a oe ae 
Ee ee See 
See ee ee eee ee 
ee Eas ee eee ee OREO ee ol Te: 
Oe Ee IN ee Te 
re *ar ee Po CP as 
vm oe 
er eee 
On the prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 19 
create in the midst of these equable winds or elsewhere, by the aid 
of rarefaction, a fanciful vacuum into which the atmosphere, from a 
distance of many miles, and even many hundreds of miles, is to rush 
with all the fury of a storm, is to do violence to the established prin- 
ciples of natural science. ‘To ascribe such effects to such a cause, 
is no better warranted than to refer all storms to the direct influence 
of electricity and magnetism. 
As connected with these remarks, the following explanations are 
given of some of the principal terms used in application to this sub- 
ject. 
Winp 1s air in motion; either progressively over the surface of 
the earth, or relatively, as regards the surrounding portions of the 
atmosphere. 
A CALM, ts a cessation of motion in the air at the surface of the 
earth. It is obvious however that a given portion, or current of the 
atmosphere may be stationary as regards this surface, and yet may 
be rapidly moving through, or penetrating other portions of the at- 
mospheric fluid. A calm, therefore, affords no evidence of a state 
of quietude in the surrounding, or superincumbent portions of the 
atmosphere. 
A storm, ts a violent wind, passing over the earth’s surface. In 
popular language, a storm is supposed to mean a wind or tempest, 
accompanied by rain, or indications of rain. In the views to be sub- 
mitted, the term will be used in its most general sense, but chiefly as 
applying to those winds or atmospheric changes, which are attended 
by a condensation or deposition of vapor. 
A HURRICANE, ts a@ wind or tempest of the most ‘tire daiiaaty vio- 
Zence.. It has been stated as a distinguishing characteristic of hurri- 
canes, that the wind blows from different points of the compass, dur- 
ing the same storm. 
It is an obvious fact that most of the storms of the Atlantic coast 
of the United States, excepting thunder gusts, blow from an eastern 
quarter of the horizon. It has also, been often noticed, and the fact 
is recorded by Dr. Franklin, that north-east storms commence in the 
south-west and make progress from thence in a north-east direction, 
being experienced much sooner at Philadelphia than at Boston. An- 
other leading fact, noticed by every observer, is, that in north-east 
storms, a return of fair weather first appears to the leeward or west- 
ward ; or, in other words, that these storms first terminate as well as 
commence in the south-western quarter. Some attempts have been 
