The Sailor's Horn-Book for the Law of Storms; Being a Practical Exposition of the Theory of the Law of Storms and Its Uses to Mariners of All Classes,

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1876. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... of a screw steamer, was passed, so that some vessels and lives were lost, and it will be observed that this phenomenon is stated to have occurred in October, one of the hurricane months of the West Indies. If I advert to these speculations, it is with the hope of drawing the attention of intelligent mariners to them. PART II. 1. What is Meant By The Tracks Of Cyclones.--2. Average Tracks In Various Parts Of The World.--3. Bates Op Travelling On Different Tracks. 4. Stationary Cyclones Or Such As Are Nearly So.--5. Slzes Of Cyclones.--6. Contemporaneous, Parallel, And Dividing Cyclones. 40. In explaining the terms used in our new science, I have already said ( 23, p. 13) that the Track Of A Storm is the path or line in which it travels, like the track of a ship, and that of the centre is usually meant; and if I repeat this here, it is only again to caution, the novice and seaman against confounding the rotatory motion, or whirling round of the whole Cyclone, with the progressive motion or moving forward; the line on which this last is done, whether straight or curved, being the track. If we suppose a Cyclone only to revolve and not to move forward in any way, such a storm would have no track at all. I shall allude at the close of this part to the probability of such Cyclones taking place, and to the certainty that some have such a very slow motion that we may almost call them stationary Cyclones. In the practical part (Part III.) I shall shew how the attentive mariner may often calculate pretty nearly, by the bearing of the centre, veering of the wind, and his run or drift, what the track of a Cyclone is, and take his precautions accordingly. 41. In speaking of the tracks of Cyclones for the use of the seaman, I moan of course to allude to their ro...