 20
that in which il was blowing before the
calm. After three or four hours the wind
dies down. the clouds disperre and serene
weather prevails over the storm devastated
country.
THE GREAT VALUE or THE PREDICTIONS
The successful prediction Of the West
Indian hurricanes Is = matter Of great DIFF
ficulty on account Of their limited extent,
especially in their incipient stages, for thea
no characteristic signs Of their approach
precede them at any very great distance.
This condition is thus in great contrast IS
that existing in the ordinary cyclones IN
the United States. Il i true that cirrus
clouds appear al around the central re-iou
Of the hurricane, aud as far west a Haya-
ma these cirrus clouds preceie this centre
by four or FIVE hundred miles, bat even in
the most favorable cases they might NOT
give DAYS warning in advance For
their prediction in approaching the United
States il IS necessary that Geographic news
Of their actual existence be received, and
it will no, do to rely on the observation of
the natural forerunners If the hurricane.
the clouds and the ocean swell.
This condition Is abundanily fulfilled by
the new order Of things which has given
Us the necessary telegraphie communication.
After the storm centre has once been locat
ed, it usually moves 50 slowly that il aay
be several DAYS after It's announcement be
fore il reaches the coast waters of the United
States. The successful prediction Of the
storm movement after it has entered the
region covered by our daily weather maps Is
a matter Of great difficulty, for is exact d.
rection Of motion Is too uncertain and IT,
rate Of progress too variable to toreteli It's
exact location at any future time. These
last points have been very practically HAS
trated ia the case Of the hurricane now in
progress. The general prediction Of these
hurricanes Is Of iucalculable value 10 the
nayigators Of our coast waters, and this .
very distinctly shown By the appalling loss
Of life which accompanies the appearance
of the corresponding typhoons on the un-
protected shores Of China and Japan
Sixty or seventy years agO the West
Indian hurricanes had been very carefully
studied, and their attendant phenomena
formed the basis Of original theories pro-
pounded by such meteorolosis,s as Dove,
piddington, Redfeld aud Others, and call
ed forth the violent and then celebrated
controversy between Redfeld and Hare
Padre Vines, of Havana, devoted long
year to their study, but probably the
most important recent contributions to our
knowledge Of West Indian hurricanes are
the monographs of Lieutenant Hayden
/ t. s n
There can be no doubt, however, that,
with our increased interest in the East and
West Indies, more careful study than has
yet been made of these storms viii be con
sidered necessary for the protection Of our
shipping and other interests in those
| countries.
Every unregistered Democrat
should have his name placed
on the books. Next Tuesday,
October 10, is the last oppor-
tunity this wear. Hours of