1854.] A Twenty-second Memoir on the Law of Storms. 15 



I have called this terrific burst of wind a Tornado, more because 

 of its force and limited extent than from any evidence of its being 

 a turning gale at all, like the preceding one, but from its having 

 upset one ship and placed others in imminent danger, it evidently- 

 approximated closely to the African Tornados and the Pamperos 

 of the Eio de la Plata, and is thus part of the meteorological history 

 of our dangerous Sand Heads. We have no reports from any ves- 

 sel intermediately placed between the Beef Buoy and the Upper 

 Floating Light (a distance of fourteen miles) where no gale was 

 experienced, it is therefore quite possible that there may have been 

 Easterly and N. Easterly gales, at all events during the first burst 

 of the Tornado in this distance. The fall of the Barometer, as shewn 

 by Mr. Bansom's careful table, and the dismal appearance described, 

 were, however, ample warning to make all preparations for bad wea- 

 ther, especially in a position so fraught with danger. 



III. 

 Chittagong Cyclone of Mat 1849. 



In the month of May 1849, the station of Chittagong was visited 

 by a very severe Cyclone, though of small extent, which not only 

 committed great ravages there and on the trading craft in the river, 

 but seems also, and this gives it to us a very high degree of interest, 

 to have passed very slowly over the station, and to have occasioned a 

 very remarkable depression of the Barometer. 



I watched this Cyclone with much interest, for its bank of clouds 

 was clearly visible from the terrace of my house in Calcutta for at 

 least two days, and I spared no pains to obtain all the details I 

 could possibly collect by forwarding series of questions to official 

 persons and residents. I have been greatly obliged by the kind 

 attention of those gentlemen who have returned replies to them, 

 I first print the official report of the Master Attendant Capt. Elson 

 who is also Assistant Collector of Customs, abridged in such parts 

 as are unessential to our researches, I have also put in Italics some 

 passages which are very remarkable. 



To B. Torrens, JSsq., Commissioner lQth Division, Chittagong. 



Sir, — I have the honor to report for your information the circum- 

 stances connected with the late hurricane which occurred on the night 

 of Saturday and Sunday morning last the 12th and 13th May, (1849.) 



