Produced by Carlos Traversi, Janet Blenkinship, and the Online Distributed Proofreaders Europe at http://dp.rastko.net THE HURRICANE GUIDE: BEING AN ATTEMPT TO CONNECT THE ROTATORY GALE OR REVOLVING STORM WITH ATMOSPHERIC WAVES. INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBSERVING THE PHAENOMENA OF THE WAVES AND STORMS; WITH PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR AVOIDING THE CENTRES OF THE LATTER. BY WILLIAM RADCLIFF BIRT. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. _PUBLISHER TO THE ADMIRALTY._ 1850. PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET. PREFACE. In introducing the following pages to the notice of the Public, it is the Author's wish to exhibit in as clear a light as our present researches on the subjects treated of will allow, the connexion between one of the most terrific phaenomena with which our globe is visited, and a phaenomenon which, although but little known, appears to be intimately connected with revolving storms. How far he has succeeded, either in this particular object or in endeavouring to render the essential phaenomena of storms familiar to the seaman, is left for the Public to determine. Should any advantage be found to result from the study of the Atmospheric Waves, as explained and recommended in this little work, or the seaman be induced by its perusal to attend more closely to the observations of those instruments that are calculated to warn him of his danger, an object will be attained strikingly illustrative of the Baconian aphorism, "Knowledge is Power." _Bethnal Green_, April 19, 1849. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAP. I.--PHAENOMENA OF REVOLVING STORMS 7 " II.--PHAENOMENA OF ATMOSPHERIC WAVES 13 " III.--OBSERVATIONS 18 SECT. I.--Instruments 19 " II.--Times of Observation 28 " III.--Localities for Additional Observations 31 " IV.--Storms, Hurricanes, and Typhoons 43 " V.--Seasons for Extra Observations 48 " IV.--PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR AVOIDING THE CENTRES OF STORMS 52 NOTICE. In the pocket accompanying this work are two rings of stiff cardboard, on which will be found all the information contained in figures 1 and 2. When they are laid flatly upon a chart, the continuity of the lines on the chart is not materially interfered with, while the idea of a body of air rotating in the direction indicated by the arrows is conspicuously presented to the mind. These rings are more particularly referred to on page 52. THE HURRICANE GUIDE. CHAPTER I. PHAENOMENA OF REVOLVING STORMS.