Beck on Salt Storms, ^rc, 389 



were the effects of this singular storm, that they were felt in 

 the vicinity of London, at a distance of about seventy miles 

 from the ocean, and in all the intermediate country. In most 

 instances, the leaves of the plants, which suffered from it, 

 appeared as if they had been scorched, and in some places 

 even the tops of the branches mortified. A storm of the same 

 kind took place in England, in February, 1804 ; and the me- 

 moir states, that Sir Joseph Banks had noticed another some 

 years before in Lincolnshire.* 



A storm attended with similar effects occurred in this coun- 

 try in 1815, and vented its fury upon the eastern states. It 

 commenced on the 23d of September, between eight and nine 

 o'clock, A. M. with the wind from the east. In about two 

 hours the wind shifted to southeast, and blew a perfect hur- 

 ricane. The extended devastation which ensued, is still in 

 the recollection of every person. The tides rose from nine 

 to twelve feet higher than ordinary, and in many of the prin- 

 cipal cities and towns along the coast of New England, 

 churches, houses, bridges, wharves, and in some instances 

 valuable citizens, were buried in one common ruin. In less 

 than three hours the gale abated, and before sunset there was 

 a perfect calm. Such were the more striking features of this 

 tremendous gale — but other effects were observed more pecu- 

 liarly interesting to the philosopher. At New-London, Salem, 

 and other places, both on the coast, and several miles in the 

 interior, the air was found to be loaded with salt ; and the 

 leaves of many trees appeared, a few hours after the storm, 

 as if they had been scorched. Besides this effect upon 

 vegetables, there were additional evidences of the saline 

 quality of the wind. At Salem and some other places an 

 incrustation of salt was perceived on the windows, and the 

 fruit in several gardens had a perceptible taste of salt on 

 their surface. At New-London it was remarked that the air 

 in the eddies was extremely hot and suffocating. 



* I refer the scientific reader for further particulars to " An account of a storm 

 of Salt, which fell in January," 1803. By Richard Salisbury, F.R.S. L.S." in 

 the Transactions of the Linnsean Society of London. Vol. VIII. p. 207 — 10. 



