Blaslus.] _ ZOO [Feb. 18, 



cause of most of the tremendous destruction that occurred. The Signal Ser- 

 vice maps of this storm merely note an "area of high barometer" coming 

 from Manitoba on the 22d, to which they attach no significance, and which 

 they do not connect willi the Xova Scotia storm; but I feel convinced tliat 

 this verj' same "area of high barometer" really an advance of heavy air 

 from the North, was responsible for the loss of most of the thousand and 

 odd vessels that were destroyed on the coast. If the Signal Service had 

 only known its true character, they would have been able to give, at least a 

 day ahead, forewarnings of this most terrible storm which, as it was, took 

 them entirely unawares. 



In these "areas of high barometer" the cyclonists see an inexplicable 

 something which they call an " anti cyclone ;" in which they think the air 

 rotates in tiie opposite direction from that in a cyclone, and that it brings 

 dry and fair weather. The celebrated Le Verrier, acting on this theorj-, on 

 account of the advance of such an "area of high barometer" over England, 

 predicted fair weather just before those violent storms and terrible floods 

 which last Summer desolated so large a tract of country in France. Tlie 

 theory which I hold would have shown him in this "area of high barome- 

 ter" an advance of the polar current, almost certain in the Summer season 

 to produce violent rains. It was much the same case with the Nova Scotia 

 storm. 



As for the statement that I have discussed this storm as if it were " an 

 assemblage of tornadoes," (sic) I do not see any evidence of a tornado at 

 all. A tornado is only a local incident — although a terrible one — in the pas- 

 sage of a Southeast storm, caused principally by the configuration of the 

 ground, notwithstanding that tlie Signal Service describes one as "at least 

 thirty miles," and "probably 240 miles" in diameter. 



The Atlantic reviewer states that, "as a matter of fact, the Signal Ser- 

 vice notes all storms within the limits of the Atlantic coast and the Rocky 

 Mountains," and " its object is to obtain the laws of them as they exist." 

 In my book I have pointed out several instances where the advance of the 

 polar current, producing a Southeast storm of considerable magnitude is 

 treated by the Signal Service as a series of detaclied local storms, such as 

 tornadoes, hailstorms, cloud-bursts, etc., of which the}"^ know nothing until 

 they are over; cases of tiiis kind are abundant in tlie Signal Service reports. 

 If the object of the Signal Service is to esta!)lisli laws, why— I ask it in no 

 hostile spirit — has it as j'et given no laws to science? Or wh\' does it, as the 

 New York Ndtion lately says, " Keep as widely as possible aloof fh>m the 

 science of the country?" 



I have also protested against the practice of ol»serving only at fixed hours 

 of the day, contending that if an individual storm is to be known, it must 

 he observed continuously so long as it lasts. The Atlantic reviewer thinks 

 it is not necessary for the Signal Service to do this, becau.se " these (continu- 

 ous observations) are easily accessible in the quarterly reports of the mete- 

 orological ofilce of England !" Upon this method, if you wish to know 

 what aro the distinctive characteristics of an African elephant, all you have 



