THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
ELEMENTS OF METEOROLOGY 
 
 PART II 
 
 METEOROLOGICAL CYCLES 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN H. TICE 
 
 tf/ "Nun& 
 
 uam aliud natura, aliud sapientia dicit" 
 
 SAINT LOUIS 
 
 Meteorological Research and Publication Company 
 1875 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by 
 
 JOHN H. TICE, 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
 [The Right of Translation and Reproduction is reserved.] 
 
 Chas. 1 1. Davis & Co., St. Louis, Strassbnrger & Drach, 
 
 Printers. Elcctrotypers. 
 
Qd 
 
 55 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The opening sentence sufficiently indicates without further remark that 
 this volume by itself is incomplete, and that it must be preceded by an- 
 other, of which it is a mere episode, and in which general and more com- 
 prehensive principles are discussed. It may, however, be necessary to 
 give an explanation of the anomaly of publishing the Second Part first. 
 
 In a sojourn in the Rocky Mountains, during the Summer of 1874, hav- 
 ing leisure, I completed a work on Meteorology, based upon original 
 researches, in which I have been engaged for over twelve years, the 
 results of which I had been employed for the last five years in systemat- 
 izing and elaborating, as time and opportunity offered. When completed 
 I offered it to the Eastern publishers; but, with one exception, they all 
 refused to look at it ; and the exceptional case was a compromise, to get 
 rid of importunity, by consenting to look at one Chapter. The following 
 was the result: "We have examined the manuscript, and we think you 
 have treated the subject with signal ability, and that the work is likely to 
 prove interesting, and which will attract the general attention of scholars 
 and scientific men ; but for purely business reasons we have decided not 
 to undertake its publication." These "business reasons," of course, 
 were understood to be the same as those expressed by other publishers 
 applied to: "Nobody reads Science, but everybody reads novels; if you 
 have any thing of the latter we will give it favorable consideration." 
 This we would take as a compliment to our system of public education 
 if it stopped with the first proposition, " Nobody reads Science." But 
 if the other proposition be just and true, that the mental cravings of the 
 present generation, both young and old, are satisfied with the vapid and 
 trashy romances and novels of the day, then it is the severest criticism 
 of, and commentary upon, our system of public education, we have yet 
 seen. If such be the result, then the less we have of it the better. After 
 having devoted and spent the prime of my life in building up that system, 
 I am loath to believe it; and take it to be that the public read novels 
 because authors and the press do not furnish them any thing better. 
 
 But what shall we think of Science that nobody reads? "Ah! there's 
 the rub." Science should be Wisdom; it should not only be Truth, but 
 demonstrated Truth. Is this the case with what has been dignified as 
 Science? We are afraid not. We have much to learn ; and the Buddhists 
 can teach us an important lesson ; their god, Buddha, that is the Wise 
 
 M358793 
 
(4) 
 
 One, becomes antiquated and worn out in 500 years, and then a new incar- 
 nation is necessary. Our wise ones never wear out or become antiqua- 
 ted ; or, at least, we do not know when they have done so, for we never 
 hesitate in verba magistri jurare. But is not that which we accept and 
 swear by, effete, and belongs to the Dead Past? It certainly is without a 
 vitalizing principle, for here we have the unimpeachable testimony of the 
 experience of those who look at it in a business point of view, that Sci- 
 entific works do not pay, for nobody reads them. Science, hence, is an 
 antiquated god, and a new incarnation is necessary. Here is a glorious 
 work for a Reformer; for he who snatches Science from the cloister, 
 divests it of all speculation, and bases it upon indisputable facts, so that 
 the commonalty can understand and comprehend it, confers a greater 
 benefit upon Mankind that Prometheus did when he snatched fire from 
 the gods and delivered it to mortals. 
 
 But I was going to tell why Part Second came to be published first. 
 Not being able to get a publisher, and having no means of my own, a few 
 enthusiastic friends volunteered to organize a Meteorological Research 
 and Publication Company, to publish the work. But most of those who 
 felt an interest had no means, and those who had means felt no interest. 
 Consequently I found it necessary to do something to create a more gen- 
 eral interest ; and I resorted to the expedient of publishing one of my 
 Meteorological discoveries, the one most likely to attract attention and 
 excite a deep interest, and do it more expeditiously than any other, 
 namely, Meteorological Cycles. In a newspaper article I stated the general 
 principle, specified the dates of planetary equinoxes upon which it rests, 
 and made forecasts of the weather, particularizing the kind of weather 
 that might be expected, such as I invariably had observed, for eight years 
 past, to attend these equinoxes. Three periods, the most strongly 
 marked during the present year, were designated. One of these periods 
 was a month off; the other five, and the last eight months. Two of these 
 periods have passed, and with astonishing precision the forecasts, extra- 
 ordinary as they were, have been more than verified. An interest was 
 excited far beyond my expectations, and the public demand was for an 
 immediate publication. But as the funds were coming in slowly, I thought 
 it expedient to divide the original work by taking out so much as related 
 to these Cycles, and publish it separately. Of course this necessitated a 
 re-writing and a remodelling of the entire work, and has imposed an im- 
 mense amount of labor upon me. To the friends who have assisted me, 
 I am under lasting obligations, and return to them my heartfelt thanks. 
 
 JOHN H. TICE. 
 
 St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 6th, 1875. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 Meteorological Cycles. Their periodicity and cause. The 
 length of the Great or Jovial Cycle determined. Its 
 historical verification, Saturnian Cycle, etc. 
 
 We have arrived at that point in the discussion where the 
 review of the controlling Meteorological phenomena is complete. 
 We have determined the nature and character of these phenom- 
 ena, and we have ascertained their causes. We have given an 
 intelligible explanation both of the phenomena and of the causes 
 from which they spring, and of the laws by which they are con- 
 trolled. Hence we know the conditions under which they occur, 
 and the reason why they occur. But we do not yet know the periods 
 at which the necessary conditions will supervene, and hence can- 
 not tell the time when the phenomena will occur. Moreover, it 
 is yet a mooted point amongst laggards in the science whether 
 their occurrence is regular or irregular. This however is a vital 
 point, for if Meteorological phenomena are irregular, then we 
 will forever remain in the dark and at the mercy of chance ; for 
 as then we cannot foresee the future, so we cannot make provis- 
 ions to meet its exigencies ; because neither the time when, nor 
 the nature of what the future may bring forth, can then be 
 known to us. But if they are regular in their recurrence, then 
 we know not only what to expect, but when to expect it, and 
 provide for it in time, whether it be to take advantage of the 
 opportunities it affords, or to guard against the damage it 
 threatens. 
 
 Assuming then that we know all about the nature and consti- 
 tution of rain and snow storms ; all about cold and hot, wet and 
 dry seasons ; and all about winds, gales, tornadoes and hurri- 
 canes ; yet this knowledge dwindles, in a practical view, ; into 
 utter insignificance when compared with that which informs us 
 of the time when these phenomena will be upon us, what their 
 character and probable energy will be, and the length of their 
 duration. 
 
The regular recurrence of identical physical phenomena is 
 now an admitted fact by all progressive meteorologists ; but it is 
 difficult to gather their notions as to the character of the cycle, 
 whether it be of definite or indefinite length, and yet more diffi- 
 cult to ascertain what their ideas are as to its cause, or whether 
 they have any notion whether it is caused at all. It is owing to 
 the latter fact that they have made so little progress in placing 
 Meteorology upon a firm and impregnable basis. It is evident 
 that if it be once accepted as an undeniable truth, that phenomena 
 repeat themselves in periods of a definite length, then the length 
 of the cycle being accurately established, it will become evident 
 that there must be a fixed cause producing this periodicity, and 
 that cause can be discovered. It must be admitted that when 
 such a cause is discovered, its nature and character can be 
 studied ; and that it can be ascertained under what conditions it 
 manifests itself as cause, and at what time these conditions will 
 recur. Now all that is necessary to enable us to determine 
 Meteorological cycles is to acquire a sufficient knowledge on this 
 point. When so much is achieved, we will be able to predict 
 telluric and atmospheric perturbations with as much certainty as 
 we now do eclipses of the Sun and Moon, or the occultations of 
 Jupiter's satellites. 
 
 Meteorology is the science of physical phenomena, and until 
 the true nature and causes of these phenomena are known, it 
 cannot lay any claims to eminent domain even in its own proper 
 department. Science is that which is known, and not that which 
 is unknown. Therefore the first duty for its devotees is to prune 
 it of whatever is unknown even if it leaves not a shred behind ;. 
 f jr in what passes for Meteorology there is so much derived from 
 the closet and so little from Nature, that nothing can be safely 
 accepted upon trust. For self-protection against imposition we 
 must apply the crucial test of facts to everything, and whatever 
 will not bear the test, must unceremoniously- be rejected. Mete- 
 orology is preeminently a science of facts, and of such facts as 
 are easily observed and whose validity are as easily determined. 
 It, hence, is inexcusable culpability to accept any thing upon 
 trust when its truth can be so easily verified. There is no 
 wrangling, but universal agreement on all questions that can arise 
 in sciences resting upon indisputable facts ; and there is also- 
 
(7) 
 
 implicit acquiescence in all legitimate inferences drawn and log- 
 ical deductions made from premises implied by the admitted facts. 
 A Science to deserve respect must be able to do more than 
 account for the Past, or to explain the Present ; it must be able 
 to divine the Future. Hence it must comprehend fully that fun- 
 damental principle that underlies the department of the Universe 
 embraced within its scope. It must not only know this princi- 
 ple, but it must know how it will act, and what will be the 
 results under all the possible conditions that will successively be 
 imposed upon it by the operations of the system of which it is a 
 part. Hence Meteorology must know not only the cause of 
 physical perturbations in the Earth and Atmosphere, but the 
 exciting causes of them. Yea more, not only these, but the 
 period and conditions when the exciting cause will awaken 
 from a long repose into fearful activity. No one who has ever 
 investigated the principles of Meteorology with a view of apply- 
 ing them to foretelling the Future, but has felt such knowledge 
 indispensable. But when he has surveyed the field and looked at 
 the labor necessary for its attainment, he has become dismayed 
 at the long, tedious and difficult way to success. First the period- 
 icity of the perturbing phenomenon has to be established. 
 Secondly, the length of the cycle in which it repeated itself has 
 to be determined ; and thirdly, the fixed cause, its nature and 
 mode of acting has to be discovered. The discovery of a Mete- 
 orological cycle, the most clamant desideratum of the age, 
 seemed, hence to be postponed indefinitely, and only a remote 
 possibility in the far distant Future. For half a century scientists 
 have earnestly been laboring to discover such a cycle, but with- 
 out success ; yet every day the necessity for it becomes more 
 evident and the demand for it more earnest and pressing. Pro- 
 fessor Lockyer, an English astronomer, and renowned as a spec- 
 troscopist, expresses himself upon this subject as follows: "In 
 Meteorology as in Astronomy, the thing is to hunt down a cycle ; 
 and if it is not to be found in the Temperate Zones, then go to 
 the Frigid Zones, or to the Torrid Zone to look for it. If found 
 then above all things, and in whatever manner, lay hold of it, 
 study it, record it, and see what it means. If there is no cycle, 
 then 'despair for a time if you will, but plant your Science on a 
 physical basis." 
 
(8) 
 
 Sir David Brewster, in his Meteorological report made to the 
 British Association in 1840, says: "When these observations 
 (those of Inverness and Hingussie) are compared with those 
 made under my superintendence at Leith, with those at Plymouth 
 from 1832 to 1840 at the expense of the Association under the 
 able superintendence of Mr. Snow Harris, and with those at 
 Padua, Philadelphia and Ceylon, we see very distinct traces of 
 Meteorological laws of which no idea had been previously 
 formed ; and I have no hesitation in stating that when observa- 
 tions of this class are multiplied and extended they will lead to 
 general results of as great importance in predetermining atmos- 
 pheric changes as those which have enabled astronomers to pre- 
 dict the phenomena of the planetary system." 
 
 It is impossible to say what these "traces of Meteorological 
 laws" were, for he neither states nor even intimates them. In 
 this he committed a grievous fault. It was probably a mere 
 light glimmering in the dark, a vision of the night that came to 
 him in a moment of inspiration, but never assumed any definite 
 form or shape. It may however have been that he discovered 
 traces of covariation in observations made at such widely separ- 
 ated points. If so, these should have been followed up, for they 
 would have led to the discovery of that great desideratum of the 
 time, namely, Meteorological cycles. But this was unattainable 
 without more definite observations than those furnished by the 
 method then and still in vogue. To fix cyclical points, we must 
 have individual phenomena, and not averages for a month, a sea- 
 son, or a year. Averages had and still have their value ; they 
 have led and still lead us to discover general laws and principles, 
 but to discover special laws and special principles we must have 
 special phenomena, that is, individual facts. 
 
