1842.] Fifth Memoir on the Law of Storms. 7 



blowing furiously for an hour ; at this time the report from the Observa- 

 tory, stated ' we expect a perfect hurricane ; be prepared.' I was on 

 the beach all night, and at 1 1 the Barometer had risen considerably ; the 

 wind abated, and towards day-light we had a strong Southerly wind, 

 with fair weather. You will have observed by the Madras papers, how 

 materially the Barometers differed, but I think the best instrument we 

 have here, is that kept by Lieut. Ludlow, which the scrap of a news- 

 paper states, fell to 29*069. Several ships experienced quite a gale on 

 the 3d of May close to the Line. There has been much bad weather 

 all along the Coromandel Coast." 



Madras Gale ; from the Newspaper account. 



" On Saturday evening the sun set with every appearance of rain. 

 Accordingly, about seven p. m. the rain commenced, and continued, with 

 but little intermission till early yesterday morning. Between five and 

 eleven p. m. on Saturday, the wind, which had been gradually increas- 

 ing in violence throughout the day, blew a strong gale, first from the 

 North and then from the South, and for a few minutes, from all points 

 of the compass. At ten a. m. the Master Attendant signalized the 

 vessels in the roads to slip and make sail, which was seconded by guns 

 fired from the ramparts; in consequence of which, all the English vessels 

 in the roads immediately put to sea. Their Commanders and Chief 

 Officers were mostly on shore at the time, one of whom offered two hun- 

 dred rupees for a boat to convey him on board, but without effect, as the 

 sea was running too high for any boat to make the attempt. The Catharine 

 was the last that left the roads. Soon after the gale commenced on 

 Sunday evening, two Native Brigs and two Dhonies were driven on 

 shore. One of the former was completely shattered to pieces. A third 

 Dhoney foundered a short distance outside the surf, but the crew had 

 fortunately got into a boat, and were picked up by another Dhoney. The 

 greatest praise is due to the Master Attendant and his Assistant for the 

 judgment, activity, and zeal, displayed by them prior to and during the 

 gale, by which, in all probability, great loss of life was prevented. 



" We have not heard of any damage having been done on shore, be- 

 yond the blowing down of a tree here and there, and the loss of a few 

 tiles from off sundry old houses. 



