Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-21

full series of rainy days is found in the
west wind and in the interrupted atmos-
pheric depressions. This westernly air
current from the United States and the
Atlantic, and almost in the same direc-
ton az the gulf stream, which origi-
mates i'm the Gulf of Mexico.
1T reaches Europe surcharged with
vapor, which. striking cold lands sat
urated with water, is inevitably con-
densed and results in almost perpetual
rains. This current from the west trav-
els I'm the upper reaches of the atmoS-
pierre but it touches the surface of the
globe at many places Such violent winds.
such storms and hurricanes, are some
times almost stopped in their onward
rush by the Broken character of the land
and by the forests through which they
can force their way only by a struggle
against difficulties which present seri-
Gus obstacle to the entire mass. The
forests weaken the onward rush of great
currents, and the considerable cutting of
the American forests has not little to
do with the increase in the number and
fury of the hurricanes which come hither
from the United States. The forests are,
however. being renewed. Everything in
nature has an influence on everything
else, and sometimes little causes pro-
duce great effects Forests play part
which, generally speaking, has not been
well enough known up to the present"
Sir Mormon Lockyer. director of the
solar physics laboratory, says that we
need not look for much Improvement until
the year 1913 has gone. He lays the
blame for the incessant rains Upon the
changes that are taking place in the sun.
The changes, he says. directly affect the
polar and equatorial regions and Indirect
ly the middle ATTITUDES. DIR. Lockyer
thinks there will be more and more rain
up until 1913, and after that less and
less, perhaps.
The most melancholy forecast is that of
Prof. Bruckner, president of the Geo
graphical Society of Vienna. who carries
his calculations back about 1000 years.
He has constructed a cycle OF some thr-
ty-five years during which a slow aver
age change in pressure, temperature
rainfall and winds take place. Accord
ing to him the last dry and warm cycle
occurred from 1885 to 1902 and since
then the weather has gradually been de-
teriorating, though normal periods may
occur In either cycle. We are now i'm
the thick of the cold and wet half cycle.
and those who put their faith I'm DR..
Bruckner do not expect ANYTHING m,,cb
better until 1920.
notwithstanding all this theorizina the
one comnonsense view OF the matter il
that floods never have any other origin
than rain from the skies. flowing off too
the snow when it is both very abundant
and comes down suddenly.
X x
The water which falls i'm the basin of
the river being forced to flow by it to the
sea causes it to overflow when it spreads
beyond it's bed. 1t is generally thought
that the mass of water which falls as
rain each year is sufficient to feed the
vast water courses which divide the
physical globe. This is an error. In
reality there is much more water than
necessary to feed the streams. This
mass of water, the mathematical
weight of which confounds the imagi-
nation. remains thus, always shifting
between the ground and the aerial
heights. falling without ceasing i'm
rain, to ascend again in vapor. descend
ing and reascending indefinitely.
The atmosphere carries off yearly. it
must also be remembered. great vol
umes of water. taken from the ocean
by evaporation. and that rain brings it
back. The nature of the ground plays
a considerable role In the production
OF floods also. Impermeable soil favors
them becahse the rain runs over the |
surface and rapidly increases the flow
any in forming floods.
The simplest explanation of the floods, |
and undoubtedly the trueSt. is that |
the abundant rains which have per- !
sisted for several months arc alone |
for the catastrophes which |
have occurred. The year 1910 abroad |
showed a greater rainfall than has |
been noted in any year since the es- |
of weather observa tories. |
IT, is necessary to go back to the year /
165S to find a food surprising the ,one
with which France WAS afflicted just |
a year ago. and then the disaster was |
less grave.