1843.] Law of Storms in India. 397 



do on the southern half of a storm, as the vortex passed on ahead, and 

 to the Northward of her. Her position when compared with that of 

 the Seaton at 6 a. m. on the 1st, shews that the track of the storm was 

 now tending to the N. W., and we find accordingly by Dr. Mal- 

 colmson's account, that it was severely felt on the Arabian Coast, and 

 that there were some indications of a storm at Aden. We cannot, 

 however, upon such vague accounts, pretend to track it any farther. 

 I grieve to add that; to the disgrace of those who may deserve the 

 blame; neither the log of the Cleopatra or of the Semiramis, both 

 Government steamers, have been obtainable ; I have strong suspicions 

 that both ran headlong into the storm circles. Is the Government of 

 Bombay aware that a mistake of this kind might cost it a steamer, 

 or at least half of a lac of rupees of damages ? 



Conclusion. 



I mention with some satisfaction here, not only that this is the first 

 storm which we have tracked in what must soon be the great high- 

 way between England and India, the Arabian Sea, but also that we 

 again find confirmed the law which my previous researches have shewn 

 to hold good for the China Sea and Bay of Bengal, i. e. that the storms 

 always come from the Eastward, and travel to the Westward, and 

 it is gratifying to have now ascertained this, with some trifling inter- 

 vals over 60 degrees of longitude, or one-sixth of the circumference of 

 the globe. As public attention is gradually drawn to this important 

 subject, we may hope that, ere long we shall at least be able to trace 

 the storms of this great, and to us most important division of the Ocean, 

 with as much accuracy as those of other parts of the Eastern Seas. 



I must not omit also to point out an important practical lesson for 

 the navigator on the Coromandel Coast, which should not be omit- 

 ted, and it is this. Those who have studied this subject, and are 

 acquainted with the publications of Reid and Redfield relative to 

 the storms of the Western hemisphere, and with my own relative 

 to those of the Eastern hemisphere, are well aware of the abundant 

 evidence which exists (and there is much more yet unpublished,) 

 to prove the existence of "storm waves" and "storm currents." 