 Observation on special phenomena, such as sunspots, solar 
 physics generally, magnetic intensity in the Earth, electric ten- 
 sion both of the Earth and of the Atmosphere, auroras, earth- 
 quakes, Cyclones, rainfalls and terrestrial temperature, have been 
 made for half a century, and some for nearly two centuries. 
 Why these observations have not been more fruitful in valuable 
 results is owing to the fact that each observer worked independ- 
 ently, and made the observations of his chosen phenomena a 
 specialty, without ever dreaming that there was a corelation 
 
(9) 
 
 between all physical phenomena. After devoting a period to 
 their work equal to half the length of what the Psalmist assigns 
 as the term of human life, each observer came to the conclusion 
 that his special phenomenon had a periodicity, and repeated 
 itself in a cycle between ten and twelve years. 
 
 Sunspot observers such as Schwabe, Loewy, De la Rue, Wolf, 
 Stewart, etc., differ as to the maxima of sunspots as much as half 
 a year, and as to the length of their cycles deduced from their 
 observations, two and a half years. Taking the average of their 
 estimates, the length of the Great Cycle is found to be between 
 eleven and twelve years. Cyclone observers in the East Indies, 
 think they have discovered a cycle that completes itself in thir- 
 teen years ; but Mr. C. Meldrum, of the Observatory at Port 
 Louis, in the Isle of Mauritius, in the focus of the Cyclones of 
 the Indian Ocean, shows conclusively from recorded facts, that 
 the cycle has a period, the length of which is a fraction over 
 eleven years. The late Professor Hansteen, of Norway, who 
 made Magnetism a life specialty, fixed the cycle of Magnetic per- 
 turbation at 1 1. 1 years. A recurrence of four or five cycles will 
 show that this period is too short by over nine months. 
 
 Signally as each failed to establish the length of the cycle for 
 his special phenomenon, yet the result of their joint labors, was 
 an immense stride in progress ; for their observations when com- 
 pared showed that the maxima and minima of all the observed 
 phenomena were coincident with each other, that is, they had 
 the same periodicity, and in every respect were covariants. From 
 these facts the legitimate inference is that concomitant phenom- 
 ena, always appearing cotemporaneously, that are synchronous 
 in their maxima and minima and of the same duration, are 
 sequences of one and the same cause. Observation has veri- 
 fied this inference ; for the period of maximum sunspots, is not 
 more signalized for its auroras, magnetic and electric disturb- 
 ances, and earthquake commotions, than for its copious rains, 
 violent tornadoes, and destructive hailstorms. 
 
 The period of maximum intensity of the phenomenon was 
 generally, because naturally, fixed upon as the term of the cycle. 
 But all observers had also discovered that in this cycle there was 
 another ; a minor maximum but of far less energy than the 
 greater. It was seen that the minor maximum divided the cycle 
 
do) 
 
 into two nearly if not quite equal parts. Furthermore it was 
 ascertained that between the major and the minor maximum in 
 each half cycle there was a minimum corresponding in degree to 
 the maxima. Other perturbations were observed to intervene,, 
 but which could not be referred to the Great Cycle because they 
 happened at all points in it. They were therefore regarded as 
 independent. Attempts were made to establish minor cycles by 
 averaging the phenomena. But the averages obtained by lump- 
 ing the phenomena, obliterated the individual facts, while they 
 disclosed nothing. The result was hypothetical cycles of 28, 34, 
 56, 112, etc., days. But when tested by facts all of these, except- 
 ing that of 112 days, generally failed. At the proper place we 
 will verify the 112 days phenomenon not as a cycle but as a 
 section of a longer cycle. A longer cycle one of about 59 years 
 was also discovered. This however is a conjunction of two 
 cycles, two of one nearly equalling five of the other, as will 
 appear at the proper place. 
 
 With so much devotion, and with such indefatigable zeal 'as 
 the laborers in this field of Science have shown for the last half 
 century, it is somewhat a mystery why their labors have- not 
 been crowned with better success in the attainment of the desired 
 results. The failure must in degree, be attributed, either to their 
 method of investigation, or to the hypothesis that directed it. 
 So far as averaging phenomena was concerned, after averages 
 had taught them all they were capable of teaching, namely in 
 the most general way the existence of a cycle and where to look 
 for it, their method was not only defective, but inadequate, for the 
 purpose of obtaining definite and specific results. Whefher they 
 had any hypothesis beyond the presumption of the existence of a 
 cycle, it is difficult to tell. Now an hypothesis is a powerful 
 instrument of investigation, but it must be a legitimate one, 
 namely one that admits of verification. The hypothesis that 
 suggests the direction of investigation, however, must always 
 be subordinate to the investigation, and never must the 
 investigation be subordinate to the hypothesis. No one can in- 
 vestigate without an hypothesis, nor, subordinate to one. 
 
 After having satisfied myself of the existence of meteorological 
 cycles, about eight years ago I undertook to investigate their 
 cause with a view of determining their length. As nothing can 
 
00 
 
 exist without a cause, synchronous and covariant phenomena 
 i egularly repeating themselves in cycles of uniform length, must 
 have a permanent cause that is common to them all ; and what- 
 ever that may be, and wheresoever located, it must be ascertain- 
 able and susceptible of proof. This was the only hypothesis I 
 had, and the object of my investigation was to ascertain the 
 length of the cycle and the cause of it, and to verify and demon- 
 strate both. My first step was to collect all the material 
 accessible to me, consisting of the records of observations made 
 upon physical phenomena such as auroras, sunspots, Cyclones, 
 rainfalls, earthquakes, etc. After carefully sifting their dates, 
 by lumping them I obtained 11.83 J ears as the average length of 
 the cycle indicated by the observations. As this period corres- 
 ponded so closely within 1 1 days of the Jovial year, I projected 
 the hypothesis that Jupiter in some unknown way was the cause 
 of the perturbation. I then made a historical record of all the 
 marked periods of disturbance, such as earthquakes, auroras, 
 Sunspots and Cyclones for 2500 years. With these facts at 
 command I proceeded to test the hypothesis that Jupiter was the 
 cause of the perturbation. It must here be stated that all the 
 observations show that the period of perturbation extends over 
 about three years, manifesting itself often two years in advance 
 of the maximum and a year and a half afterwards. I did not 
 however admit any facts as verifying the hypothesis excepting 
 those that came within twelve or sixteen months. The reason 
 for the length of the Jovial disturbance is, that Jupiter moves 
 very slowly in his orbit only about 30 degrees in a year. The 
 year 1859 ^ ^ s generally admitted was the year of maximum 
 disturbance. It was therefore taken as the standard* and the 
 time intervening between it and the date of the phenomenon, 
 was divided by n.86 years the length of the Jovial year. It is 
 well known that scarcely a year passes without a few sporadic 
 earthquakes, that there are always some sunspots, occasionally a 
 faint aurora, and more or less violent Cyclones, but these are 
 few, fur between and feeble, when compared with the incessant 
 and intense energy of the phenomena occurring in the perturbed 
 
 *NOTE. Since then the equally strongly marked cycle of 1871 has 
 occurred. In the subsequent pages I have taken the latter tor the stand- 
 ard of comparison. 
 
(12) 
 
 cycle. But of nearly two hundred historical phenomena there 
 were but three intensely and strongly marked that did not coincide 
 within limits with the Jovial cycle. Many of them corresponded 
 to the very day. The three exceptional ones, I subsequently 
 ascertained belonged to a Saturnian Cycle. At the proper place 
 a sufficient number of facts and their correspondence will be given 
 to verify the hypothesis that Jupiter is the cause of the perturbation. 
 I have hence named the period the Jovial Cycle. Having satis- 
 factorily demonstrated and verified the proposition that Jupiter 
 is the cause of the atmospheric, telluric and solar perturbations 
 that occur once and in a modified form twice in every one of his 
 orbital revolutions, it remained for me to ascertain the cause of 
 this disturbance. 
 
 In the preceding part of this work I have demonstrated that 
 winds, rain, snow and hailstorms, Cyclones, auroras, earth- 
 quakes, in fine all telluric and atmospheric phenomena are 
 electric ; and that under what may be considered the normal 
 condition of the Earth and the Atmosphere the Electricity 
 necessary to their production is constantly being generated but 
 with varying energy. Under what may be considered an abnor- 
 mal condition imposed upon them by the Jovial Cycle, the 
 character of these phenomena is not changed, but their energy is 
 only terribly intensified. Hence it follows that in whatever way 
 Jupiter may affect the ^un and through the Sun the solar system, 
 the result upon the Earth and the Atmosphere is an enormous 
 increase of electric intensity. What is it that is taking place in 
 Jupiter, that he produces this effect at t\vo particular and oppo- 
 site points on his orbit? This was a question I propounded to 
 myself for solution, and I immediately set about solving it, but 
 fully two years .elapsed before I attained to a satisfactory result. 
 
 Since the maxima of telluric and atmospheric disturbances are 
 synchronous and covariant with solar disturbances as manifested 
 by sunspots and immense solar explosions, therefore the proxi- 
 mate cause of telluric and atmospheric disturbances must be the 
 Sun. But as solar perturbation invariably is synchronous with 
 Jupiter's passage through a particular point on his orbit, so 
 Jupiter's position on the particular point, must be the cause of these 
 periodical disturbances in the Sun, and consequently on the 
 Earth, and most probably on the entire solar system. Sunspot 
 
(13) 
 
 observers had pretty generally agreed that the maximum of sun- 
 spots in 1859 occurred about 1859.90. Calculation placed Jupi- 
 ter at that period at 101 of the Ecliptic. But as no cause could 
 be discovered why he should at this point exert such influence, 
 investigation in this direction for the time being was suspended. 
 True, that point is in the plane of the Milky Way and also within 
 about three degrees of his ascending node ; but evidently these 
 were accidental, and had no significance, since no possible rea- 
 son can be assigned why Jupiter's ascension above the plane of 
 the Earth's orbit, or in the plane of the Milky Way, could have 
 any effect on the Sun. In this way Inquiry was pushed in every 
 direction but returned empty-handed. Speculating upon what 
 possibly might be taking place in Jupiter was even less fruitful 
 of results. The conclusion finally arrived at was this : We 
 know too little of what is taking place in Jupiter to serve us in 
 unraveling his mysterious influence on the Sun. If we were 
 inhabitants of that majestic orb, we would know all the facts, 
 and hence could assign the reasons why he periodically sends out 
 an influence which thrills through the solar system, and is felt to 
 its remotest points. But as we are not, our only resource is to 
 fall back to our own planet and learn whether analagous facts 
 are occurring there ; for what is true in Theology is true in 
 Science. 
 
 "Through worlds unnumbered though God may be known, 
 'Tis ours to trace Him only in our own." 
 
 Jupiter's influence upon the solar system is electric. Hence if 
 his orbital position at the time influences his own electric condi- 
 tion, then the orbital position of the Earth and of any other 
 planet must have a like effect upon them under similar circum- 
 stances and conditions. Whatever may be the case with other 
 planets, it is undeniable that the electric condition of the Earth 
 is affected by its relative position to the Sun. If annual telluric 
 phenomena are separated into two classes, namely, equinoctial 
 and solsticial, then the equinoctial will be to the solsticial as three 
 is to one. For example, take the tropical hurricanes, and nine 
 out of ten occur in the Northern Hemisphere in the months of 
 August, September and October, at or near the Autumnal Equi- 
 nox ; and the same proportion occur in the Southern Hemisphere 
 in February, March and April ; at or near the Vernal Equinox. 
 
(14) 
 
 The same is true of auroras and earthquakes. It is indisputable 
 that the Earth and the Atmosphere undergo an electric pertuba- 
 tion at our equinoxes. All physical phenomena indicate this; 
 the tides then run higher, the barometer ranges lower and elec- 
 tric tension on the Earth and the Atmosphere is then greater than 
 at any other season of the year. It is established by observation 
 in both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern, that mag- 
 netic perturbations have their maxima at the equinoxes, and their 
 minima at the solstices. 
 
