392 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



or whatsoever they are called with reference to phenomena classed 

 under these various denominations. 







RAIN FOLLOWING THE DISCHARGE OF ORDNANCE. 



Mr. J. C. Lewis communicates the following note to the National 

 Intelligencer, on the above subject : 



"In October, 1825, I took note of a very copious rain that immedi- 

 ately followed the discharge of ordnance during the celebration of 

 the meeting of the waters of Lake Erie and the Hudson, upon the 

 completion of the Erie Canal; and in 1841 I published my continued 

 observations on the subject, which, to my mind, fully established the 

 fact that the discharge of heavy artillery at contiguous points produces 

 such a concussion that the vapor collects and falls generally in un- 

 usual quantities the same day or the day following. 



" The early battles of the late war between the French, Sardinians, 

 and Austrians, were succeeded by such copious rains that even small 

 rivers were not fordable ; and during the great battle of Solferino a 

 storm arose of such fierceness that for the time the conflict ceased. 

 In the month of July the armies on the upper Potomac fought four 

 different battles on as many days, and there were extensive rains be- 

 fore the close of each day. July 21st, the great battle of Bull Kun, 

 Virginia, was fought, and next day (22d) the rain was copious all day, 

 and far into the night." 



Great Rain-fall in Ohio. Mr. S. B. McMillan, in a communica- 

 tion to Silliman's Journal, gives an account of a very remarkable fall 

 of rain which took place in Ohio, August 12th, 1861, extending over 

 at least a hundred square miles. The total amount that fell in eleven 

 hours was 8.01 inches, and of this quantity 4.20 fell in four and a half 

 hours. 



