A Fifth Memoir with reference to the Theory of the Law of Storms in 

 India, being researches about the Madras Storm of May 16th, 1841, 

 and an account of a Whirlwind experienced by the French Ship " Pa- 

 quebot des Mers du Sud," Capt. P. Saliz, off the Cape. By Henry 

 Piddington, Esq. 



On the 16th May 1841, a storm was experienced at Madras, severe 

 enough to cause all the ships to put to sea, and one or two vessels were 

 lost along the coast, with several native craft. I am indebted to the 

 very zealous exertions of Capt. Biden, Master Attendant of Madras, for 

 almost all the logs from which I have been able to trace it ; and it 

 proves, like those I have hitherto investigated, to have been a true cir- 

 cular storm coming from the E. S. E. the centre passing over Madras, 

 or a little to the northward. My own collection indeed amounts but to 

 one of the logs, that of the Petite Suzanne, French ship, which however 

 enables us to estimate the centre for the 15th.* 



As before, 1 give first the documents in the order in which I have 

 used them, and then a statement of the various authorities for the cen- 

 tres marked for the track of the storm at noon each day. 



Capt. Biden s Letter says, 



Madras, June 2nd, 1811. 

 " You will have heard of our gale on the 16th ; it was partial, and did 

 not blow very hard here ; it seems that the vessels which slipped from 

 the roads experienced more severe weather outside. All the 15th, the 

 weather looked suspicious, cloudy, gloomy, and the atmosphere very 

 close. On that evening I despatched a circular through the fleet, advising 

 a good look-out, and due preparation in cases of emergency. The Baro- 

 meter continued nearly stationary until noon on Sunday ; when the surf 

 rose, the breeze increased, and the Barometer fell. I made signals first to 

 prepare, and in an hour afterwards to cut or slip. It blew fresh 

 fromN. N. E. at this time, 1 p. m. and at 4 p.m., there was much thun- 

 der and lightning with rain ; at 7 the gale increased ; and about 8, amid 

 torrents of rain, and with a short lull, the gale flew round to the S. S. W. 



* I am also indebted to Government for the report from Captain Campbell, Assistant 

 Surveyor General, which enables us to trace the storm in land to Royacottah and 

 Bangalore. 