 Mr. Brown, in his report on the magnetic observations at 
 Makerstoun for 1846, as quoted by Gen. Sabinc, states the results, 
 with respect to the frequency and magnitude of magnetic pertur- 
 bations in the different months of the year to be as follows : 
 "The mean value of perturbations is a maximtim in the equi- 
 noctial months, a minimum in the summer months, and a proxi- 
 mate minimum in the winter months." Gen'l Sabine states that 
 at Hobarton, Tasmania, "the proportions of the frequency and 
 of the magnitude of these perturbations in each month relatively 
 to those observed in a year, come out, a minimum in the winter 
 months, a maximum in the equinoctial months, and intermediate 
 in the summer months." These results are identical : for the 
 Winter months of the Northern Hemisphere correspond to the 
 Summer months of the Southern ; and vice versa. It is also 
 established by observation that sunspots have a marked maximum 
 at the same period. 
 
 The equinoxes are especially marked by atmospheric pertur- 
 bations, frequent and extreme oscillations of the barometer, 
 violent gales, furious tornadoes and a "swing" of the periodical 
 winds, such as the Monsoons. At one equinox Summer appears 
 and leaves at the other. Winter appears when Summer leaves, 
 and leaves when Summer appears. Each brings and takes its 
 peculiar phenomena with it. Summer brings with it a low 
 barometer to replace the high barometer that has prevailed all 
 Winter over continents in that hemisphere. Winter returns and 
 brings with it a high barometer to take the place of the low 
 barometer that swayed the continents during Summer. Hence 
 a dynamic electric pole takes possession of continents for the 
 Summer ; and the static that ruled them during Winter migrates 
 to the other hemisphere to bear sway over continents there until 
 
OS) 
 
 the Sun returns again to that side of the Equator. In consequence 
 of these changes all the winds on the surface of our planet, are 
 more or less changed in direction, and many of them reversed. 
 The causes of these great and extreme changes are many ; and 
 each bears its proportionate share in the influence that produces 
 the varied and general perturbation prevailing at the time. The 
 facts that a hemisphere in which solar influence has been feeble 
 for six months and over a large fraction of which that influence 
 has been null during the same time, being wrapped in uninter- 
 rupted darkness, is now falling directly under the full power of 
 the Sun, and that the other hemisphere which for the same length 
 of time has felt the full energy and effect of solar influence is now 
 being withdrawn from it, contribute largely and powerfully in 
 exciting the general disturbance ; for all elements of physical 
 disturbance, thermal, electric and magnetic, accompanying the 
 Sun across the Equator. But there are remote, cosmic causes 
 that contribute to the same end. In consequence of the inclina- 
 tion of the Sun's axis to the plane of the Ecliptic, the South 
 magnetic pole of the Sun at one equinox, and his North mag- 
 netic pole at the other, are pointed more directly toward the 
 Earth than at any other points on its orbit. Consequently the 
 Earth at its equinoxes feels the full force of the Sun's magnetic 
 influence. Since it is probable that the magnetic poles of the 
 Sun, like those of the Earth, do not coincide with the poles of 
 his axial rotation ; hence if this is the case, each solar pole is 
 equivalent to a moving magnet to all the planets, and therefore a 
 powerful generator of Electricity in them ; and especially will 
 the Earth at the equinoxes feel their most powerful effect. The 
 inclination of the Sun's axis to the plane of the Ecliptic is 
 according to Herschell, 7 , 20'. Other authorities say a few 
 minutes less. The inclination is nearly in the plane of the equi- 
 noctial colure, or Equator. Consequently at the equinoxes or 
 more accurately ten days before the plane of the Sun's equator 
 makes its greatest angle with that of the Earth. Hence the 
 nodes of the Sun's Equator, that is the plane of his axial rota- 
 tion, must cut the plane of the Earth's orbit at some point, or 
 rather two points. It does so at the points occupied by the 
 Earth on the nth of June and i2th of December. This is evi- 
 dent from the paths of sunspots ; on or near the nth of June or 
 
the 1 2th of December, their paths are straight lines, showing 
 that the Earth is then in the plane of the Sun's Equator. On or 
 near the nth of March or September their paths are sections of 
 elongated ellipses. At t'he vernal equinox, a sunspot ascends 
 above the Equator, at the autumnal it sinks below it. All rota- 
 ting bodies, from a disc to a sphere, generate electric currents at 
 right angles to the axis of rotation. On a disc the Electricity so 
 generated accumulates from the effects of self-repulsion on 
 the edge of its circumference. On a sphere from the same cause 
 it collects on the equatorial belt. Electric charges are always 
 driven by repulsion to the remotest points from the centre. 
 Hence electric currents carry Matter away from the centre 
 towards the circumference ; and electric Repulsion, and not cen- 
 trifugal force as the mechanical theorists suppose, has given 
 the form of oblate spheroids to all the planets. 
 
 The mutual disturbance of the Sun and a planet at the time of 
 the latter's equinox, is explicable upon well established electric 
 laws. Viewed upon electric principles, a rotating disc and a 
 rotating sphere, as far as the generation of Electricity is con- 
 cerned, are identical ; and how a pair of each will mutually 
 affect each other is exemplified by two circulating currents with 
 fixed centres but flowing in different planes which are free to 
 assume any position. If they circulate in the same plane, they 
 remain at rest. If they circulate in different planes, they mutu- 
 ally exert such an influence upon each other as to change their 
 planes until they coincide. Consequently it is evident that when 
 they circulate in one and the same plane, they are in equilibrium, 
 and exert no disturbing effect upon each other. Hence it fol- 
 lows that when they are out of the same plane, that is, when 
 their planes of circulation intersect each other at the greatest angle, 
 possible, they exert the greatest disturbing influence upon one 
 another. It has been ascertained that the tendency of this influ- 
 ence is mutually to swing each other around into the same plane. 
 Now from the inclination, and from the direction of the inclina- 
 tion of the Sun's axis of rotation to the plane of the Ecliptic, 
 and from the inclination of the Earth's axis of rotation to the 
 plane of its orbit, it follows that the plane (equator) of the Sun's 
 rotation, and that of the Earth, make their greatest angle with 
 each other at or about the equinoxes. And since, as we have 
 
seen, the equatorial belts of all spheres, and especially of spher- 
 oids by the operation of a universal law, become more intensely 
 charged with Electricity than any other points on their surfaces, 
 hence whatever electric influence they are capable of exerting 
 upon each other, must be at its maximum when their planes of 
 rotation make the greatest angle with each other. 
 
 Astronomy establishes two points, namely, that at the equi- 
 noxes the Earth's Equator has its greatest obliquity to that of the 
 Sun ; and that at or near the solstices it has its least, since the 
 plane of solar rotation then passes through the Earth. Electric 
 laws exact that under such conditions electric excitement should 
 be at its maximum at the equinoxes, and at its minimum at 
 the solstices, and observation has confirmed that the facts corres- 
 pond with the obvious deductions of Reason. 
 
 An investigation of the facts of our own Globe has disclosed 
 phenomena that Reason suggests must be analogous to those that 
 must be taking place in Jupiter, when he sends forth periodically 
 that mysterious influence that affects the entire solar system. 
 These terrestrial phenomena we have ascertained occur invaria- 
 bly when the Earth passes the equinoctial points. We have seen 
 that physical changes, opposite in character, are taking place in 
 both its polar hemispheres which affect their thermal, their elec- 
 tric, magnetic, pneumatic and hygrometric condition. Behind 
 these obvious changes we have discovered cosmic causes and 
 laws, whose inevitable influence under the existing physical cir- 
 cumstances is to intensify these phenomena. Analogy justifies 
 and legitimates the application of these physical facts and the 
 principles in which they have their being, not only to Jupiter, 
 but to all the planets of the solar system, for the same laws and 
 causes existing there, must under similar conditions effect the 
 same results. 
 
 It is an old fact, well known but not comprehended, that in a 
 system of insulated bodies we can neither increase nor diminish 
 the electric tension on any one of them, without changing in the 
 same degree the electric tension in all. Applying this principle 
 to the solar system, if from internal or extraneous influences an 
 electric charge is evolved on a planet, or is either augmented or 
 diminished, then that planet not only disturbs his neighboring 
 planet, but all his co-planets and even the great Sun himself, 
 
This fact discloses the inspiring truth that the Universe is fax 
 more symmetrical in its structure and far more delicate in the ad- 
 justment of its parts, than our crude and inelastic theories per- 
 mit us to imagine. Myriads of facts exist that teach us this en- 
 nobling and sublime truth ; but we are too blind to perceive the 
 phenomena, too deaf to hear the voice of Nature addressed to us 
 through them, and too ignorant to understand their meaning. 
 The difficulty in attaining to a true conception of the solar sys- 
 tem and of the structure of the Universe, is not because that sys- 
 tem is abstruse, for it is perfectly plain and comprehensible, but 
 because we are afflicted with a mental nightmare, the Mechani- 
 'cal Theory, that presses upon us and renders us mentally help- 
 less. Its overshadowing notion is that the Universe is a rigid 
 machine, operated by mechanical powers ; hence it not only 
 checks but represses thought in the direction that would lead to 
 the conception of a pure dynamical theory of the Universe with 
 a structure and adjustment of its parts such as to be normally a 
 perpetual motion under the influence of a system of Cosmical 
 Forces. 
 
 There are two facts that are undeniable ; which are not only 
 necessary to establish our theory but they render it incontestable. 
 The first fact is that the Earth and the Atmosphere at the equi- 
 noxes always undergo an intense electric disturbance ; and the 
 second is that the telluric disturbance extends to and affects the 
 Sun ; and hence even though she may not directly communicate 
 her disturbing influence to the other planets, yet she does so indi- 
 rectly through the Sun. Since this action of the Earth is so evi- 
 dent as to be incontestable therefore by an extension of the prin- 
 ciple it must follow that Jupiter, with a volume 1491 times 
 greater than the Earth, when undergoing an electric perturbation 
 must obviously affect the whole solar system. 
 
 It is not presumable that the physical relations of planets to 
 causes of disturbances are identical in every respect with those 
 of the Earth. In fact we know they are not. The relations of 
 one planet in regard to the Sun may be such that some of the 
 elements of disturbance may have less energy than in other plan- 
 ets, and other elements have more ; but there can be no doubt 
 that all the elements of perturbation are physically interwoven 
 with, and inseparable from the planetary system. Physically 
 
C'9) 
 
 we know that they do disturb each other, for it takes place under 
 our eyes. At one time we see they retard, and at other times 
 accelerate each others velocities, and are constantly forcing each 
 other to make deviations from their regular orbital path. Since 
 it is indisputable that they influence each other in their paths 
 through Space, why should it appear incredible that they affect 
 each other dynamically, either directly or through the mediation 
 of the Sun? We predict that when Science has so far advanced, 
 that it can and will observe the phenomena resulting from what 
 are now supposed to be mechanical influences, it will be ascer- 
 tained that they are not mechanical but dynamic, and are pro- 
 duced by electric induction, repulsion and attraction ; and 
 that more or less an electric disturbance then takes place in the 
 planet. Since the orbit of each planet inclines at different angles 
 to the plane of the Ecliptic (the Earth's orbit projected into 
 Space) therefore no two planetary orbits can make the same 
 angles with the solar equator, and hence all must experience an 
 electric perturbation when they pass the points on their orbits 
 where the plane of their axial rotation makes the greatest angle 
 with that of solar. Then again, no two planets have the same 
 inclination of their axis of rotation to the planes of their orbits. 
 Hence while some of the elements of perturbation may affect 
 them less than on the Earth, others may affect them more, but 
 evidently none are null. 
 
 We will note a few modifying influences operating in Jupiter, 
 some of which must moderate while others must aggravate his 
 perturbation at the critical periods. The fact that his polar axis 
 makes only an angle of 3 with the perpendicular of the plane 
 of his orbit, must modify the violence of the transitions of his 
 seasons, as compared with those of the Earth. In fact Summer 
 and Winter themselves cannot be as strongly marked in Jupiter 
 as on the Earth, from the comparatively small obliquity of his 
 axis of rotation as compared with that of the Earth, notwith- 
 standing his greatly flattened poles, his polar diameter, accord- 
 ing to Miiller, being one-fourteenth less than his equatorial, while 
 that of the Earth is only one two hundred and ninety- 
 ninth less. On the contrary his great polar compression, his 
 enormous bulk, and the great velocity of his axial rotation 
 immeasurably intensify evolution of Electricity, and con- 
 
(20) 
 
 sequently its tension on his equatorial belt where it naturally 
 collects. 
 
