Remarks on the hurricane experienced by the ship Feliza, August, 1837. It appears, after due consideration, that the N. by W. wind (P.M. of the 17th) was one of the variable veins of air set in motion by the advance of the formidable meteor; the heavy swell from the S.E. being an indication of its approach from that quarter; and that the first true wind of the circular storm was from the east, mid-day of the 18th; the succeeding changes occurring, gradually, but not at equal intervals of time, round, apparently, from left to right, to the S.E. south, S.W. and W.S.W., ending at midnight of the 20th. This tremendous storm having continued for the very long period of sixty hours! The ship, therefore, had fallen under the north verge of the hurricane, and passed through the first and second quadrants of the circle, crossing the entire diameter, which, allowing only the low rate of 13 miles an hour for the velocity of the progression, may be taken at 780 miles, and the circumference at 2,451 miles; so that, by the lowest calculation, this gigantic bubble must have spread over a space equal to the distance in a north and south direction, from the little Bahama, to the Chesapeake, and from east to west, from the 70th degree to the 84th! Two weeks before another of these mighty whirlwinds had swept over the ocean in this locality, a memorial of which was probably the wreck of a ship's mast, spoken of in the journal. The crisis took place when the wind was at south or S. by W. If the ship had retained her spars entire until the period when this occurred, she would probably have lost them then: her losing them so early appears to have been occasioned by her extreme motion. * We are next to consider the line of progression of this storm, which is extremely interesting on account of its occurrence near the parallel, where, according to the Redfield theory, it should curve to the northward: from the changes of wind which took place, the discoverer of the rotary process, is borne out in his statement. It appears that, at the very time the ship entered the hurricane, the meteor was inclining from its north-western progression to a northerly course, the curve continuing until the ship felt the wind from the E.S.E.; after which the meteor pursued a steady course to the north, the changes of wind being gradual round from east to W.S.W. To clear up any doubt that might be entertained about the altera * Why do not the merchants supply the commanders of ships with good instruments? Such would evidently be to their own advantage. A marine barometer would have given notice of the approach of this hurricane, which would have allowed time for getting down the top-gallant masts and yards, and even for striking top-masts; (we have seen this done in a very heavy gale with excellent effect,) which as a matter of precaution is worth attending to, as likely to save the lower masts. ENLARGED SERIES-NO. 7.-VOL. FOR 1838. 3 M tion of the line of progression having taken place, and of the N. by W. wind not being one of the circular storm, we may be permitted to add a few more remarks, for it is only by reasoning upon facts that we can hope to arrive at the truth. That the meteor was actually curving from the northwestern to the north line of progression we may infer from these reasons: had the progression been uniformly to the N.W., the last shift of wind felt would have been from the S. by W., if there were not any dilation of the circle at the time if there were, and it was not excessive, then the point of exit would have been one or two points more westerly, and the duration of the storm in both cases less than actually experienced in the present instance; the intervals of change between the shifts of wind in the first case, without material difference; in the second, the intervals would be lengthened with the increase of the circle. It is quite possible, indeed, where the circle continues to dilate to an extreme extent, that a ship, whilst the meteor progresses to the N.W., after she has entered with the first wind at the east, shall have her exit with it at W.S.W. instead of S. by W.: in the instance we have under consideration, the only circumstance which would favour this view, is the very long continuance of the storm; there are no means, however, of knowing, or even for conjecture, whether the circle was still enlarging, or had ceased to do so, the occurrence of the storm near the parallel of change supports our opinion of the change; and as these extraordinary phenomena have hitherto been found following a singularly uniform line of path, it justifies that opinion; and there can be no reason why the ship may not have fallen into the storm at the moment of its change. On the other hand, if the progressive course had been throughout to the north, the east wind would have continued for a long time— about 30 hours-without material change, and the ship would have passed through the vortex, (if she escaped foundering there,) and at that critical moment have experienced sudden shifts, with the most violent strength of the wind; after which it would have steadied at west for about 30 hours longer, or until the vessel was finally ejected. The reader will be pleased to observe, that with the north progression, there would be no material alteration in the point of exit, let the dilation be as great as it may, because the vessel would be on the line of progression; whereas, with the meteor following a N.W. course, the vessel's apparent movement towards the posterior verge, would be on a parallel with the line of progression, so that the northerly inclination of the path, combined with the increasing enlargement of the circle, would have the effect of altering the point of exit, by a certain amount, to the right in such a case as we are considering. The facts being before the reader, he may refer to the "circle," and reason out the matter for himself; and we may express a hope that every commander will construct one for his own use, which he may do in an hour, with thick drawing paper; he will find it assist his study of the subject greatly. Again, if the meteor had been curving to the right, or eastward by north, the ship would have been gradually drawn into the fourth quadrant, and afterwards into the third, and have experienced the changes of wind of those sections, and with this remarkable difference from what actually occurred-the shifts would have been apparently as well as truly from right to left. And, further, if from the great extent of the meteor, the effect proved so slow as not to have influenced materially the apparent movement of the vessel until she had entered the second quadrant, or after the wind had got to the south, she would then have passed into the third quadrant, and have experienced the changes in that segment; that is, from the northward and westward. None of these circumstances having occurred, we may correctly infer that whilst the ship continued within the circle of