222 Pmiamci's Hurricane. — Natural System of Winds, S)^c. 



at 4 p. m. 29.45; — nt 8 p. m. 29.50,- — at midnight 29.30; reefed, &c. 

 and brought the ship to. During the night, heavy and increasing gale 

 from E. S. E. to E. At 4 a. m. harom. 29.00 ;—at 6 a. m. 28.90 ;—at 

 8 a. 7)1. 28.80; — at 10 a. m. 28.70; — at noon 28.60. — Tremendous gale 

 and dangerous sea. Lat. 20° 14' >S'., Lon. 76° 47' E. 



" Jan. 26. Blowing a tremendous hurricane. Lost the fore-topsail and 

 foresail and scud under the fore-topmast stay-sail, which split, and the ship 

 broached to, lying on her beam-ends in the trough of the sea. Night 

 came on gloomy and dark, the hurricane increasing. At \{i p. m. the 

 wind began to abate, hauling eastward, and finally to E. N. E. : ended 

 with pleasant weather. Barometer at 1 p. in. 28.55; — at 2 p. m. 28.50; — 

 at 4 p. m. 28.45, (lowest) ; — at 8 p. m. 28..50; — at 9 p. m. 28.60; — at 

 10 p. m. 28.70;— o« 11 p. m. 28.f!0; — at midnight 28.90 ;—a^ 1 a. m. 

 29.00 ;—at 2 a. m. 29.10;— o^ 3 a. m. 29.20 ;—at 4 a. m. 29.-30 ;—at 6 

 a. m. 29. 40;— ai 8 a. m. 29.50;— af 10 a. m. 29.55;— fl^ noon 29.60; 

 Lat. 21° 40' *S^., lon. 75"* 59' E." — Journal of Wm. Frederick Griswold, 

 Esq., Master of Ship Panama, from Canton, bound to New York. 



As no change of wind is specified at the commencement of this 

 storm, it would appear to have begun in the direction of the south- 

 east trade, the latter being a fair wind for the ship, which appears 

 to have been under the southern semi-circle of the storm ; and 

 the progress of the storm towards the southwest, nearly in the 

 course of the ship, doubtless protracted its duration. The direc- 

 tion and veering of the wind in this storm, is in perfect accord- 

 ance with the facts and inductions adduced by. Col. Reid, relating 

 to the Culloden's storm of March, 1809 ; the direction of rotation 

 being towai^ds the right, as in other storms in south latitude. This 

 hurricane of the Panama, is one of the storms on which my own 

 inductions for southern latitudes had been founded. 



Natural System of Winds a7id Storms. 

 It will be found difficult to reconcile with the received theory 

 of winds, the facts which have claimed our attention while pursu- 

 ing this inquiry. To me it appears, that the courses of the great 

 storms may be considered to indicate with entire certainty, the great 

 law of circulation in our atmosphere ; and that the long cherished 

 theory which is founded upon calorific rarefaction, must give 

 place to a more natural system of winds and storms ; founded, 

 mainly, upon the more simple conditions of the great law of grav- 

 itation. 



Storms of Europe. 



The courses and developments of the storms which pass over 

 the island of Great Britain, are believed to be more complex than 

 on the shores of the United States. It is not improbable, that the 