 The physical aspects of Jupiter, if closely observed, must afford 
 evidence of the intensity of the electric charge upon him and 
 upon his atmosphere during his equinoctial perturbations. Rea- 
 son suggests this ; but here again, as at so many other points, 
 when we logically push inquiry 'to and beyond the outposts of 
 Knowledge, we find no systematic observations. But if the facts 
 be as this legitimate inference from the theory suggests, then 
 they must be too obvious to have escaped observation entirely for 
 over two hundred and fifty years, which is not possible, because 
 ever since Galileo, in 1610, discovered his satelites, Jupiter and 
 the Jovial system have been under constant observation and study. 
 
 On the physical aspects of Jupiter we find only observations 
 recorded on periodical spots, on his belts, and on variations in the 
 size and color of the belts. The dark spots evidently belong to 
 the body of the planet since they never change in position and 
 pass across the disc parallel to his equator and with uniform ve- 
 locity. In fact the time of the axial rotation of Jupiter has 
 been determined by these spots. Cassini, in the winter of 1665 
 and 1666, observed a spot which afterwards reappeared seven 
 times between that year and 1708. It generally remained visible 
 about a year, and then disappeared for five years. Or in other 
 words, the interval between Jupiter's equinoxes is six years, lack- 
 ing only twenty-two days. The frequent reappearance of this 
 identical spot leaves no doubt that it is permanent on the body of 
 the planet ; and that its disappearance is owing to the interposi- 
 tion of clouds in the atmosphere of Jupiter. I find that Brew- 
 ster, more than forty years ago, arrived at the same conclusion. 
 In 1785 and 1786, while Jupiter was at his perihelion, Schroeter 
 observed several spots which were black and round. These spots 
 however must not be confounded with those that result from the 
 breaking up of the belts, which distribute themselves over the 
 whole face of the planet, and which revolve with varying rapid- 
 ity. These latter spots have different shades of light, from dark 
 to very bright. 
 
 Sir John Herschel supposed that even the belts were the dark 
 body of the planet, and assigned as a reason that these belt, 
 never come up in all their strength to the edge of the disc, but 
 
(21) 
 
 gradually fade away before they reach it. I cannot concur in this 
 opinion, because the belts never are persistent either in in esse 
 form, size, position or color. Sometimes they are absent. Gen- 
 erally they consist of straight lines forming continuous belts 
 around the body of the planets. Sometimes however the belts 
 are discontinuous, and at other times the lines are curved and ir- 
 regular, but lying in belts all of which are parallel to the planet's 
 equator. The belts sometimes break up, forming transient spots, 
 which may spread over the whole face of the planet, and which 
 move with varying velocity across its face. The facts seem con- 
 clusive that they cannot belong to the surface of the planet, but to 
 its atmosphere. 
 
 Different opinions have been held as to the cause of these spots 
 .and belts. Some supposed they were clouds and openings in the 
 planet's atmosphere. So far as the belts are concerned we have 
 no doubt that this is true ; but it evidently is erroneous as to the 
 persistent spots which are always the same in form, position and 
 size, appearing at regular intervals, and after having been visible 
 for nearly a year, disappear, and are not seen again for five years. 
 Others regard the spots and belts as indications of great physical 
 revolutions perpetually agitating and changing the face of the 
 planet. Had they said physical perturbations that affect the 
 planet's atmosphere we would think them about right. But 
 when they ascribe these appearances to incessant physical revo- 
 lutions that are continously changing the aspects of the planet, 
 they propound an hypothesis so palpably absurd as to require no 
 refutation. These appearances can be explained by far more 
 rational causes than perpetual vexings of the planet by hurri- 
 canes, waterspouts, inundations and earthquakes ; in fact, they 
 can be explained upon natural causes so obvious as to be self- 
 evident. 
 
 We have already adverted to the fact that the spot first observed 
 l>y Cassini, reappeared about every six years, remained visible 
 for from five to ten months, and then disappeared, but invariably 
 returned in about five years. This is very significant, because it 
 coincides precisely with the interval between the equinoxes of 
 Jupiter, namely, 5.93 years. Schroeter, in the Winter of 1785 
 and 1786, observed the same spot discovered by Cassini 120 
 years before. Schroeter incidentally remarks that the planet was 
 
(22) 
 
 then at his -perihelion. In 1834 Madler and Beer saw and figured 
 the same spot and several others, all of which remained visible from 
 the 4th of November, 1834, till the iSth of April, 1835. Now 
 it is remarkable that at the time these spots were seen Jupiter 
 had just passed his perihelion. When we examine the position 
 of Jupiter at the time Cassini discovered the spot, and his posi- 
 tions at the periods of the subsequent reappearances for 43 years, 
 the period of its reappearance is invariably found to be when the 
 planet was either at or near his perihelion, or aphelion. The 
 perihelion and aphelion points, let it be remembered, are like the 
 same points on the Earth's orbit, intermediate between the equi- 
 noctial points, and hence mark the planet's greatest tranquillity. 
 Our theory is that at his equinoctial points, Jupiter suffers phy- 
 sical perturbations both in its body and in its atmosphere, proba- 
 bly more intense than our telluric disturbances at our equinoxes. 
 These will cause similar atmospheric and physical paroxysms in 
 Jupiter as our equinoctial disturbances do, namely, electric and 
 magnetic storms and earthquakes in the body of the planet ; and 
 in the Atmosphere violent tornadoes and hurricanes, accom- 
 panied with terrible electric explosions and heavy rain and hail 
 storms. 
 
 Since the equinoctial perturbation of Jupiter lasts about three 
 years, namely, one and a half year before and nearly as long 
 after he passes the point, hence during this time his atmosphere 
 must be more than usually surcharged with clouds that will form 
 continuous belts around his body, impenetrable to the sight ; and 
 hence nothing on his surface during this period can be visible to 
 us. But at his perihelion, and also at his aphelion each mid- 
 way between the equinoctial points the perturbation being at 
 its minimum, cloud formation must also be, and hence his atmos- 
 phere serener than at any other time. It therefore follows, that 
 if any thing on his surface is visible to us at any time, it must be 
 at the period when he is either at or near his perihelion or aphe- 
 lion. Now it so happens, that always when Jupiter is at or 
 near these points that these persistent black spots are seen on his 
 disc ; and seen only so long as the theory assigns for the duration 
 of the interval between the disappearance and return of his 
 cloudy season. If this be not considered as sufficient proof, and 
 a confirmation and verification of the truth of the theory, then it 
 
must still be admitted that it is at least a most remarkable coin- 
 cidence. 
 
 Campani saw two luminous belts across the disc of Jupiter ; 
 but I am unable to find the date of the observation. In the 
 Winter of 1787 and 1788, and within eight months of the pass- 
 age of Jupiter through the equinoctial point, producing the 
 greatest disturbance, Schroeter observed that the equatorial zone 
 belt had assumed a gray color bordering upon yellow. The 
 equatorial belt was flanked on both sides by dark belts. Each 
 of these on the polar side were flanked by white luminous belts 
 resembling those described by Campani. These belts underwent 
 a number of changes during an observation extending over sev- 
 eral months. The dark belts sometimes suddenly increased in 
 size. The luminous belts also suffered many changes, increasing 
 sometimes suddenly until they were one-half times larger than 
 their original size, then growing narrower. In 1871, when the 
 last Jovial equinox occurred, European observers saw not only 
 the usually dark gray belts change to yellow, then to orange, but 
 for some time even to fiery red. We hence find that our infer- 
 ence, that the physical aspects of Jupiter must show the effects 
 of the perturbation with which our theory supposes he is then 
 affected, is verified ; although no direct observations had been 
 made to ascertain and establish that fact ; yet we consider the 
 verification more satisfactory and complete because the observa- 
 tions were not special, but if anything accidental. Moreover, 
 the facts our investigation has elicited, do more than verify the 
 inference that the effects of the perturbation must be visible on 
 Jupiter himself, for they incontestably establish the existence of 
 the perturbations, and prove that they occur at the equinoctial 
 points of the planet. 
 
 We have already stated that we assumed the perihelion and 
 aphelion points of Jupiter's orbit to be intermediate between his 
 equinoctial points. Astronomy is silent as to planetary equi- 
 noxes ; those of the Earth excepted. When I was satisfied that 
 the equinoxes of Jupiter were the causes of the two marked 
 periods of disturbances in his year, I felt disappointed and dis- 
 couraged when I found the books silent on this now to me vital 
 point, because it was the turning point either to disprove or con- 
 firm the projected theory. Should it confirm the theory, then it 
 
(H) 
 
 would settle a momentous question in Meteorology and Science ; 
 and one that is of inestimable importance to the destiny of the 
 Human Race. So I thought and felt, because of my firm con- 
 victions of its truth and unshaken confidence that it would be 
 confirmed by the crucial test of facts. I however did not despair. 
 Analogy had suggested to me the Jovial equinoxes as the causes 
 of perturbation. A thorough investigation had established that 
 the facts exactly corresponded with the hypothesis ; and when 
 the points on the orbit that Jupiter occupied at the period of dis- 
 turbance were determined, it was found they were opposite 
 points. Hence it only remained to establish that these were his 
 equinoctial points. 
 
 The first thing was to establish the solsticial points, upon 
 which the books are equally as silent as upon the equinoctial. 
 But as telluric analogy had served my purposes well so far, I 
 relied upon it to furnish me both the solsticial and equinoctial 
 points. On the Earth's orbit I found the perihelion and aphelion 
 points closely coincided with the solsticial points ; and the latter 
 exactly coinciding with the points of the Ecliptic where the Sun 
 apparently, but really the Earth, is highest above or deepest 
 below the Equinoctial Line. I hence inferred that this might be 
 the case with Jupiter ; and if so, that the law might be general. 
 But how was this to be ascertained? 
 
 Unquestionably Jupiter's solstices are at the Jovial Tropics, 
 that is at the points where the Sun having made his greatest 
 ascension North or declension South as se. n from Jupiter, returns 
 towards the Jovial equinoctial. But no works at least none 
 accessible to me furnish any direct information on this point. 
 The inclination of Jupiter's orbit to the plane of the Ecliptic is 
 given, but not the point towards which it inclines. There is 
 nothing hence to indicate the points of the tropics of Jupiter. 
 But by following the suggestion that they would be found where 
 the plane of his orbit is highest above, or deepest below the plane 
 of the Ecliptic, it was inferred that the Jovial tropics, and conse- 
 quently solstices, might be approximately ascertained. Inquiry 
 was instituted in that direction : and it was ascertained that the 
 Tropics or solstices of Jupiter were at the points inferred, and that 
 they exactly coincided with his perihelion and aphelion ; and hence 
 of course his equinoxes must be 90 from either of these points. 
 
(25) 
 
 When the hypothesis first suggested itself that Jupiter was the 
 cause of the physical disturbances, such as sunspots, auroras, 
 hurricanes, earthquakes, etc., which, as had been established, 
 had two maxima a major and a minor in the Jovial year, my 
 first impression was, that it was owing to Jupiter's position in 
 Space ; and hence I deemed it of the highest importance to fix 
 these positions. Taking the record of all the phenomena I soon 
 determined approximately the date of their maxima at each 
 period. I next calculated the positions of Jupiter to correspond 
 with these periods. I determined that one point was on or near 
 101 of Celestial Longitude and the other on 281 . As these 
 were opposite points I felt much elated and became confident of 
 success. Examining these positions relative to Space to ascer- 
 tain what might be the mysterious influence exerted upon Jupi- 
 ter at these points of his orbit so as to cause him to perturb the 
 whole solar system, I found he was at both of these points in the 
 plane of the Milky Way. I hence for some time had an hypoth- 
 esis, that the influence that affected him came from Space, and 
 in some incomprehensible manner was exerted by the Milky 
 Way. 
 
 But as this hypothesis was incapable of verification I finally 
 discarded it ; for since it could not be verified, it could neither 
 increase Knowledge nor advance Science. It could lead to inter- 
 minable and indefinite speculations, but to nothing clear, definite 
 and tangible. Hence after I had adopted the equinoctial theory 
 as more reasonable and probable, I always felt that if the points 
 of the Jovial equinoxes could be determined, and if they were 
 found to coincide with these points in the plane of the Milky 
 Way, it would be considered as a demonstration of the theory, 
 and show that the locality in the plane of the Milky Way was 
 merely accidental. 
 
 Now Jupiter's perihelion and corresponding solstice, is in 
 Celestial Longitude 1 1 45', 33" ; consequently, his first equi- 
 nox the one that produces the maximum disturbance must be 
 90 o from the solstitial point ; that is L. 1 1 , 45', 33" plus 90 , 
 or L. 101 , 45', 33" ; and his second equinox at L. 101 , 45', 
 33", plus 180 , or 281 , 45', 33". It was with inexpressible 
 delight and gratification, mingled with astonishment, that I 
 beheld these results coming out with mathematical precision. 
 
