386 Eighth Memoir on the [No. 137* 



Summary. 



It is evident enough, that this storm was one coming in upon the 

 Coromandel coast from the Eastward and it will be observed by 

 our charts, that we have secured, through Captain Biden's zealous 

 assistance, a chain of vessels, (which almost appear as if stationed 

 there ) from the Andamans to Madras ; every one of which experienced 

 the commencement of the storm before it terminated with the vessel 

 to the Eastward of her ; and every one of which had the winds and 

 shifts of wind exactly as they should have them upon the supposition 

 of a great whirlwind, rotating from left to right, or by S. E., N. W.* 

 and moving at the same time forward, and these winds, and shifts of 

 wind, and successive storms can be explained by no other theory ! If 

 the Law of Storms for the Northern hemisphere was yet to be demon- 

 strated, it could scarcely be so more completely than it has here been : 

 I begin of course with the vessel farthest to the Eastward. 



This is the Waterloo, which on the 20th October at noon was passing 

 the Southern extremity of the Andamans with fine weather, and from 

 thence steering to th e N. W., with fresh N. N. E. breezes. On the 

 22nd October, we find her at noon in lat. 13° 27' N. and long. 

 90° 03' E., being then three degrees to the Westward of the Andamans, 

 and ten degrees to the East of Madras, with heavy gales from the 

 N. E. which had increased from the midnight preceding ; and by mid- 

 night of 22nd to 23rd, when she had made about a degree to the North- 

 ward and Westward ; and when the storm, if it then existed as a cir- 

 cular one, had also travelled to the Westward: the wind was at Eastward 

 moderating. We have no Barometer marked, but this change is that 

 which a rotatory storm would give, and which a mere monsoon gale 

 would scarcely do. I take it therefore, that at noon on the 22nd, the 

 centre of this storm was about 120 miles to the S. E. of the Waterloo's 

 position. I have carried the line marking the track from the direction 

 of the Andamans, and if we take the increasing breeze of the 21st to 

 have been part of the storm, the centre will for that day fall to the 

 Eastward of these Islands ; but we have too little authority I think, 

 to assign it any place for the 21st. 



* This is Professor Dove's description of the rotation, and as it is better than ours 

 1 use it here ) and shall use it in future. 



