Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...Pacific is from December to March, with an occasional extension into April. March is the month of maximum cyclone frequency. These storms generally originate in the area bounded by a line drawn from the southern extremity of New Caledonia to the Samoan Islands, and another, almost parallel, line about 350 miles distant through the islands of Rotuma, Mallikola, and Oatafu. Within nine degrees of the equator cyclones are unknown. When the rainy season is either late, or interrupted by a persistent spell of dry weather, a hurricane may safely be predicted. Continuous heavy rain generally heralds the storm. To the right of the storm track the S.E. trades gradually freshen to gale force; whereas to the left of the track the trades shift to east and north-east, with squalls and gloomy weather. The barometer falls slowly and irregularly. A slight rise sometimes occurs before the minimum pressure which marks the passage of the cyclone centre. Nearer the equator the onward motion is about two miles an hour, whereas in higher latitudes, as 30 S., it may reach twenty miles an hour. When passing over the island groups cyclones become almost stationary. The absolute height of the barometer, here, as elsewhere, is not much guide to the severity of a storm. With the barometer at 29.7 inches a wind force of 11 Beaufort's scale was reached, and yet 27-95 in New Caledonia, 27"56 in the Fiji Islands, and equally low readings elsewhere have been noted. On 6th April 1850, the "Favorite," in the harbour of Apia, recorded a reading of 27-05 inches. The average barometer reading during the hurricane season, after corrections have been applied for instrumental error, etc., is about 29-85 inches. The duration and extent of these cyclones vary...