(26) 
 
 Two astronomical points on Jupiter's orbit had been established 
 by a careful analysis and collation of facts, not to subserve any 
 theory, but to test the truth of every theory that might be pro- 
 posed. Months, and even years had elapsed, when a theory was 
 suggested based hypothetically upon the occurrence of physical 
 events when the planet passes two definite points on its orbit in 
 Space. Records of facts and phenomena were collected and 
 compared with the periods ; they were found to correspond in 
 time and place with the demands of the theory. But this was 
 not deemed conclusive, because there was no evidence that the 
 astronomical condition existed at that point. No facts were 
 known that established the assumed astronomical condition there 
 or any where ; but by a course of deductive reasoning, another 
 astronomical point is determined, located one-fourth the immense 
 distance around Jupiter's orbit from the point whose astronom- 
 ical relation is to be determined. By the aid of this fact the 
 exact location of the point in question could be calculated, and 
 behold calculation fixes it at the exact points the theory had 
 assigned to it, and where facts had located and proven it to be. 
 So astonishing was the result that I could scarcely believe it. 
 The labor of years had now been ciowned with success, and it 
 seemed to me as though the result had been attained more by 
 divination, than by the cool and dispassionate deductions of 
 reason. 
 
 Before proceeding any farther, it is necessary to remark that I 
 do not claim astronomical exactness for the planetary equinoxes 
 as I shall give them, nor do I expect that they will in all cases be 
 found to be precisely as given. All that I claim is that, they are 
 approximations arrived at from general principles, the only data 
 at my command. My purpose is to prove that planetary equi- 
 noxes affect, and I might say, determine the meteorological phe- 
 nomena of our Globe. I could not succeed in my purpose unless 
 I knew, at least approximately, the points on the orbits of the 
 several planets where their equinoxes occur. If with these ap- 
 proximations I succeed in establishing this great truth, Astron- 
 omy will see the importance and necessity of determining the 
 exact points where the equinoxes occur, that their periods of 
 recurrence can be calculated. In Jupiter the perihelion and 
 aphelion points on his orbit, and his solstitial points exactly 
 
coincide, judging by the plane of the Ecliptic. Hence probably 
 Jupiter's equinoxes as given will be found nearly if not quite 
 exact. But the perihelia and aphelia points on the orbits of all 
 planets may not always, like those of the Earth, exactly coincide 
 with the solstitial points. In fact, judging by the paths of their 
 orbits as compared with that of the Ecliptic, the equinoctial and 
 solstitial points in some vary by a few degrees. Hence their 
 equinoxes may vary a few days in their occurrence from the dates 
 given by me. In such slowly moving planets as Mars, Jupiter, 
 and Saturn, a few days and even weeks will make but little dif- 
 ference, but with Venus and Mercury, especially the latter, the 
 period should be known to a day. Of Vulcan, the other interior 
 planet, too little is known to claim exactness In fact, 
 so far as my information goes, it has only been seen twice. 
 Once by its discoverer, M. Lescarbault, March 26th, 1859 5 anc * by 
 myself, Sept. 25th or 26th, 1859, in its transit across the Sun, in 
 the forenoon. Without reflection, I supposed it to be Mercury ; 
 but several weeks later, when it occurred to me that a transit of 
 Mercury in September was an impossibility, I could not recall 
 and fix the exact date. 
 
 In 1871, Jupiter passed his ascending node on the 2ist 
 of August. This point is on L. 98 , 48', 37", and 
 his nearest equinoctial point, as we have seen, is L. 101 , 45', 
 33". These two points differ only 2 , 56', 56". Since his daily 
 motion is 4', 59". 3, therefore the difference between the time of 
 his ascending node and his equinox is thirty-five days. Hence 
 the equinox of Jupiter occurred in the year 1871, on the 26th of 
 September. 
 
 In 1869 I determined to watch closely the phenomena of the 
 impending perturbation expected to attain its maximum in 1871. 
 I hence opened a record on which I entered the date of all phe- 
 nomena reported to have occurred throughout the Earth, from 
 the ist of November, 1869, to ist of November, 1872. The ob- 
 ject was general ; but special points were kept in view. Amongst 
 these latter may be mentioned : (i) To ascertain the kind and 
 character of the prevailing phenomena during the period. (2) 
 To fix the maxima ; and, (3) To establish their corelation. 
 
 Since the theory exacts that the maximum disturbance must 
 occur at or near the Jovial equinox, I will quote the record for 
 
(28) 
 
 fifty days after the happening of the critical period, namely, 
 September 25th, 1871. This is by far the period of greatest en- 
 ergy recorded during that year, but the record shows that during 
 the whole year the phenomena and especially those at the 
 Venusian periods of which this is one were incomparably more 
 energetic than at any anterior or posterior period in the three years 
 covered by the record. During 1871 two other periods of intense 
 energy occurred ; namely, one in February and March, owing to 
 the disturbances of the Venusian* equinox of March 5th, and 
 that of the Terrestrial of March 2ist, being superimposed upon 
 the Jovial which had already acquired great energy as was man- 
 ifested by the frequency of earthquakes, the increase of sunspots, 
 the brilliancy of the auroras, and electric and magnetic disturb- 
 ances in the Earth. The other intense period of disturbance in 
 June and July, was occasioned by the recurrence of a Venusian 
 equinox on the 25th of June. An abstract of the record showing 
 the phenomena at these critical periods will be given at the 
 proper place. 
 
 I will however remark that the extreme perturbation exhibited 
 by the phenomena between the 5th of August and the 25th of 
 October, was not owing purely to Jovial influence, for within 
 this period fell no less than nine planetary equinoxes, namely, 
 Mars on August 5th, Mercury on September 8th, Earth on Sep- 
 tember 2 1 st, Jupiter on September 26th, Venus on October i5th, 
 and four Vulcanian namely, Aug. i3th; Sept. 5th and 28th, 
 and October 2ist. 
 
 I will here call attention to one of the most important facts of 
 these extraordinary cyclical perturbations, which would strike 
 us with amazement, if we did not see it to be natural. The en- 
 ergy of the equinox of any planet is intensified when that of 
 another occurs at or about the same time. The reason of this 
 is obvious, because the energy then manifested is the aggregate 
 energy of both. I have verified this by calculation where I 
 had the exact dates of phenomena considered so remarkable as 
 
 *NOTE. No apology is required for coining this hew word, ist, because 
 it is more intelligible and far more elegant than the old adjective derived 
 from the Latin declension of the noun Venus; and, 2nd, because the old 
 adjective has been so exclusively appropriated as to be inseparable from a 
 foul and loathsome disease, so as to render its application to any- 
 thing else improper and impolite. 
 
to pass into history. Some of these occurred six, seven and 
 eight centuries ago, yet I invariably found them to happen at 
 periods of extraordinary conjunction of planetary equinoxes. Al- 
 though the excitement of a Jovial equinox endures nearly three 
 years ; and manifests its presence constantly in some inobtrusive 
 form, such as electric and magnetic disturbances in the Earth 
 and in the Atmosphere, rapid and extreme oscillations in the bar- 
 ometer, heavy rainfalls, frequent auroras, and general seismic 
 disturbances, yet sporadic paroxysms occur at a time when these 
 phenomena display more than usual energy and violence. These 
 paroxysms are noticed to be intermittent, and when investigated, 
 are ascertained to be brought about by the superimposition of the 
 ordinary excitement of some other planetary equinox upon the 
 general disturbance then prevailing. For instance, a Vulcanian 
 equinox ordinarily passes without causing phenomena so remark- 
 able as to attract attention, yet when it occurs from eight to fif- 
 teen days after a Venusian equinox, the phenomena are often 
 terrible. As examples, the Iowa Tornado of May 22d, 1873, 
 and that which destroyed Tuscumbia, Alabama, November 22d, 
 1874, afford striking illustrations. Keeping these facts in mind, 
 we can readily understand the violence of the phenomena in the 
 record which we will now quote. 
 
 RECORD. 
 
 Auroras are recorded in Month of August, 1871, as follows: 
 5th, 9th, loth, nth, i2th, i3th, i5th, i6th, i7th, i9th, 2ist, 23d, 
 24th, and 3ist. 
 
 REMARKS. That on the i6th was .very bright, and the pre- 
 vailing color orange red. It was synchronous with the great 
 sunspot ; and that of the 2ist, which was deep red and extremely 
 brilliant, was synchronous with the terrible cyclone and earth- 
 quake at the Isle of St. Thomas. 
 
 Continuous sunspots during the month. From the nth to the 
 25th, very numerous and immensely large. On the I7th, the 
 measurement of one was 84,000 miles in length, and over 27,000 
 miles in width. On the i8th, it measured 78,500 miles in length 
 by 41,000 miles in width ; on the 2ist it divided and broke up 
 into groups. 
 
 EARTHQUAKES. On the 7th a violent earthquake in the East 
 
(30) 
 
 Indies. From 9 A. M. the volcano Ternate gave out a dull, 
 rumbling sound, with loud reports at intervals, continuing through 
 the night and all next day, with streams of lava. The sky was 
 black and the whole landscape darkened with smoke. At day 
 break on the Sth, the outburst of lava was so great that the 
 inhabitants began to fly to the neighboring islands. The erup- 
 tion of fire and lava and stones continued twelve days, when 
 activity somewhat abated. After a short interval of comparative 
 rest, another terrific explosion took place, which leveled many 
 buildings to their foundations. The whole island reeled, and the 
 damage to plantations and houses was enormous. Aug. 2oth, a 
 violent earthquake accompanied by a loud rumbling noise in Ja- 
 maica. 2ist, a severe earthquake felt at Callao, Peru, at 8.30 
 A. M. Undulations from Northwest to Southeast. The same 
 earthquake was felt at Cero Azul, Pisco, etc. At the time of the 
 shock the sea was calm, but it suddenly became rough, and a 
 strong Southeast gale set in. A ship, 200 miles from the coast, 
 felt the shock at the same hour. The sea instantly became agi- 
 tated and remained disturbed for two days. 
 
 MAGNETIC DISTURBANCES. Aug. i6th and iyth, violent mag- 
 netic disturbances observed in Cuba and at several observatories 
 in Europe. Those at the observatory at Havana, very violent 
 and remarkable. 2ist, extraordinary variations in the magnetic 
 needle observed at the observatory at Havana, Cuba. 24th, 
 another powerful magnetic disturbance observed, of several 
 hours duration. 
 
 REMARKS. By comparison of dates it will be observed that 
 the violent magnetic disturbances of the i6th and i7th were syn- 
 chronous with the large sunspot, with the brilliant auroras of the 
 i6th and i7th, and with the Florida cyclone ; and those of the 
 2ist with the breaking up of the large sunspots, the fiery aurora, 
 the earthquake in Peru, with the terrible cyclone and earth- 
 quake at St. Thomas. The magnetic disturbances of the 24th 
 were synchronous with the continuous aurora from the iSth, with 
 the tropical hurricane on its way from St. Thomas to the coast 
 of Florida ; with the terrible typhoon at Yokohama, and terrific 
 tornadoes in various parts of the country. 
 
 The coincidences in time of so many and so different and vari- 
 ous phenomena, make the inference unavoidable that they are 
 
corelated and originate in one and the same cause, which we 
 have elsewhere shown to be Electricity. 
 
 CYCLONES, ETC. August i2th to i4th, terrible rainstorms in 
 the southern parts of England and Wales, doing immense dam- 
 age. 1 6th, a severe and destructive cyclone in the interior and 
 along the coast of Florida, continuing to the i8th, eleven and a 
 half inches of water fell during the time. 2ist, a destructive 
 water-spout burst over the village Ollon, Switzerland. 2oth, St. 
 Kitts devastated by a hurricane. 2ist, the same hurricane swept 
 over St. Thomas. Every house was destroyed, and the whole 
 place laid in ruins. At i A. M. the gale was East ; shortly after, 
 North-East, blowing furiously at noon ; then it veered to the 
 North, when a terrific hurricane fell upon the Island, shifting to 
 the North-West ; it blew with great violence to 5 P. M., when a 
 lull occurred which lasted one hour, when a terrible hurricane 
 again broke out, this time from the South, but it did not last 
 long. It was followed by a terrible gale from the South-East 
 till long after midnight. The duration of its greatest violence 
 was two hours. 
 
