1841).] Seventeenth Memoir on the Law of Storms. 25 



The Anonyma on the 23th and 29th was running up to the N. E. b. N. and 

 N. N. E. | E. from 14° 40' N. 113° 15' E. to 18° 4' N. 114° 57' E., with a 

 strong S. W. monsoon and gale, which latterly veered to the S. E. and S. S. E. 

 with a heavy confused sea. I have marked part of her track, also showing that 

 she ran up just across the track, and behind the storm which was tearing the 

 Pluto to pieces. 



The track of this Tyfoon appears to have been about from the S. 30° E. to 

 the N. 30° W. 



It is only necessary, Sir, to refer to the sketch chart annexed, to see in a mo- 

 ment, that, allowing the Commander of the Pluto to have acted from the praise- 

 worthy motive of pushing on at all risks to join the Borneo force at the earliest 

 moment, he took exactly the only wrong method to do so ! Assuming that at mid- 

 night 28th, or 2 a. m. on the 29th, when he could not have doubted that he was 

 plunging into a Tyfoon, he had steamed away to the N. E. or within a point or 

 two either way of it as might have been easiest for his vessel and engines, till his 

 barometer rose again to 29.80 or 85, which is a safe altitude (and the Barometer 

 will mark the distance made from the centre of the Tyfoons almost with the 

 accuracy of a clock) and then have hauled gradually to the East, S. E., South 

 and S. S. W., till on his direct course, he would have made about the dotted line 

 on the chart, and not even have crossed the track of the centre for a long time, 

 escaping thus the inconvenience of the heavy sea always found there. 



I am enabled to set this error in the strong light of contrast, by adverting to a 

 report which, under a general order from the Lords of H. M. Admiralty, has 

 been sent to me by Commander Nevili of II. M. S. Serpent. 



This vessel, with 2 J millions of Dollars on board, being the last instalment of 

 the China treaty money, encountered off the Mauritius in February last all the 

 signs of wind, weather and Barometer indicating her approach to a hurricane. 

 She hove to for six hours and allowed it to pass her, and then, as I have indicated,* 

 when she bore up, crossed the sea left by the path of the centre, which was so 

 heavy that every precaution was necessary to prevent her rolling away her masts ; 

 but she lost nothing but the six hours run. 



The difference between these two vessels is evidently, and in a word, that of 

 management and mismanagement. Both were on important services (and the 

 steamer had moreover the advantage of going in the direction she pleased) but 

 the one accomplished her's in safety by due attention to the law of storms, and 

 the other is crippled by setting it at defiance. I repeat that this may have been 

 done from the most praiseworthy motives, but it has been altogether done the 

 wrong way, and if, without being especially called upon, I step forward to expose 

 the error, it is because I consider every Englishman and every sailor bound to 

 point out errors of judgment which, however remotely, may in some cases seri- 

 * Horn Book of Storms, p. 9. 



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