•106 Royal Institution. 



or rather utilized by them, as they steered to the westward nearly 

 before its easterly wind for some hours, and so passed out clear into 

 the Atlantic. 



Full warning was given along our eastern coasts of that storm in 

 which the Prussian corvette 'Amazon ' was totally lost ; and so struck 

 were the Prussian authorities by the facts of that period, taken in 

 connexion with other known cases, that an official application was 

 soon afterwards made to the Board of Trade for information, with 

 the view of enabling a similar system to be organized in the Baltic, 

 communicating if possible with England. 



On the 12th of November, 1861, a warning was sent to Yarmouth 

 in the afternoon. Being nearly dusk, and having then no night 

 signals, nothing was done till next day, after all the fishing-boats 

 had gone far out to sea, having started very early in the morning. 

 That afternoon there was a storm ; and to save their own lives, the 

 fishermen were obliged to cut from and abandon some 40,000/. worth 

 of nets and gear. Night signals might have saved that loss, and 

 the imminent risk of many lives. Such means are ready now. 



On Friday, the 7th of March, the warning-drum was hoisted all 

 day at Plymouth. Saturday was so fine in appearance that the cau- 

 tion was not appreciated, and mackerel-boats went to a distance, as 

 usual. That afternoon another signal was made — South cone under 

 drum — to show that a heavy southerly gale was coming soon. It was 

 a beautiful afternoon. No one anticipated the sequel, except those 

 who, spider-like, could "feel along the lines." Before midnight there 

 was a storm, which lasted much of the next day. One of the boats 

 was lost with eight men. "A more dangerous gale had not been 

 known," was written by an officer of experience and good judgment, 

 in his letter to a friend. 



Perhaps sufficient thought has not always been given to the con- 

 sideration of mere pecuniary loss by wear and tear, risk, accident, 

 delay, and demurrage caused by a gale at sea balanced, against 

 the results of waiting for a tide or two, perhaps once in two months, 

 when cautioned by a storm-signal. 



But, be this as it may with coasters, short traders, or even screw- 

 colliers, the question is entirely different with ordinary over-sea or 

 foreign-going ships, especially when starting from a southern or from 

 a western port. To such vessels a gale in the Channel, or even 

 during the first day or two after clearing the land, must always be 

 very prejudicial. Officers and men are mutually strange. Things 

 are not in their places, often not secured, and the ship perhaps is 

 untried at sea. Of course, however, these remarks are inapplicable 

 to fine first-class ships, and to powerful well-managed steamers, 

 independent of wind and weather, which start at fixed hours. 



In conclusion, it appears that if due attention be paid on the coasts 

 to cautionary signals, and at the central office to the telegraphed 

 reports, no very dangerous storm need be anticipated without more 

 or less notice of its approach being generally communicated around 

 the British Islands, or to those coasts which are likely to be most 

 affected by its greatest strength. 