 In the afternoon, during the hurricane, several severe shocks 
 of an earthquake were felt, rendering the situation of the people 
 more terrible, who, amid the crashing of the roofs overhead by 
 the hurricane, felt at the same time the earth beneath their feet 
 reeling from the throes of an earthquake. Upwards of 150 of 
 the inhabitants were killed, and upwards of 6,000 rendered home- 
 less and totally destitute. 
 
 On the 25th this same hurricane reached the Bahama Isles, 
 still accompanied by the earthquake. On reaching the coast 
 of Florida, which it did the same day, it swung around to the 
 North-East, visiting successively Georgia and South Carolina in 
 the wake of the destructive hurricane that had passed along the 
 coast on the 2Oth and 2ist. 24th, a destructive tornado at Cris- 
 tine, Ohio, accompanied with hail and unprecedented torrents of 
 tain. At Yokohama a terrible typhoon raged, swamping twenty 
 vessels loaded with tea, all of which -was totally lost. The coal 
 sheds of the Pacific Mail Company were destroyed. The ship- 
 ping in all the Japanese ports sustained immense damage. A 
 United States store ship lost four boats ; three seamen on board 
 were killed and many wounded. August 22d, at Ihangard, 
 
(32) 
 
 India, amid a terrible storm and an unprecedented downpour of 
 rain, a terrific thunderbolt fell ; the earth where it fell was literally 
 burst open, and all the huts together with their inmates were 
 swallowed up in the chasm. More than 60 people perished.* 
 3Oth, tremendous heavy rains in Pennsylvania, North to New 
 York and the New England States, causing destructive floods. 
 
 On my Journal I find the following under 24th : "The cirrus 
 clouds here are, this afternoon, moving West, which is contrary 
 to the wind. This I take as an indication of an unusual violent 
 cyclone near or on the east coast of either Georgia or Florida." 
 On the 25th is this memorandum : "Since the 2oth there has 
 been a fiery lurid haze covering the Valley of the Mississippi 
 from the Gulf north to St. Paul. Does this indicate earthquakes 
 again as it did last June? On the Pacific coast a lurid haze is 
 considered as a prelude to earthquakes." By reference to the 
 records of earthquakes during the month, it will be seen that 
 these five days cover the earthquakes, in Peru, South Pacific 
 Ocean, Jamaica, and that accompanying the great cyclone from 
 St. Thomas to the Bahamas. 
 
 AURORAS. September of this year was unusually noted for 
 the frequency and brilliancy of its auroras. They are recorded 
 on the 3d, very bright, 4th, 5th, 6th, yth, very brilliant, 8th, 
 9th, iSth, I9th, bright and fiery red, 2oth, 25th, and 3Oth, 
 bright with orange streamers. 
 
 REMARKS. By reference to records of this month it will be 
 perceived that the most remarkable auroras were again synchro- 
 nous with the most remarkable phenomena of the month : 
 namely, the very bright one of the 3d with the earthquake in 
 Jamaica, the extremely brilliant one on the yth, with the solar 
 outburst; the bright and fiery red of the I9th, with the earth- 
 quake at Tortola ; and the bright with orange streamers of the 
 25th with the tornadoes of Indiana and North Carolina. 
 
 CYCLONES. Sept. 3d A destructive typhoon in the Chinese 
 Sea. On the same day a terrible hurricane was raging on the 
 Carribean Sea. It reached the coast of Florida and Georgia on 
 the 5th and 6th. 5th, a terrific tornado and destructive hail- 
 
 *NoTE. This was one of those mine-like explosive earthquakes that 
 sometimes but rarely occur; not only when a thunder shower is overhead,, 
 but when it is only cloudy. 
 
(33) 
 
 storm in the eastern part of Nebraska. The tornado lifted and 
 carried away loaded cars from the railroad, and destroyed many 
 houses. 8th, another violent tornado visited the coast of Florida, 
 and on the same day a destructive gale prevailed on Lake Erie, 
 continuing through the 9th and loth. The tropical hurricane 
 moved down the Atlantic coast during the same time. 25th, a 
 terrific hailstorm at Purcell Station, Indiana, breaking the head- 
 lights, smashing the window of the cab and passenger cars, and 
 stopping the train. Same day a tremendous rainstorm and tor- 
 nado at Raleigh, North Carolina. 
 
 EARTHQUAKES. Sept. 3d, an earthquake at Kingston, Ja- 
 maica, while the hurricane raged. Sept. 6th, a tremendous vol- 
 canic eruption of Maunaloa, Sandwich Islands. 9th, a severe 
 earthquake at Burgundy, France ; many buildings were injured, 
 and stone fences leveled even with the ground. 2oth, a telegram 
 from Kingston, Jamaica, of this date, says: "Yesterday the 
 cable to St. Kitts was injured by an earthquake, which rendered 
 7,000 persons houseless in the island of Tortola." 3oth, severe 
 earthquake at Bombay. 
 
 SOLAR. An extraordinary solar outburst was observed by 
 Prof. C. A. Young, at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. 
 
 PHENOMENA OF OCTOBER. Auroras were observed on the 
 3d, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, I2th, I3th, I5th and 25th of this month. 
 
 REMARKS. The aurora of the 4th was quite bright with an 
 orange tinge and white streamers. It was synchronous with the 
 appearance of a seismic paroxysm that first manifested itself in 
 South America, and lasted seven days, in which time it pervaded 
 the whole world. Chili, Arequipa, Peru generally, were shaken. 
 On the 8th and 9th, the island of Mindanao, East Indies, was 
 shaken, and the earth rent by an earthquake. Constantinople 
 and New Jersey were shaken on the same day. Auroras were 
 continuous during these seven days, and seen every night when 
 the sky was not overcast with clouds. That of the 9th was very 
 bright and persistent during the whole night. That on the night 
 of the 1 2th was the most brilliant of the month. I saw it two 
 hours after sunrise on the I3th, and pointed it out to people at 
 the railroad station. The streamers were very distinct and all 
 converged to a point in the magnetic north, about 15 above the 
 horizon. The rays appeared exactly like those of the Sun radia- 
 
(34) 
 
 ted from behind a cloud near sunset. It was synchronous with 
 the sand cyclones of California and Nevada, the snow storm on 
 the mountains that blocked up the Union Pacific Railroad, the 
 violent hurricane in Nova Scotia, and the tremendous rainfalls 
 that caused such destructive freshets in the New England States. 
 It was also the precursor of the heavy rain storm approaching 
 from the northwest, which reached St. Louis on the night of the 
 1 3th, and that did so much harm, for several days after, on the 
 Lakes and in the valley of the St. Lawrence. 
 
 EARTHQUAKES. On the 4th of October a seismic paroxysm 
 manifested itself at Arequipa, Peru. It spread itself like a wave 
 and in seven days covered the whole world. It was felt severely 
 at Chiriqui on the 4th and 5th, and violently on the 5th at Iqui- 
 qui. The towns of Rica and Matilla were totally destroyed on 
 the 6th. Many of the adjacent towns suffered severely in build- 
 ings and other property, and in the loss of human lives. It was 
 felt at sea by a steamer from Panama to Callao. On the 8th, 
 severe shocks were felt at Constantinople, and two shocks, 
 twelve hours apart, were felt in Delaware and New Jersey. A 
 terrific earthquake occurred at Pollok, Mindinao, on the 8th and 
 9th, rending the earth and giving rise to sulphurous springs. 
 i5th, shocks of an earthquake felt in the New England States. 
 It was very strong at Concord, New Hampshire. iSth, an earth- 
 quake felt at Augusta, Maine, at 4.40?. M, ; it was very strong, 
 and its duration from ten to twelve minutes. 25th, a destruc- 
 tive earthquake at Bajo, Chili. 
 
 CYCLONES, ETC. Oct. yth and 8th, violent typhoons raged at 
 Shanghai and other ports on the Chinese Sea. The loss of ships 
 and property destroyed was immense. I2th, a terrible sand 
 cyclone in California, between the Colorado and Mohave rivers. 
 Near Fort Tijon, it was estimated that nearly 50,000 sheep were 
 destroyed by the sand storm. On the same day sand storms also 
 occurred in Nevada. Oct. I2th and I3th, a violent snow storm 
 raged on the Union Pacific Railroad where it crosses the Rocky 
 Mountains, blockading the road for seven days between Rawlings 
 and Sherman stations. At 6 P. M. the heaviest thunder shower 
 for years struck St. Louis. It continued all night, and immense 
 quantities of rain fell. I3th, a violent hurricane occurred at 
 Halifax, destroying an immense amount of property on shore, 
 
(35) 
 
 and doing great damage to the shipping in the harbor. On the 
 same day heavy rainfalls in the New England States, especially 
 in Maine, where they produced disastrous floods. I4th, heavy 
 gales on the Lakes ; many schooners wrecked arid lives lost. 
 Terrific gale and rainstorm at Montreal, all day and night. 
 Many frame houses blown away ; the brick walls of the gas 
 building blown down ; great damage to property generally ; and 
 several lives lost. i6th, another destructive hurricane at Halifax. 
 This was a continuation of the storm that was passing over the 
 Continent from the West for the last four or five days. 
 
 An examination of the record of these eighty days, leaves no 
 doubt of the character and species of the phenomena that occur 
 at a physical disturbance. Nominally one of these phenomena 
 is a variation in the intensity and in the direction of force of 
 telluric Magnetism ; but really it is a variation of intensity and 
 a change of direction in the electric currents circulating through 
 the Earth, as we show at the proper place. The other phenom- 
 ena are, sunspots, auroras, earthquakes, cyclones, and heavy 
 rain-falls. Whenever special observation is once made, it will 
 be ascertained, that frequent, sudden, and extreme oscillations of 
 atmospheric pressure, is also one of the accompanying phe- 
 nomena. 
 
 Since it is a cardinal article in our creed, that no hypothesis is 
 legitimate that is not susceptible of verification, therefore we 
 never permit any such hypothesis to vex us. To be treated with re- 
 spect and attention, a hypothesis must either show in its charac- 
 ter or on its face, that it can be either verified or disproved by 
 facts. When a number of facts seem to make the hypothesis 
 plausible, or warrant us in doing so, we elevate it to the rank of 
 a theory ; but of every theory we require before its acceptance as 
 a truth, that it must not only be verified by all the proper facts, 
 but that in turn it must explain them ; yea, more, we exact of it 
 that it must suggest facts, not known before, nor even suspected. 
 
 Our theory, it will be perceived, is, that planetary equinoxes 
 are the causes of the disturbance to which our Earth and its At- 
 mosphere is periodically subject. The greal Jovial Cycle has 
 been long known ; not however as the Jovial, but as the Eleven 
 years Cycle. It is hence but a question of fact whether or not 
 the length of the Cycle corresponds, as we contend, with the 
 
(36) 
 
 Jovial year. Facts alone must be the arbiters to decide this 
 point, for they alone are competent, and their decision must be 
 accepted as conclusive and final. 
 
 We have seen the species and character of the phenomena that 
 occur and prevail at the critical period of the Cycle. We see 
 that some of them are of such an imposing character that they 
 not only must have attracted, but compelled attention from the 
 very Infancy of the Human Race. Hence, in the historical 
 period, they must have passed upon the record. For the verifi- 
 cation of the theory, therefore, we must appeal to history, to 
 hear what it has to say or knows about the phenomena. But 
 looking at their character, it is obvious that not all of the phe- 
 nomena could be observed. Some, because they took place in 
 the Sun, ninety-five millions of miles away, and there were no in- 
 struments to aid the natural eye ; and others were unknown, and if 
 known, to observe them required more facilities, skill and intel- 
 ligence than Man possessed. Even of those that were so obvi- 
 ous that they could not escape observation, only a few, the most 
 imposing, would be deemed worthy a place in the record. Of 
 course the record is meagre, but it is ample to satisfy any reason- 
 able person that the great Physical Cycle has the same length as 
 the Jovial year. 
 
