182 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



hail-storms and resulting damages in AViirtcmbcrg durins 

 the thirty years from 1828 to 1857, the work being a continu- 

 ation of that previously published by Camerers. He gives 

 interesting quotations from early chronicles dating back a 

 thousand years, which have, we understand, been reprinted 

 in previous Jizhrbuchers published by the Wurtembcrg Sta- 

 tistical Bureau. The average number of hail-storms is 14.8 

 per year during the first half of the period investigated by 

 Riecke, but only 12 in the latter half of that period. The 

 years of most frequent hail-storms were, 1852 (? 2G), 1847 

 (24), 1834 (23), 1835 (23), 1873 (22), 1839 (20). The average 

 area covered by the hail that fell from these storms is 2525 

 morgens, or 790 hectares, or 1907 acres. 



By summing up the areas covered by hail, it is found that 

 the years of maximum area were, in regular order, 1873, 1872, 

 1853, 1852, 1869, 1856, 1830, 1846, and 1832; and the years 

 of minimum area were, 1833, 1851, 1858, 1844, 1857, 1874, 

 1835, 1848, 1842, and 1840. A strong indication is given of 

 an increase in the intensity of thunder-storms. Besides nu- 

 merous interesting historical notices dating back to the year 

 855, Riecke gives detailed tables of the hail-storms and of 

 the property destroyed during the last fifty years. 



The summer of 1878 was remarkable for numerous hail- 

 storms in Great Britain. The severest occurred on the 4th 

 of August in Leicestershire, and is well described by W. Clem- 

 ent Ley, who states that about two inches of hail fell in his 

 neighborhood in fifteen minutes, the stones averaging about 

 five inches in circumference, as measured two hours after 

 they fell. 



In the Bulletin of the Natural History Society of Col mar, 

 G. A. Hirn supports in part the theory of Faye as to the nat- 

 ure and origin of cvclones and tornadoes. 



Among the terribly destructive storms of modern times 

 must be included that of April 12, on the Chinese coast. This 

 storm passed directly over Canton, causing indescribable de- 

 struction and an immense loss of life, estimated at between 

 6000 and 7000 persons : it appears to have been, at least in 

 Canton, of the nature of a tornado, having a diameter of 

 about 300 yards, and a path of destruction only 3 miles long. 



General T. L. Rosscr gave a short address in December, 

 1877, before the Minnesota Academy of Social Science at 



