27 



NOTES ON THE EEMARKABLE STOEMS WHICH 

 OGCTJEEED ON THE COASTS OF TASMANIA AND 

 THE NEIGHBOEING CONTINENT IN MAECH, 



1866. 



By F. Abbott, F.E.A.S., F.E.M.S. 



Ill the year 1838, Professor Loomes undertook the investi- 

 gation of a violent storm which swept over the United States 

 of America about the 20th of December, 1836. This storm 

 extended from the Grulf of Mexico to an unknown distance on 

 the north. Professor Loomes shows that along a meridian 

 line of at least 1,200 miles there was on the west side a 

 very violent current, setting from a point 30° N. of W. ; 

 and on the east side, in close proximity, a current setting 

 from a point 10° E. of S. These two currents blew with 

 great violence for at least 48 hours, in a direction inclined to 

 each other 130°. 



It will appear clear upon the face of the present records, as 

 well as from other authority, previously referred to, that 

 the general conduct of the various currents of atmospheric air 

 in the Southern Ocean is more complex, and their normal 

 character more difficult to determine than in the case of the 

 storm referred to by Professor Loomes. 



From the 2nd to the 10th March, 1866, a series of bad 

 weather is recorded in the logs of H.M.S. Falcon and 

 Cura9oa, — the former sailing from Sydney, and the latter from 

 Auckland, New Zealand, to Hobart Town, — reports of the 

 same bad weather were received also from other vessels, and 

 from some of the coast stations. 



It would be out of place here to particularize a number of 

 casualties which occurred during the storm, this having been 

 done at the time by the public press, the present object being- 

 more to trace out and ascertain the different directions and 

 force of the wind, which prevailed, within a certain, area 

 during the stormy weather. 



H.M. steam sloop Falcon, Commander G. H. Parkin, left 

 Sydney for Hobart Town on the 2nd of March, with fine 

 breezes from the north, which continued until the 4th, when 

 about 3 a.m. it came on to blo^ very hard from S.W. The 

 gale continued until midnight on the 5th, with a very heavy 

 breaking sea. The vessel during the gale shipped three or 

 four seas. At noon on the 7th the wind went to the north, 



