But it was only during the early part of the day that this preference
for the longer wave was manifested. At 3 P.M. the case was completely
altered, for then the high-pitched siren was heard when all the other
sounds were inaudible. On many other days we had illustrations of the
varying comparative power of the siren and the gun. On the 9th of
October sometimes the one, sometimes the other, was predominant. On the
morning of the 13th the siren was clearly heard on Shakespeare’s Cliff,
while two guns with their puffs perfectly visible were unheard. On
October 16th, 2 miles from the signal-station, the gun at 11 o’clock
was inferior to the siren, but both were heard. At 12.30, the distance
being 6 miles, the gun was quite unheard, while the siren continued
faintly audible. Later on in the day the experiment was twice repeated.
The puff of the gun was in each case seen, but nothing was heard. In
the last experiment, when the gun was quenched, the siren sent forth a
sound so strong as to maintain itself through the paddle-noises. The
day was clearly hostile to the passage of the longer sonorous waves.
October 17th began with a preference for the shorter waves. At 11.30
A.M. the mastery of the siren over the gun was pronounced; at 12.30
the gun slightly surpassed the siren; at 1, 2, and 2.30 P.M. the gun
also asserted its mastery. This preference for the longer waves was
continued on October 18th. On October 20th the day began in favor
of the gun, then both became equal, and finally the siren gained
the mastery; but the day had become stormy, and a storm is always
unfavorable to the momentary gun-sound. The same remark applies to
the experiments of October 21st. At 11 A.M., distance 6-1/2 miles,
when the siren made itself heard through the noises of wind, sea,
and paddles, the gun was fired; but, though listened for with all
attention, no sound was heard. Half an hour later the result was the
same. On October 24th five observers saw the flash of the gun at a
distance of 5 miles, but heard nothing; all of them at this distance
heard the siren distinctly; a second experiment on the same day yielded
the same result. On the 27th also the siren was triumphant; and on
three distinct occasions on the 29th its mastery over the gun was very
decided.
Such experiments yield new conceptions as to the scattering of sound
in the atmosphere. No sound here employed is a simple sound; in every
case the fundamental note is accompanied by others, and the action
of the atmosphere on these different groups of waves has its optical
analogue in that scattering of the waves of the luminiferous ether
which produces the various shades and colors of the sky.
§ 9. _Concluding Remarks_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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