 Cyclones are amongst the most imposing of physical phenom- 
 ena. They however do not visit all parts of the Globe with the 
 same frequency, nor with equal grandeur and energy. In fact, 
 in some parts of the World they are not known as phenomena, 
 to be feared and dreaded. Even where they are both frequent 
 and energetic, each one taken singly is confined within so narrow 
 limits, and its devastation restricted to such narrow strip of ter- 
 ritory, and, moreover, all traces of its path being so soon obliter- 
 ated by Man or Time, that the old chroniclers did not deem them 
 worthy of a prominent place in history ; and where they men- 
 tion them, generally the elate is so indefinite as to be unavailable 
 for scientific research. But it is not so with earthquakes. They 
 raise and sink islands and continents ; heave up the mountains ; 
 and from some of them belch forth fire and smoke, and pour out 
 a flood of fiery lava which overwhelms cities. In fact wherever 
 they prevail with any degree of energy, they more or less per- 
 manently change the physical aspect and outlines of shores and 
 
(37) 
 
 continents. Hence history at all periods is crowded with their 
 record ; not so precise as desirable, nor as exact as they should 
 be when they are to be used for ascertaining and proving their 
 source in, and corelation to cosmical causes that supervene at 
 fixed astronomical periods. The ancient chroniclers did not re- 
 cord them for scientific purpose, but as sensational on account of 
 their astounding character. Hence they never mention the day 
 nor the month, and are even careless about the year. This how- 
 ever is not the case with physical phenomena alone, but is equal- 
 ly true of the records of political events : for by a comparison of 
 dates given for the same event by different authors, either from 
 their carelessness or from errors in transcribing, there is often a 
 difference of a year or two, and sometimes even more. I give 
 the dates as I find them, and where there are discrepancies, I 
 give that considered the best authority. I found by examination 
 however that my dates, with only one or two exceptions, corres* 
 pond closely with those of Hayden's Dictionary of Dates. 
 
 As the fullest record of physical phenomena is that of earth- 
 quakes, so for the purpose of verifying our theory, we will com- 
 pare the time of their occurrence with that of the Jovial Cycle 
 of 1871. But before doing so, we will remind the reader of three 
 facts already stated, namely, (i) The Jovial disturbance by ac- 
 tual observation has been ascertained to extend over a period 
 nearly, if not quite three years. (2) That though, during the 
 period of perturbation the incessant occurrences of the charac- 
 teristic phenomena in mild and modified forms, show a general 
 excitement of the Earth and the Atmosphere, yet violent parox- 
 ysms hardly ever take place from a pure Jovial cause ; and, (3) 
 That the violent paroxysms are sequences of a Martial, Venu- 
 sian, Terrestrial or Mercurial equinoctial disturbance being su- 
 perimposed on the Jovial. Hence too, these causes frequently 
 accelerate or retard the maximum paroxysm. To this fact I 
 will add that, a Saturnian disturbance frequently prolongs the 
 Jovial perturbation, as well as intensifies those of other planets, 
 as will be shown hereafter. A Saturnian perturbation once in 
 a great while for obvious reasons during seven or eight cycles 
 of fifty-nine years, will intensify at the critical period every 
 fifth Jovial disturbance. This cycle has been distinctly noted 
 and determined by observers, and called by them the Fifty-nine 
 
(38) 
 
 Years Cycle ; but they never suspected the cause, namely, that 
 five Jovial years are only one hundred and ten days more, and 
 two Saturnian years only thirty-three days less than fifty-nine 
 years. 
 
 It is hence perceived, that every second revolution of Saturn 
 approaches or recedes 143 days from every fifth of Jupiter ; and 
 that it will take as many times 59 years as 143 is contained times 
 in the length of the Jovial perturbation usually estimated three 
 y ears before the Fifty-nine Years Cycle will disappear, to re- 
 appear after a long interval. As all planets have two equinoxes 
 in their year, of course there is a double cycle of fifty-nine 
 years. The minor cycle or approximate conjunction of a Jovial 
 and Saturnian equinox took place in 1818, and hence one will 
 occur in 1877. A Saturnian disturbance endures fully for six 
 years. After a careful investigation of the facts, I feel warranted 
 to infer that approximately the equinoctial disturbance of every 
 planet is felt for nearly one-fourth of the period of its revolu- 
 tion around the Sun ; generally two-fifths of the time before, and 
 three-fifths of the time after the occurrence of the equinox ; ex- 
 cept in the case of Jupiter and of the Earth where these propor- 
 tions generally seem reversed. The following appear to be the 
 length of each planet's perturbation : 
 
 Vulcan, - Not known. 
 
 Mercury, - 15 days. 
 
 Venus, - 56 days. 
 
 Earth, - 3 months. 
 
 Mars, - 5 months. 
 
 Jupiter, - - - - 3 years. 
 
 Saturn, - 7 years. 
 
 Vulcan's equinoxes probably occur near his nodes, approxi- 
 mately 4 and 184. Judging from his appearance while on 
 the disc of the Sun in September, 1859, m ' s size must be fully 
 equal to, if not much greater than, that of Venus. 
 
 VERIFICATION OF THE CYCLE. 
 
 EARTHQUAKES. As already stated, earthquakes are not only 
 the earliest but almost exclusively the only phenomena recorded 
 in primitive history. We hence avail ourselves of historical 
 earthquakes to test the truth of our theory. But in order to show 
 
(39) 
 
 that our sole object is to ascertain the truth, we have taken the 
 lists, prepared by others, of remarkable earthquakes, and not a 
 select list of our own. We have only added one or two to the 
 list, such as had evidently been overlooked by the compilers. 
 
 Smith, in his valuable History of Greece, speaking of the 
 Lacedemonians, says : "In the year B. C. 464, their capital 
 (Sparta) was visited by an earthquake which laid it in ruins, 
 and killed 20,000 of its citizens, besides a large body of their 
 chosen youth, who were in a building at their gymnasium exer- 
 cises." Other dates are given for the happening of this event, 
 as the years 465 and 466. According to the date given by Smith 
 as only the year is given the earthquake was about synchro- 
 nous with the great cyclical disturbance of Jupiter. From A.D. 
 1871.72, when the last Jovial disturbance occurred, to B. C. 464 
 are 2350.72 years; divided by u.86 years, the length of the 
 Jovial year, gives 197 revolutions of Jupifer, lacking seven- 
 tenths of a year. The Jovial equinox hence occur in the year B. 
 C. 465, and the earthquake must have happened 8 or 10 months 
 after the equinox. If the earthquake occurred as stated in the 
 year 465, then it was synchronous with the equinox ; if, in the 
 year 466 B. C., then it happened before the equinox. All these 
 dates bring the earthquake within the limits of a Jovial disturb- 
 ance. For convenience sake we will take the year 1871, discard- 
 ing the fraction, unless otherwise stated, as our standard. We 
 do so for convenience sake, and for the reason that we have 
 neither day nor month given in the year for the events recorded 
 in history. The year B. C. 425 is given for the earthquake that 
 made Eubeca an island. From our standard to B.C. 425 both 
 inclusive, are 2296 years, or 193^ Jovial Cycles, plus one year. 
 If this event is not apocryphal, the earthquake occurred some 
 ten or twelve months before the minor* equinox of Jupiter. 
 Ellice and Bula, two cities in Peloponessus, were swallowed up 
 in the year B. C. 372. The time elapsed from the year B. C. 
 372 to our standard was 2243 years, equals 186 Jovial cycles, 
 plus 17 months, that is, the earthquake occurred from 10 to 17 
 months before the major equinox. 
 
 *NOTE. Half a cycle shows that it was not the major but the minor 
 disturbing equinox that occurred. We designate the equinoxes accord- 
 ingly- 
 
(4) 
 
 The earthquake at Rome, according to Livy, into whose 
 chasm, armed and mounted on a stately horse, M. Curtius leaped, 
 occurred B. C. 358. From 1871.72 to 358 are 2229.72 years, 
 equal 1 88 Jovial Cycles, plus about 36 days. This earthquake 
 hence was within 36 days of the major equinox. Durcas, in 
 Greece, and twelve cities in Campania, were engulfed with all 
 their inhabitants by an earthquake in the year B. C. 345, or 187 
 cycles, plus i.i years from 1871. Lysimachia and its inhabi- 
 tants was totally buried by an earthquake B.C. 283, or from 1871 
 the time elapsed was iSiJ Jovial cycles, plus 17 months, that is, 
 the earthquake occurred at the minor equinox, within seventeen 
 months before it. 
 
 An earthquake destroyed Ephesus, and other cities in Asia 
 Minor, A D. 17- The time from 1871 to 17 is 1854 years, or 
 156^ cycles, minus one year. The earthquake therefore occurred 
 within one year of the minor equinox. 
 
 In the year A. D. 79 occurred that extraordinary earthquake 
 and eruption of Vesuvius, up to that time supposed to be an 
 extinct volcano, that overwhelmed the cities of Herculaneum 
 and Pompeii. This is one of the most appalling phenomena 
 recorded in history. It happened on the night of the 24th of 
 August, 79, when many of the people were at the theatres. 
 From the 24th of August, A.D. 79, to 25th of September, 1871, 
 are 1792.08 years, equal to 151 Jovial Cycles, plus 1.14 years. 
 The equinox occurred October i4th, A.D. So, or nearly 14 months 
 after the earthquake. It is proper to remark here that a Saturn- 
 ian equinox occurred only a few weeks after the Jovial in the 
 year So. Hence the paroxysm was not only accelerated but in- 
 tensified by the near conjunction of the two equinoxes. 
 
 The eruption and earthquake are the most terrible and appal- 
 ing that history furnishes. The cities of Herculaneum, Pom- 
 peii and Stabia, were overwhelmed with lava and buried in 
 ashes, after having sustained a total overthrow by the earthquake; 
 and the surrounding country was deeply covered with scoriae. 
 Over 250,000 persons perished ; the elder Pliny lost his life, in 
 the interest both of Science and Humanity. 
 
 We may as well here consider all the subsequent seismic phe- 
 nomena of Vesuvius, as they afford very pointed confirmation of 
 our theory. But before doing so, we will point to a historical 
 
(4') 
 
 fact that a portion of Pompeii was destroyed in A.D. 63, exactly 
 at the minor equinox of Jupiter, that is one and a half cycle 
 before the great catastrophe. 
 
 One of the most destructive eruptions of Vesuvius occurred on 
 the 24th of November, 1759. Jupiter passed his major equinox 
 in January, 1759, and Saturn in November, coinciding almost, if 
 not quite, with the eruption. Besides this, Venus passed her 
 equinox October 29, or only 26 days before the eruption. 
 
 In June, 1794 day not given one of the most destructive 
 eruptions occurred. The lava flowed over 5,000 acres of vine- 
 yards and cultivated lands. The town of Torre del Greco was 
 burnt ; and the top of the mountain fell in, so that the crater is 
 now nearly two miles in circumference. In 1794 the minor 
 equinox of Jupiter occurred in August, and therefore coincides 
 with the eruption, within two months. The violent eruption 
 of May, 1855, occurred one year and four months after the 
 minor equinox of Jupiter, and within 22 days of a Venusian 
 equinox. There were a series of violent eruptions that com- 
 menced in May, 1858, and continued at intervals to December, 
 1861. Jupiter's major equinox occurred in December, 1859, an( ^ 
 a Saturnian early in the year 1863. This was the cause of the 
 prolongation not only of the Vesuvian eruptions, but of violent 
 earthquakes and electric disturbances from the beginning of the 
 year 1858, till after the minor equinox of Jupiter in October, 
 1865, involving all parts of the Globe. From 1858 to 1861 all 
 the phenomena fell within the disturbed period three years 
 of Jupiter. 
 
 As the phenomena and their relation to the Jovial equinoxes, 
 are now before the reader, we may as well show their more in- 
 timate relations to those of Venus. We therefore give the fol- 
 lowing facts as illustrations of how a crisis is brought on during 
 the prevalence of a Jovial or Saturnian perturbation by the su- 
 perimposition of the disturbance occasioned by an equinox of 
 one of the inferior planets. The destructive eruption of 1794 
 occurred in June ; an equinox of Venus took place on the 6th of 
 June of that year. The eruption of 1855 occurred in May and 
 June ; an equinox of Venus June 25th. The eruptions of 1858 
 in May and June. Equinoxes of Venus in 1858 are one in April 
 and one in July. The destructive eruption of 1859 occurred in 
 
(42) 
 
 June. An equinox of Venus occurred June 26th, 1859. 
 1860 our information is vague. The record before me only 
 says, "great destruction was caused by the eruptions in the 
 spring and summer of 1860." The spring equinox of Venus oc- 
 curred in February, and the summer one about the first of June 
 in that year. The violent eruption of December, 1861, which 
 again destroyed Torre del Greco, was synchronous with a Ve- 
 nusian equinox that took place December 9th. And the erup- 
 tion of 1865 was only 26 days after the Venusian equinox of 
 January loth. 
 
