1843.] Law of Storms in India. 343 



took shelter in the boats and under hencoops. At 10-30, the wind 

 sprung up suddenly from S. W., veered to South, and 11-30 to S. E., 

 and again blew with increased violence, accompanied with rain; the 

 Bar. rising slowly. At 1 p. m. the Bar. rose rapidly, the storm gradu- 

 ally abated with heavy rain, and at 6 p. m. settled down to an ordi- 

 nary gale, at which time the Bar. was 29.86. Throughout the 

 night, the wind gradually abated, and at sunrise brought fine weather, 

 with a steady breeze at S. E. which continued throughout the day. 

 The Bar. rising to 30.15. 



This short account will enable you to compare the time and direc- 

 tion of the storm as it occurred at Madras, and I hope to add to the 

 facts necessary to elucidate the theory of storms. It appears to me, that 

 from the sudden changes and extreme violence of the wind, I must 

 have been near its vortex at the time whence it gyrated towards your 

 coast, as it certainly did not extend any distance to the Eastward. 



1 have only further to add, that although I have twice encountered 

 hurricanes in the West Indies, I do not think they surpassed the late 

 storm in violence when at its height. 



1 sustained but little damage in my spars, but lost most of my 

 sails, also a seaman, and one of my boats, which last was blown com- 

 pletely over the poop from the davits. 



Wm. Lacy Whitby. 



Note. — Subsequent to closing my letter, I find on reference to my Journal, that 

 the Barometer fell to 27.45. at .8 a. m. October 23, which makes the fall of mercury 



2 inches and 65-hundreths, a change I have rarely experienced even in high latitudes, 

 in so short a period. This fact is further corroborated by the account of Surgeon Tait, 

 who at my request took note of the changes. 



The following letter I received when this Memoir was nearly ready 

 for the press, giving an account of the foundering of the Ship 

 Washington, Capt. Barnes, in consequence of injury sustained 

 in the Storm. I am indebted for it to Messrs. Glass and Co. of 

 Calcutta. 



(Copy.) 

 Messrs. Glass and Co. 



On board Sir Robert Peel. 

 Gentlemen, — I deeply regret to have to inform you, that the Wash- 

 ington foundered in the Bay of Bengal on the 25th October, in long. 



