The times., 1899-10-15

OF several Government scientists connected
with the Department OF Agriculture when
reporter for The Times asked them if
they knew that a rain-making company
was doing business in Italy and that show
ers are being coaxed from the skies
1t has been reported in press dispatches
that in the southern provinces Of Austria
and throughout northern Italy, where the
season has been exceedingly dry all summer,
q rain making company has proved a Cod
send to the farmers" The Italian author
tiles. il is said were induced to allow the
company to establish Shooting stations
at small distances throughout the drouth-
stricken region and as result the crops
were saved by d constant and drilling
rain The rain-making machines. IL is
said, are gigantic guns loaded with pow
der which al every shct emit great
cloud OF smoke. The chroniclers announce
that these machines do not produce thun-
der showers. but a steady light rainfall.
What Shooting rain out of the skies
again2n said one weather expert, why
that theory has been exploded these many
years"
Many citizens OF Washington recall the
bang and boom of the ain-pToducing de-
vices set of on the Virginia side OF the
Potomac River by Gen. Robert G. DFren-
forth. early in the SOS. Secretary Jerry
Rusk IN report on these rainmaking ex-
periments said that so far as the explos-
ions were concerned he knew that they
were very successful, but that as 10 the
object sought to be obtained, he had no
data Oh which TO base an opinion
RainmaIsing an Old Theory.
Rainmaking by |concussion is an old the
ory. General Dyrenforth makes Plutarch
Eay that it is a matter of current obser-
walton that there is usually heavy rain
fall after great battles" In 1874 Gen. W.
T. Sherman, James A. GARFIELD. John A.
Logan, c. g. Farwell, and others who were
interested in the theory that concussion
caused rain. figured on having great sham
battles in the arid regions rs a substitute
for the usual forms OF irrigation. 1t was
estimated that the cost for mounting and
transporting 200 siege guns blank cart
ridges. wadding. electric primers. electric
batteries, and zoo men for one day would
make each sham battle cost s161, ,590 These,
A. was thought, would be expensive show
ers-more expensive and less certain than
the commonplace irrigation plans.
In 1880 Gen. Daniel Ruggles, of Freder-
Soksburg, Va, came forward with 6 propo-
sition 70 produce precipitation by means
OF -quakes.".
1890 Congress voted $4,000, and a year
or two later, $1,000 more 10 enable the
Department of Agriculture TO conduct ex-
beriments having for their end the arti-
hciRl production OF rain storms. In 1880
Unsuccessful experiments were conducted
resr Fort Myer Va, and few months
later that scene OF operations was trans
ferred 20 the ranch OF Nelson Morris, near
Midland, Tex, on the 6taked Plains.
Among the experimenters were General
byrenforth, Claud Resell, chemist OF the
United States Patent Office; Prof. George
=. Curtis. OF the Smithsonian Institute,
fnd John r. Ellis, OF Oberlin College. Bal
looms loaded with chlcrate OF potash, bin
oxide OF manganese and hydrogen were
sent sent up to heights varying from 1000
yards TO three miles. and exploded. On the
third or fourth Gay after the explosions
IL rained. Then the experiments were dis
continued.
Prof. Simon Newcomb has expressed
himself quite forcioly against the air
quake theory o. precipitation, and in
epeaking on the subject said: Aqueous
vRpor In the air cannot be condensed ex-
cept by & cooling agent, and mere sound
ts not this" Prof Newoomb holds that
the atmosphere IN the average room cor
tains about one quart OF water, and that
AZ dynamite bomb in the outer world is
expected 70 cause down-pour Of rain,
simple clspping Of the hands ought 10
cause the condensation Of all the aqueous
Fapor IN ones apartment In reply 10 the
statement that rain follows great battles,
he declares he does not believe that the
statement can be confirmed by statistics.
There was once rain production theory
held by Prof. Espey during the early
part Of this century He believed that by
building great fire, the air would be
heated, and this warm air rising, owing
20 a diminished pressure. would expand.
and. cooling, cause condensation During
the great drouth in Australia. in 1sSz-S5,
Il was projected that this theory should be
put to the test, but government engineers.
after experiments on a small scale. reck-
oned that II would require 1000. 900 tons Of
coal 10 produce bucket OF rain. Another
theory was that by building fires on the
banks Of streams the aqueous yapor could
be condensed and precipitated. One man
had plan 10 make rain by building a
high chimney over q pond OF water and
lighting fires around the edges of the pond.
Origin of the Belief.
The conclusion theory. it is said, has
sprung largely from the belief that rain
usually follows q battle This belief was
given strong emphasis several years ago
by the publication OF War and the
Weather. by Edward Powers He insisted
that the idea that rain can be produced
by human agency. though sufficiently start
ling, lis not what in this age OF progress
ought 10 be considered as impossible OF
practical realization. Aside from fits con-
nection with the superstition of certain
savage tribes. il is an opinion of compare
lively recent origin, and Is one which can
not be regarded as belonging In any de-
gree, TO a certain class OF notions which
prevail among the unthinking, and which
being based neither on reason nor on OBJ
Served facts. are respectable, il at ALL only
Tor their antiquity, but on the contrary IL
is one which is confined principally &c
those who are accustomed 10 draw conclu-
Eions only from adequate premises and
whose belief in the matter referred TO has
generally been founded on facts which have
come under their own observation"
There Is theory that the greater por-
tion OF the aqueous yspor which by its con-
denEstion forms the rains In North Ameri-
ca is produced by evaporation from the Pa
cifc Ocean. Il is said that this becomes
apparent when IL is considered that as much
water must come from the ocean as runs
into the ocean BY the rivers. There is also
said TO be a great and nearly constant ali
current mr. wing eastward and northward
over the United States which bears alore
with L aqueous yapor. All storms except
few that originate IN the Gulf Of Mexico
come fran this current and move eastward
and northeastwsre with A. Prof NJ r.
harry in his Physical Geography Of tho
Sea-" says that without this current from
the Pacific this country would be as arfc