The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-04
SECUTED BY SCIENTISTS
LEARNED MEN SAY CANNON FIRING
DOES NOT PREVENT HAILSTORMs.
Statement by Prof. Willis l.. Moore
Acting Secretary of Agriculture,
on Experiments in Europe.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.-Prof. Willis L.
Moore, acting secretary Of agriculture has
issued statement concerning the matter of
the attempted prevention of hailstorms by
the use of explosives from specially de-
signed cannon. Brief reference is made to
the renewed interest in the subject lately
manifested in France and Italy and to the
apparatus now in use in conducting the ex-
periments. The professor then says in part:
There is a marked difference of opinion
to the effectiveness of cannon firing with
the manufacturers and many grape-grow-
ers on the one side and the scientists of
America and Europe on the other. The
former maintain that a hailstorm can be
prevented in the manner described, while
the latter claim that the force exerted by
the explosives is infnitesimal as compared
to the forces of nature that are exerted in
hail formation and that experiments con-
Quoted by the adherents Of the cannonading
process themselves have not produced con-
vincing results The number of thunder
storms from which hail is precipitated is
but small per cent of the actual number
of thunderstorms In most localities of the
United States a whole season sometimes
passes without a fall of hail, while in the
quently the number OF hailstorms is small.
While in the pe-growing regions of
France and Italy there may be greater hail
storm frequency, 1t is still true that the
number of hailstorms are few as compared
to the number Of thunderstorms without
hail. The experimenters score a success
whenever they shoot at a thunderstorm
that does not produce hail. although the
chances are greatly In favor of there being
no hail in the cloud. Again they excuse the
occurrences of hail in spite of a lombard
ment by saying that the cannon was not
large enough or the powder charge insuffi-
cient and declare then that the hailslorm
been otherwise. How is one to prove or dis
prove such statements?
Scientists both in America and in Europe
declare that hallStormS cannot be prevented
by the use of cannon and explosives of even
greater power than has been used, or il is
possible for men to use, and they base their
belief upon such knowledge of the forces of
nature as science has revealed.
Several thousand shooting stations have
been established in Italy and France during
the past two years. but reports received
from them give no definite data in support
there is no doubt that the cannonading is
believed to be effectual by the farmers who
do the work.
Waves of irrational enthusiasm some
times creep over community, only 10 be
regretted in subsequent years when calmer
judgment has come to prevail We have
only to remember the experience of our
own country only a few years ago with
the rainmakers, and how firm was the be-
lief of thousands of people in the subarid
and arid regions of the West that the use
of powerful explosives would produce rain
fall. Thousands of dollars were expended
in these experiments before the absurdity
of the claim was demonstrated. 1t is a
fact worthy OF remark that the hail shoot
ers are now using practically the same
methods to dssipate the clouds that the
rainmakers used to produce them. Time
and experiment probably will demonstrate
that hail prevention by such means is as
impracticable rain production. There is
no way of telling by the sight of an APP
preaching cloud whether or not 1t Is accom-
panied by hail. Therefore, If they cannot
| tell, every thunderstorm would have to
be bombarded. although statistics have
demonstrated that only one thunder cloud
out of a great number contains hail. In
other words, there would be a tremendous
waste of time. money and energy. in un-
necessary bombardmentS.
After examining all that has been pub
| lished during the past two years on the
| subject of hail prevention, / have to re-
peat the opinion heretofore expressed that
we have here TO do with popular deIusion
and that efforts should be made to prevent
! its spread in this country. The great pro-
| cesses going on in the atmosphere are con-
| Quoted on too large a scale for any man
! The energy expended by nature in the pro-
| duction Of a hailstorm. tornado or a rain
| storm probably exceeds the combined en-
/ ergy of all the steam engines and explosives
/ in the world. II is useless for man to at
! tempt to combat nature on this SCALE