40 On the prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 
This storm pursued, in the early part of its progress, a more north- 
wardly rout, than is usual for those storms that reach the coast, and its 
rate of progress cannot have greatly exceeded ten miles per hour. 
It may be remembered, ‘that Doctor Franklin has assigned one 
hundred miles per hour as the average rate of the advance made by 
north-east storms, towards the north-east. As the termination of 
these storms also follows on from the south-west to, north-east, in 
the same ratio with their commencement, the direct effect of this 
rate of progress would, of itself, be equal to a violent hurricane 
from south-west. The facts which we have exhibited show a very 
different result, and the discrepancy can be accounted for, only by 
supposing that in the state of the country at that early period (1740) 
reports of meteorological facts were too unfrequently and loosely 
made, to furnish the necessary data for a correct estimate on this sub- 
ject. The mistake might easily be fallen into in a case like that 
which we have last mentioned, where a storm of very great extent 
has fallen obliquely upon the coast ; as even a correct report of the 
* The annexed extract from the New York Gazette, comprises some additional 
facts, and will assist us in forming some just a of the scenes which are of- 
ten occasioned by the severe storms of the Atlanti 
Extracts from the log-book of the ship of war Kensington, W. W. Ramsay, Esq. 
: commander. 
Monday, August 23d, Cape Henlopen bearing west-south-west at 7, P. M.; 
discharged the pilot, and steered off east-south-east—Tuesday, August 24th, com- 
mences with light and variable weather; from 4 to 6, P. M. light airs from the 
southward; from 6 to 8, nearly oat hs midnight to 4 A. M. moderate and 
clear—aiagreeabl head sea; from 4 A. M. wind fresh from east-north-east ; 
m 8 to meridian freshening, took one seal in the fore and main, and two in the 
mizen-top-all —Wednesday, August 25th, wind high from the north-east—took two 
and east; weather cloudy ; sent down royal yards: from 6 to 8, wind increasing ; 
at 7, 40, close reefed the top-sails, reefed the courses, and furled the main-sail ; from 8 
to midnight, very squally, with rain; at midnight under close-reefed topsails, reefed 
site and fore-stay-sail ; the second gig washed from the larboard davits; from 4 to 
wind not so strong, and hauling to the east.—Thursday, August 26th, fresh 
siti eben north and east, with heavy head sea: attached an eight-inch hawser to 
the end of the bowsprit; brought both parts into the hawse holes, and set them well 
up; got a pull of the bobstays and bowsprit shrouds; from 4 to 6 P. M., gale in- 
creasing; in sending down topgallant yards lost fore-topgallant-mast and yard ; furled 
the fore-sail, fore and mizen-top-sails; got preventer tackles from the fore-mast to the 
bowsprit ; at 6, Andrew McCormick was washed from the jib-boom and drowned ; 
from 6 to 8, P.M. gale very rea the sea a to an alarming i from 
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