operation, the alteration of the progressive line did not reach beyond the north point. The effect of such alteration would be proportioned to the extent of the meteor; that is to say, where the diameter is inconsiderable the changes of wind would follow in quicker succession, but when the circle has a very extended circumference, the intervals in time between the changes would, consequently be retarded. This consideration it is necessary to bear in mind whilst dealing with the subject. If the N. by W. wind had been actually the first of the rotary storm, the progressive course of the hurricane, in the first place, must have been to the W.S.W., (a point not hitherto assigned to any of the western meteors,) the wind veering to the north, N.E. and E.S.E., when the course must have been suddenly altered to the north. We see nothing of these changes in the journal, but the next change from N. by W. is east; and it may be presumed, although not so mentioned, that the shift was sudden. I cannot say decidedly that this W.S.W. progression could not have occurred, because we are not sure that we are acquainted with all the eccentric movements of these meteors; nevertheless, from the indefatigable inquiry of Mr. Redfield, aided by his clear and comprehensive mind, such a course has never been traced. We may reasonably infer too, that as this N. by W. wind continued near 24 hours without change, (according to the column of winds in the journal,) there was no rotation then in the aërial current. This, it is true, might have happened if the progression had been to the W. by S.; but in that case, the ship would have passed through the vortex, or so close to it, as to have had all the masts blown out of her, and she would have experienced the wind in rapid changes at the height of its fury; after which the progression must have shifted suddenly to the north: such do not accord with the facts stated. It appears by the journal, that the ship from noon of 17th to noon of the 21st, had made 71 miles northing; her drift, taking the average of 3 knots an hour, whilst laying-to about 56 hours, was 169 miles in the curve she described from left to right, or from S. round by the west, to north; and her northing whilst scudding from 4h. 30m. P.M. of 20th, to noon of the 21st, was 32 miles; and making due allowance for the southing from noon of the 17th, to 8 A.M. of the 18th, the amount of northerly drift was 40 miles. From this calculation it seems that the vessel was out of the influence of the Florida stream. Her longitude is not given. I have noticed the above circumstance here, to show that the movement which a ship makes whilst she lays-to in a circular tempest is, comparatively, of little account, when the vast extent of the circle is considered. Indeed, she may, in sea language, be said to "go round upon her heel; " and therefore whilst using the "hurricane circle" to discover the changes likely to take place after the first shift, she may be considered as a stationary object. One thing perhaps may require to be explained, that the tiro may understand clearly what is meant. In the present case I have said that the ship passed through the entire diameter of the circle: this is not strictly true as the words imply; for she herself, aided by the tremendous power of the wind could not perform such a feat as drifting 780 miles in 50 or 60 hours. The progression of the storm by bringing up to the vessel's position the successive changes, gives the appearance of her having passed through the circle from N. to S. STORMY JACK. NOTE. In this storm the ship, on the larboard tack, could not be kept to; and no doubt her extreme uneasy motion, and the quantity of water she shipped, as noticed in the journal, may be partly attributed to the vessel falling broad off into the trough of the seas. In a hurricane I once experienced, the wind kept on the larboard quarter; all our endeavours were fruitless to keep the bows to. It would be advisable, therefore, on a ship's entering one of these storms, when the wind is from E.N.E. by the north, to the south east, during the N.W. progression, to bring her to on the starboard tack, as then she will come up gradually as the changes take place. The journal has no notice of rain having fallen, or of lightning having been seen: it is probable, however, that both were present. QUESTIONS, for the consideration of those who encounter INDEPENDENT of a detailed narrative of facts occurring during a storm, which all commanders may not feel disposed to enter into, or when committed to paper to publish, the following points of inquiry may be received as standard queries, to be answered by any who may fall into a circular storm in the West Indies, North Atlantic, off the Mauritius, gulf of Bengal, and China sea. 1. Date of hurricane, tyfoong. 2. Latitude and longitude at the time of entry. 3. How was the wind before the storm commenced. 4. First shift of wind at the commencement. 5. Successive points the wind veered during the storm: noting when the changes were gradual and when sudden; and the intervals of time between each shift as near as possible. 6. Name the last shift of wind at the conclusion. 7. Name the wind which succeeded the termination of the storm. 8. The hour when the storm commenced, by civil time. 9. Hour when the storm ceased. 10. Hour when the lowest depression of the barometer or sympicsometer was observed. 11. Hour the barometer began to rise. 12. What effect, if any, on the thermometer. 13. The condition of the weather two or three days preceding the storm, and whilst it continued-clouds-thunder-lightningrain-obscurity, &c. 14. The time of the fall of the masts: point from which the wind blew at the time. 15. The crisis, or greatest height of the wind; at what time; point the wind blew from. 16. If lying to, on which tack? time brought to. If scudding, on what course? time of bearing up. 17. Latitude and longitude at the end of the storm. The answers, if correctly given, will be sufficient to enable any person who has considered the subject to define the action of the storm, and to determine whether the individual tempest treated of, agrees in all its features with the theory; for it is only from repeated confirmations by practical observers that it will be received with entire confidence by the mass of seamen; so that it behoves them to set their own 66 shoulder to the wheel," in order to satisfy themselves of its correctness. STORMY JACK. [We shall be thankful to any of our readers for answers to the foregoing, on any occasion of their meeting with hurricanes.—ED. N. M.] LIFE-RAFTS IN CASE OF WRECK. London, April 4th, 1838. MR. EDITOR,-A short time since as I was perusing a volume of the transactions of the society for the encouragement of arts and manufactures, I saw the following ingenious plan for constructing a liferaft, of such materials as every ship must of necessity carry to sea for other purposes:-namely, Four water casks or butts, four pair |