Evening star., 1934-11-18

TWO Years Before the Mast" but it
is doubtful whether Danas dry gale
exceeded 10 or 30 miles, which is a
different matter from 23l miles. Had
such a gale blown that day in the
Pacific no Dana would have returned
to. write his classic and become a
member of the diplomatic CORDS.
1t is entirely possible that winds
as brisk have blown over Mount
Washington before and remained un-
recorded for lack OF suitable instru-
ments. The instrument employed to
measure wind velocity is called an
thermometer. There is a standard
type, normally serviceable instru-
ment which is in use at all Weather
Bureau stations. But followers of
weather reports will recall that it is
not unusual, on the approach Of a
hurricane, for the bureau to report
that at, for instance, 80 miles an hour
the instrument was blown away or
Ialled TO record. Extraordinary We
loclty, especially when rime coats the
instrument, defeats the recording.
Special Instruments Used.
In view Of these circumstances the
Weather Bureau set about devsing a
special instrument to take the read
ings at Mount Washington. With the
aid Of the permanent science fund of
the American Academy Of Arts and
Sciences, an instrument was invented
by the Mann Instrument Co. Of Cam
bridge, Mass. The national Bureau
Of Standards also was called in for
its aid. The special feature about the
machine is an electric heating device
which melts the rime tending to ac-
cumulate on the rotor and slows
down the rotary motion which oper-
ates the recording members. The
machine, OF course, is much heavier
than the standard thermometers used
at less windy Weather Bureau sta
tions and is anchored in such fash
ion as to prevent it from being blown
away. So heavy machine has one
disadvantage in that it is less reliable
at low wind velocities There is not
enough breeze to get it really going.
A l0-mile wind will scarcely start it,
but when the breeze gets up to. hurri-
cane speed it runs like a top and is
at its best in a superhurricane.
The main body Of the thermometer
is bronze casting with the various
other necessary members, including
the electrical heating coil, attached.
The finest spun copper is used and all
the work performed with a watch
makers care. One of the amazing
features Of the installation is a de-
vice whereby the clicks made by the
revolving meter are broadcas: by ultra
short wave transmitter. This can be
used to serve as check on the OBJ
servers at the mountain. On the &C.
casion of the record wind, the Blue
Hills Observatory at Milton, Mass, re-
ceived the radio indications.
The instrument is raised on a stand
ard 10 feet above the roof of the sta
ton, which is at the summit of the
mountain.
Salvatore Pagluica Of the bureau, in
his report on the taking of the record,
observes that some light was thrown
on the ability Of man to stand in a
high wind. Noting that the winds
force was less and was broken up on
the ground as compared with the free
air position of the thermometer, he
declared that it was possible to stand
with, however, various adjustments
such as bending toward the wind, low
ering the body, spreading the legs and
exposing the side of the body to the
wind" Mr.. Pagluica indicates, to the
lay mind at least, that It was not ex-
actly easy. He says the building
shook considerably under the severe
impact" and notes damage to some
instruments.
All the evidence suggests there was
quite breeze, especially as the report
remarks that "the figures obtained
should be considered as somewhat
conservative That is, the figures Of
23l miles an hourl