1836] 



Notices of Books. 



163 



at about 29*5 ; but during the awful lull at 10 a. m. it was at 28780 

 inches, a most extraordinary and terrific depression, such as I never 

 before heard of at Madras : towards noon it had risen about half an 

 inch, and at sun-set was at 29*65 inches. 



" On the 9th of May 1820, another storm occurred at Madras ,* the 

 moon having been between the third quarter and new, but at her 

 nearest approach to the earth; it commenced in the evening of the 

 8th, in a gale from the N. W., increasing and blowing very strong be- 

 fore morning, accompanied by torrents of rain. Violent gusts conti- 

 nued all day of the 9th, when the wind began to shift round to W. and 

 S. W. blowing with greater violence, if possible, than before, and the 

 rain still falling in torrents. Before noon on the 10th, the violence of 

 the storm had subsided. This storm was of far longer duration than 

 either of those that preceded it, but like them, accompanied by tor- 

 rents of rain, and veering to different points of the compass. The 

 damage on shore was great and distressing ; very many lives were 

 stated to have been lost by this awful visitation, at and in the vicinity 

 of the presidency ; most of the ships put to sea early, but great de- 

 struction took place among the smaller vessels : only one ship was 

 lost : the tanks burst, and the rivers overflowed in all directions, to the 

 great destruction of property. This storm appears to have had a wider 

 range than the former. The barometer, which on the 8th in the fore- 

 noon was at 29.750 inches had fallen at sun-rise on the 9th, to 29.400 

 inches ; by noon, on the same day, to 29.135 inches ; and at 3 p. m. it 

 was at 28.816 inches ; and at 5, at 28.670 inches, lower even than dur- 

 ing the former storm. By sun-rise, on the 10th, it had risen to 29,633 

 inches ; and before noon, on that day, to the accustomed height of the 

 time of the year. Between the 8th at night, and the 10th at sun-rise, 

 about 16 inches of rain fell. 



" It may probably appear somewhat extraordinary to those who con- 

 sider the moon as having great influence in gales and storms, that at 

 the times above noticed she was always (with one exception only) in a 

 part of her orbit, when I believe she is considered by those just alluded 

 to, as having the least influence. In one gale only was the moon at full, 

 having also been mostly at the greatest distance from the earth. 



" In four of the above instances the moon, upon a mean, passed the 

 meridian at 30 degrees south of the zenith of Madras ; in three instan- 

 ces she passed at six degrees south, and the remaining two within about 

 a degree to the northward ; and if one were inclined to draw any con- 

 clusion from the circumstances under which these gales and storms oc- 

 curred, it might be, to ascribe to the moon a protecting power against 

 such visitations, instead of aiding to produce them ; having been gene- 

 rally far removed from the earth at the time, and not in that part of 

 her course where, acting in combination with the sun, she might be 

 supposed to have the greatest influence " 



