MR MILNE ON A REMARKABLE OSCILLATION OF THE SEA. 031 



Burghead, in Elginshire. The inspecting lieutenant of the Revenue Station 

 there reports, that on the 5th July the wind was throughout the day variable, 

 and at 8 P.M. from the east ; that at 10 P.M. there were " heavy clouds," and 

 afterwards " thunder, lightning, and heavy rain." Next morning, at 9 A.M., the 

 weather was " fine," the wind almost calm. 



Banff, in Morayshire. The storm began at 9 P.M., and lasted three hours. 

 The rain descended in torrents. The lightning was vivid from 9 h 30' till 11 P.M. 



Inverness. The entry in the Meteorological Register kept here by Mr MAC- 

 KENZIE of Raining School, is as follows : " At 10 P.M., a most vivid flash of 

 lightning, which lasted several seconds, and followed by a rattling peal of thunder." 



(1). The first inference which I draw from the foregoing details, is, that the 

 storm in question moved over the surface of Great Britain, in a direction from 

 S. or S. by W., to N. or N. by E., increasing in breadth as it proceeded, though 

 diminishing in intensity. 



(2.) Estimating the distance between Cornwall and Kinnaird Head at 500 

 miles, it would appear that this storm travelled at a rate of from 70 to 80 miles 

 per hour. 



(3.) It is most probable that it was of a whirling character ; in proof of 

 which the following facts may be referred to : 



a. "At Armley, near Leeds, several trees were rent to pieces by the electric 

 fluid and accompanying whirlwind. One large tree was taken out of its place by 

 the whirlwind, and was carried a considerable distance in the air. It fell on a 

 cow, and killed her. Another large tree was twisted in two in the centre of the 

 trunk, and the fibres of the wood, at the point of separation, appeared twisted to- 

 gether like the strands of a rope." 1 



b. The manner in which the wind blew and veered at different places, cannot 

 otherwise be accounted for. 



At Plymouth, the storm began with the wind at east, and in about twenty 

 hours afterwards, it ended with the wind at west, having veered round by the south. 

 This can only be explained on the principle that currents of air were whirling 

 round a centre, in a direction contrary to the hands of a watch, as explained by 

 Mr REDFIELD. The current which blew most strongly was from the S. and SW. ; 

 because the current in that direction, in addition to its own motion, was aided by 

 the general progressive movement of the storm in the same direction. 



At Greenwich, which was evidently farther from the centre of the storm, and 

 to the eastward of it, the gale, as already stated, began with the wind at SSE., 

 and in about twelve or fourteen hours afterwards, ended with the wind at WSW. 

 This place was, therefore, in the east segment or limb of the stormy circle. 



At Sheffield, which was evidently in, or very near, the centre of the storm, 



1 Bristol Mirror Newspaper, of 15th July 1843. 



