424 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



the poles. It is generally or more extensively warmer as we approach the Equa- 

 tor; notwithstanding this, even as far north as 45° there are points where at 

 times it is full as hot as on the Equator and even more disagreeably hot. Gener-^ 

 al, broad-spread temperature, though a powerful factor in our meteorological sys- 

 tem, causing vegetation to grow and the Earth to be fruitful, is not a power for 

 the distribution of heat and productiveness. If heat had no other peculiarity 

 than that indicated by the thermometer the Earth would not support such beings- 

 as we much beyond the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. But the meterological 

 facts of late years have thrown much light upon this department. It has shown 

 to us that what we term the area of " low-barometer," technically called "Low," 

 and caused by the concentration of the Sun's rays, has the power to and does 

 continually travel around the world, on general hues, from the west toward the 

 east. Many people ask, why this is so ? Enquiring minds always desire to know 

 the " cause," and it is well they should, but when they will not take the trouble 

 to enquire into the .other important causes, in this department, that lead up to 

 and explain this, it does not become them to simply demand the cause of only 

 this prominent phenomenon of meteorology. In all departments of nature we 

 are repeatedly lead up to 2. first cause, every department has its first cause, which 

 is established as a fact — a fact that we know as well as we know that the Earth is 

 suspended and moves in space. 



What should cause this condition " Low " to obey its peculiar laws? The 

 concentration of the Sun's rays. 



What should cause concentration of the Sun's rays, particularly at so great a 

 distance from the Equator, and why should it move as it does? It is easier to 

 ' explain why it moves, and in other papers (under the "theory of Low") this 

 perhaps has been as satisfactorily explained as it is possible to be. But why the 

 concentration ? Some day, with more facts, there may come anexplanation ; but 

 until then we must accept it as a "first cause." Now that it is so, like many 

 other laws in nature, we can see the beauty of the law establishing it and the 

 wisdom therein ; at present it does not seem that we could go further. 



The tracks of "Low" (low-barometer) are very eccentric — at times they 

 take directions toward all points of the compass, but as a whole on general lines 

 from the west toward the east or toward the rising Sun. Occasionally, twice 

 this year (1882,) " Low " has retrograded toward the west; this has been during 

 the night. The returning heat in the east the next day soon re-established the 

 current toward the orient. " Low" is the agent of the storm; no " Low" — no 

 storm. " Low " is the centre toward which the wind is drawn ; and on its power 

 of concentration depends the force of the winds. People, intelligent people, even 

 those claiming to be meteorologists and writing upon the subject, repeatedly ignore 

 the important factor "Low." An article of this kind recently appeared in one 

 of the leading journals of the country — an article on storms — with not a word abou 

 " Low. " Hurricanes were produced by the coming together of two currents j 

 wind, a warm and a cold current. Now these two currents cannot come tog^? 

 . er in any other place or at any other time than when " Low" is passing, or -' 



