1884.] 



of the Bay of Bengal in 1883. 



177 



mon to the whole of India, as well as to the distant storm, and hence, if 

 used as a guide to the weather, it should be remembered that its indica- 

 tion may refer mainly to these general movements, and not to the whirl 

 in the neighbourhood. Hence it cannot be used as a reliable guide to 

 the existence of small storms in the Bay of Bengal. 



A few examples from the present cyclone will not only indicate 

 that the barometer gives no certain and marked warning of the approach 

 of a smaller cyclone in the Bay, but suggest that the mariner in the Bay 

 of Bengal should rely mainly on the appearance of the sky, the strength 

 and changes of the wind, the amount of the swell, and the direction from 

 which it travels, as indications of an approaching storm. 



The Mount Stuart passed through the western quadrant. The fol- 

 lowing table gives her barometric readings, her position with respect 

 to the storm centre, strength of wind, and amount of swell : — 











Distance 







Barometer. 



Wind. 



Swell. 



of storm 

 centre. 



Weather. 



7th 



29-90 



2 to 3 



None 





Unsettled. 



8th 



•92 



1 to4 



None 



... 



Unsettled. 



9th 



•87 



0to3 



None 



... 



Unsettled. 



10th ... 



•86 



0to4 



None 



... 



Unsettled. 



11th ... 



•82 



2 to 5 



None 



250 



Weather looking 

 very bad. 



12th ... 



•75 



5 to 6 



... 



100 



Squally. 



13th ... 



•87 



5 to 6 



Heavy sea. 



125 



Squally. 



14th ... 



•89 



5 to 1 



Heavy. 



280 



Fine. 



The preceding table shows that, although she was within 100 miles 

 of the centre of a storm between the 10th and 14th, the range of the 

 barometer at noon during the whole interval was only •14", or very little 

 more than the diurnal range of the barometer in the Bay. 



The Bancoora may be taken for another example : — 





Barometer. 



Dist- 

 ance. 



Wind. 



Swell. 



Weather. 



11th ... 



29-887 



550 



2 to 4 



None. 



Fine. 



12th ... 



•805 



250 



4 to 5 



Heavy N. E. sea. 



Squally. 



13Lh ... 



•770 



70 



3 to 7 



Tremendous sea in 

 the morning. Heavy 

 sea during the after- 

 noon. 



Very squally 



14th ... 



•8.39 



280 



2 to 3 



Heavy sea. 



Improving. 



