On the prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 19 



create in the midst of tliese 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 elEFects 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. 



Wind is air in motion ; either progressively over the surface of 

 the earth, or relatively, as regards the surrounding portions of the 

 atmosphere. 



A CALM, is 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, is 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, is tt Wind or tempest of the most extraordinary vio- 

 lence. It has been stated as a distinguishing characteristic of hurri- 

 canes, that the wind Mows 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 ^rs^ 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 



