54 National Geographic Magazine. 



of wind and change of conditions at about the time of lowest 

 barometer, are here illustrated most impressively. Such' changes 

 are, of course, to be expected and guarded against in every storm, 

 and sailors have long ago summed them up, to store away in 

 memory for practical use when occasion demands, in the well- 

 known lines, — 



"First rise after low 

 Indicates a stronger blow." 



One thing to which attention is particularly called is the fact 

 that storms of only ordinary severity are likely, upon reaching 

 the coast, to develop greatly increased energy. As has been 

 already pointed out, there can be no doubt but that this is espe- 

 cially so in a storm of this kind, where the isobars are elongated 

 in a north and south direction. The accompanying Barometer 

 Diagram, if studied in connection with the Track Chart and the 

 Weather Chart for March 11th, illustrates very clearly this 

 deepening of the depression at the storm center. The formation 

 and persistency off Block Island of a secondary storm center of 

 such energy as was developed in this case, however, it would 

 seem wholly impossible to have foretold, and a prediction to that 

 effect made under similar circumstances would probably prove 

 wron^ in at least nine cases out of ten. But it maj^ be safely 

 said that the establishment of telegraphic signal stations at out- 

 lying points off the coast is a matter of great importance, not 

 only to our extensive shipping interests, but to the people of all 

 our great seaboard cities as well. To the northward, telegraphic 

 reports from such stations would furnish data by which to watch 

 the movement of areas of high barometer, upon which that of 

 the succeeding " low " so largely depends; and to the southward,, 

 to give warning of the approach and progress of the terrific hur- 

 ricanes which, summer after summer, bring devastation and 

 destruction along our Gulf and Atlantic coasts, and of which 

 this great storm is an approximate example and a timely remin- 

 der. In this connection, also, there is another important result 

 to be gained : scientific research and practical inventive genius, 

 advancing hand in hand for the benefit of mankind, have dis- 

 covered not only the laws govei'ning the formation of the dense 

 banks of fog that have made the Grand Banks dreaded by 

 navigators but also the means by which certain facts may be 

 observed, telegraphed, charted, and studied a thousand miles 

 away, and the occurrence of fog predicted with almost iinfailing 



