282 A NEW VIEW OF THE WEATHER QUESTION. 



has much to do with this matter of climate. We know that there is evidence in 

 past ages of the world, of some northern localities, at least, being much warmer 

 than at present. We also know that eruptions have occurred, and that whole 

 tracts of country have been raised above the surface of the water. As the effect 

 of the sun's rays on the water is peculiar and different from their effect on the 

 land, may there not have been conditions that have made localities relatively 

 different from what they are now. This idea of Nature, as it were, gaining on 

 herself, even though slowly, may also give the color of reason to the idea that the 

 earth is gradually changing — that no one point is permanently relatively fixed 

 with any outside body — and may not the same idea extend to the whole universe? 

 It would not seem unnatural ; what may account for a small thing may also 

 account for a large one. All nature works on a similar plan and after the same 

 general laws. 



LIX. Low barometer centers in the ocean. The chances are that low is 

 distributed over the ocean in a similar manner as on the land. The fact that 

 vessels at sea have the wind from all quarters, meeting with storm centers and 

 calms, and have the wind to shift from one point to another, would evidently, 

 beyond doubt, go to prove that such is the case. This, however, would go to 

 disprove the poetical idea that the waves beating on any given point, say on the 

 rocky shores of New England when the wind in to the eastward, are all the way 

 from the shores of the Eastern continent. It is very improbable that they are 

 ever from such a distance. The chances are that there are a number of low 

 barometer centres between the two continents, and that the wind that raises the 

 seas that strike against the New England shores, starts not more than from two 

 hundred to five hundred miles away, and perhaps not always at as great a dis- 

 tance. The force of the ocean wave is not altogether in the distance that it has 

 to travel, though it does require quite a distance in which to raise a heavy sea; 

 the force of it, however, must depend upon the force of the wind, which in turn 

 depends upon the power of low. 



LX. Clouds. — In the Signal office at Washington there is a large case in 

 which the weather of the earth is illustrated in miniature. The clouds are formed 

 of cotton and are nicely and artistically executed; the different kinds are true to 

 nature, from the most delicate clouds that are first formed, to the heavy black 

 clouds that produce the heaviest rains. The whole case is a wonder of handi- 

 work, wherein the whole meteorology of the earth may, to the initiated at least, 

 be seen at a glance. It is not the purpose of this article to more than refer to 

 this; it would seem, though, that every college in the land, and every high- 

 school, should have such a model, as by it this subject of the weather can be 

 studied with great advantage. Certain conventional names have been given to 

 the different kinds of clouds. Of course there are all kinds, from the very light 

 to the very heavy, and these can be seen merging into one another without any 

 respect as to the name they bear. However, it is well to know them by the 

 established names, for thereby we not only have the pleasure of knowing them 



