56 J. Eliot — The South-West Monsoon Storms [No. 2, 



it/', weakness was more especially shown in Bengal by the early and 

 complete termination of the rains in the last week of September. 



The only theory which on the whole explains the phenomena of 

 cyclonic generation and motion, viz.^ the condensation theory, indicates 

 that small cyclonic storms should be of frequent occurrence during 

 the south-west monsoon, and that they should be most frequent when 

 the monsoon is weak on land, or in other words, when the rainfall 

 occurs to a smaller extent over the land and therefore usually to a 

 greater extent over the sea area in the neighbourhood of the land. The 

 rainfall in the Bay near the Burmah, Arracan, and Bengal coasts during 

 the south-west monsoon of 1883 was, according to the various accounts 

 received in the Meteorological Office, noticeably larger in amount than 

 usual. The large number of cyclonic storms which formed during the 

 period the south-west monsoon prevailed in Northern India in the year 

 1883 confirms this inference from theory. 



After the south-west monsoon current finally retreated from Nor- 

 thern India in the last week of September, it recurved as usual over 

 the Bay. The moisture brought up by it was, however, at once dis- 

 charged on the Madras coast districts. The condensation theory indi- 

 cates that there is a marked tendency during the transition period of 

 October and November to the commencement and continuance of heavy 

 rainfall over the centre of the Bay, and therefore to the generation of 

 severe cyclonic storms at that period. If, however, the aqueous vapour 

 or moisture is not discharged as rain over the Bay, but is carried west- 

 wards by the north-east monsoon winds and deposited on and near the 

 Madras coast, the conditions for the formation of a cyclonic storm 

 are not present in the Bay. In other words, if heavy general rain sets 

 in and continues over the Madras coast at the change of this monsoon, 

 the Bay will be free from severe and extensive storms. This rule was 

 strikingly illustrated by the weather of the Bay and the Madras coast 

 in October and November 1883. 



The paper will deal with the subject under the following heads : — 



1. History of the Storm of June 26th to July 4th. 



2. Discussion of the more important features of the Storm of 

 26th June to 4th July. 



3. History of the Storm of 10th to 15th November. 



4. Discussion of the more important featui-es and peculiarities of tho 

 Storm of 10th to 15th November. 



5. General remarks on the generation of cyclones. 