 Returning now to our list of earthquakes, which we had fol- 
 lowed up the year A. D. 79 I and found that the engulphing ot 
 Pompeii and Herculaneum occurred 14 months before the 
 major equinox of Jupiter, which did not take place until the fol- 
 lowing year, say A. D. 80.86. The next earthquake on the list 
 is indefinite, which reads as follows : Four cities in Asia, two 
 in Greece, and two in Galatia overturned by an earthquake in 
 the year A. D. 107 Two cycles of Jupiter, namely, 23.7-3 
 years from the year So. 86, were completed 2.4 years before A. 
 D. 107 ; and one cycle of Saturn 3.3 years after 107. In all these 
 approximate periodical conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn, the 
 minimum of perturbation between the major and minor equinoxes 
 of Jupiter is obliterated, and the perturbation is continuous for 
 seven or eight years ; and this may account for the happening of 
 this earthquake so remote from the cyclical period of both plan- 
 ets as not to be referable to either. 
 
 In the year 115 Antioch was destroyed by an earthquake. 
 This occurred one year and five months before a major equinox 
 of Jupiter. Nicomedia, Caesarea and Nicea were overturned by 
 earthquake in 126. This occurred within two months of a major 
 equinox. 
 
 In 357, in Asia, Pontus and Macedonia, 150 cities were 
 partly destroyed and damaged by an earthquake. This occurred 
 17 months before a minor equinox. 
 
 Nicodemia totally demolished, and its inhabitants buried be- 
 neath its ruins, in the year 358. This accords within a few 
 months with a minor equinox. 
 
 In 543, an earthquake was felt in all parts of the world. The 
 year exactly coincides with a major equinox. 
 
(43) 
 
 In 557, a great many edifices destroyed, and thousands per- 
 ished by an earthquake at Constantinople. This seems too re- 
 mote from either a Jovial or Saturnian perturbation to be refer- 
 able to either. If it be assumed to have occurred at the begin- 
 ning of the year, it was twenty months before a major equinox. 
 
 In Africa, in the year 560, many cities were overthrown by an 
 earthquake. This occurred about five months after a major 
 equinox. 
 
 In the year 626, Antioch, in Syria, was destroyed by an earth- 
 quake. Over 250,000 persons perished in this calamity. This 
 occurrence took place within a few months of a major equinox. 
 
 In the year 742 an awful earthquake occurred in Syria, Pales- 
 tine and Asia ; more than 500 towns were destroyed, and the loss 
 of life surpassed all calculation. As this event happened when 
 Jupiter was about midway between his equinoctial points, it 
 cannot be referred to him ; but as it occurred within 17 months 
 of a Saturnian equinox, it was partly owing to a Saturnian dis- 
 turbance brought about as usually by an equinox of either Mars, 
 the Earth, or Venus. Mercury may have contributed its influ- 
 ence, which however lasts only a few days ; besides, either Ura- 
 nus or Neptune may have been at their equinoctial points, and 
 thus aided in producing the convulsion. 
 
 In the year 80 1, all Europe was shaken by an earthquake. 
 This again, for the reasons above stated, is a purely Saturnian 
 phenomena ; it occurring 18 months before his equinox, 
 
 A severe earthquake was felt in England, and throughout 
 Europe, in 1089. There are exactly 66 Jovial cycles from 1089 
 to 1871-72. 
 
 In the year 1114 another dreadful earthquake occurred at An- 
 tioch. Many cities were destroyed in Syria, among them Mari- 
 seum and Mamistria. This earthquake occurred one year and 
 three months before a major equinox. 
 
 The earthquake of 1137 in Sicily, by which Catania was over- 
 turned and 15,000 persons perished, occurred within two months 
 of a major equinox. 
 
 The severe earthquake in England in 1142, occurred within a 
 few months of a minor equinox. 
 
 The earthquake in Calabria, in which one of its cities was 
 thrown into, and engulfed by, the Adriatic Sea, occurred in 
 
(44) 
 
 nS6. This took place over two years after an equinox of Jupi- 
 ter, it cannot therefore be referred to him, but it occurred with- 
 in six months of a Saturnian equinox. As the day and month 
 are not given, we can only give the extreme limits, namely, six 
 months. 
 
 The earthquake in England, by which Glastonbury was de- 
 stroyed, occurred in 1274, and was one year and two months an- 
 terior to a minor equinox. 
 
 The severest earthquake ever known in England, occurred on 
 Nov. 1 4th, 1318. It took place just one year and three months 
 before a minor equinox. 
 
 In 1456, an earthquake occurred at Naples, in which 40,000 
 persons perished. This earthquake corresponds exactly with the 
 year of the major equinox. 
 
 The earthquake of February, 1531, by which 1400 houses in 
 Lisbon were destroyed, and 30,000 persons in that and neighbor- 
 ing cities buried, does not coincide with either a Jovial or 
 Saturnian cycle, being two and three-fourths years removed from 
 the first, and about six years from the last. A Venusian equinox 
 occurred on the iSth of January of that year, and a Martial in 
 February, and they may have caused it, but this is a rare occur- 
 rence. 
 
 On the 1 9th of Sept., 1538, Monte Nuovo, (New Mountain,) 
 was raised by an earthquake near Pozzuola, Italy. This occurred 
 not quite a year before the major equinox. 
 
 In 1580, part of h-t. Pauls and the Temple churches fell from 
 the effects of an earthquake. This occurred about five or six 
 months before a minor equinox. 
 
 The year 1596 is given for a severe earthquake in Japan, in 
 which several cities were made ruins. This date does nor cor- 
 respond with a Jovial cycle, but with a Saturnian one within 
 one and a half years. 
 
 A destructive earthquake in Calabria, in 1638. If it occurred 
 in the latter part of the year, its occurrence was within about 
 eight months of a minor equinox. 
 
 On the nth of June, 1638, a new island was thrown up by an 
 earthquake near St. Michaels, Azores. In December, i7 I 9? tne 
 island having disappeared, arose again above the surface of the 
 sea. This was during a Jovial and Saturnian disturbance. On 
 
(45) 
 
 the 1 3th of June, 1811, it arose a third time, but the village of 
 St. Michaels was sunk the year before, as will appear at the 
 proper place. 
 
 An earthquake occurred in China, in 1692, by which 300,000 
 persons perished in Pekin alone. This earthquake could not 
 have occurred more than 18 months after a minor equinox ; and 
 it may have occurred within six. 
 
 The earthquake by which Port Royal, Jamaica, was sunk 40 
 fathoms beneath the sea, occurred in 1692. This event took 
 place about one year and one month before the major equinox. 
 
 In the year 1693, an earthquake overturned 54 cities and towns, 
 300 villages in Sicily. Of Catania, with its 18,000 people, not 
 a vestige remained ; over 100,000 lives were lost. As the earth- 
 quake occurred in September, we find it occurred within 36 days 
 of the major equinox. 
 
 This brings the record down to the beginning of the Eighteenth 
 Century, and we will now take a retrospect to see what the testi- 
 mony of the facts so far has been, and judge whether they prove 
 or disprove the theory that the length of the Cycle of Physical 
 Perturbation corresponds with the Jovial year ; and that the Jovial 
 equinoxes are the disturbing causes. It is admitted that the 
 major perturbation, which we have endeavored to identify with 
 the first equinox of Jupiter after he has been to his perihelion, 
 and where he is 47,000,000 of miles nearer the Sun than at 
 aphelion, far exceeds the energy of the minor perturbation after 
 passing aphelion. The inference hence is that, not only the 
 larger number of phenomena, but those of greatest energy, must 
 occur at what we call the period of the major equinox. But 
 before we investigate this point, let us take a general survey of 
 the ground. 
 
 From the year B. C. 465, to A. D. 1700, are 2165 years. Since 
 a Jovial equinox occurs every 5.93 years, therefore in 2165 years 
 365 such equinoxes occur. Jupiter's year is within a small frac- 
 tion of 12 years. Actual observation has determined that ordi- 
 narily the major perturbation lasts about three years, from its 
 first feeble manifestations until it disappears ; the minor is several 
 months shorter. We can hence assume that in the twenty-one 
 and two-thirds centuries the Earth for nearly one-half the time, 
 say 1,000 years, was under the Jovial influence, leaving 1 165 years 
 
(46) 
 
 when no such influence was perceptible. We now divide the 
 thousand years into 365 parts the number of Jovial equinoxes 
 in the twenty-one and two-thirds centuries and disseminate these 
 parts equally amongst the 2165 years. Our theory assumes that 
 in the 2165 years there are 365 periodical disturbances; and it 
 exacts that each of these di-sturbances shall fall upon one of these 
 distributed periods ; and that unless each does so, the theory falls to 
 the ground. In this long period of 2165 years, not more than one- 
 fifth of the Globe was under observation. Of the hundreds of 
 phenomena observed, not a tithe were deemed worthy to be re- 
 corded. In fact only the most extraordinary and appalling ones 
 were deemed worthy of a place upon the records. At the end 
 of the period, a virtuoso in search of the curious and marvellous, 
 finds forty-four of the phenomena that history for 21 centuries 
 has collected and recorded, so extraordinary that he puts them 
 upon his "List of the most dreadful and appalling earthquakes 
 in all ages." 
 
 Well, whatever scientific value facts that were discarded from 
 this list may have possessed, these extraordinary ones possess in a 
 more eminent degree. These latter we now take up singly, and 
 compare their dates with the fixed periods the theory assigned 
 in over twenty-one hundred years. This certainly will severely 
 test the theory ; but behold the result ! Of the forty-four, thirty- 
 six fall upon the periods fixed by the theory ; four fall upon a 
 Saturnian period, deduced from the assumption of the truth of 
 the Jovial period ; one falls upon a period formed by an acci- 
 dental conjunction of a Martial and a Venusian cycle, whose 
 existence were also inferred from the Jovial cycle ; one is the 
 joint product of the Jovial and Saturnian periods at an approxi- 
 mate conjunction ; and to but two of the phenomena no periods 
 can yet be assigned ; and there is even a possibility that their 
 dates may be erroneous. 
 
 Returning now to the verification of our two inferences, we 
 find upon review the following facts ; Of the thirty-six phenom- 
 ena occurring at the Jovial periods, twenty-two occur at the 
 major and but fourteen at the minor equinox. The inference 
 therefore is confirmed that the large portion of the phenomena 
 would occur at the major equinox. The second inference is that 
 the phenomena occurring at the major equinox would upon 
 
(47) 
 
 examination prove to have greater intensity and energy than 
 those at the minor, is also confirmed ; for eleven of those that 
 occurred at the major equinox exhibited intense energy, while 
 but two of those at the minor were so characterized. 
 
 So far the facts seem to indicate that Saturnian phenomena 
 nearly uniformly manifest extraordinary energy and violence. 
 
 During the Eighteenth and up the present time of the Nine- 
 teenth Century, the records of earthquakes are too numerous to 
 be considered singly, we will therefore only select a few of the 
 most extraordinary ones of modern times, and then proceed to 
 discuss another point of the subject 
 
 In 1731, more than 100,000 people lost their lives by an earth- 
 quake in Pekin, China. This was a year and a half after a 
 major equinox. 
 
 In 1736, a year after the minor equinox, a mountain in Hun- 
 gary was turned around by an earthquake. This was one of 
 those rare phenomena, a rotary earthquake, of which that at 
 Riobamba was an instance. Humboldt says of the Riobamba 
 earthquake: "I was shown a place where the whole furniture 
 of one house had been found under the ruins of another: the 
 earth evidently had moved like a fluid in streams or circular cur- 
 rents, the direction of which was first downwards, then horizon- 
 tal, and lastly upwards." The great earthquakes of Lisbon and 
 Calabria, in 1783, were conspicuous examples of these rotarv 
 earthquakes. In the latter, by the whirling motion of the earth, 
 buildings, without being overturned, were twisted in different 
 directions, parallel rows of trees were deflected, and in fields 
 producing two different kinds of grain, one crop was made to 
 take the place of that occupied by another. This displacement 
 of lands gave rise to much litigation. 
 
 In 1740 a violent earthquake occurred in Asia Minor and 
 Southern Europe. At Palermo a convent fell into a chasm and 
 was swallowed up. This occurred the year before the maior 
 equinox. 
 
 Lima and Callao, Peru, demolished by an earthquake October 
 28th, 1746. This occurred not quite five months before a minor 
 equinox. 
 
 Adrianople nearly overwhelmed by an earthquake 1752 ; about 
 six months before a major equinox. 
 
(48) 
 
 Grand Cairo destroyed by an earthquake. More than half the 
 houses swallowed up, and 18,000 or 20,000 lives lost. This 
 took place in 1754, the year after the major equinox. 
 
 As there was an approximate conjunction of the next Jovial 
 equinox which took place 1759.09, and a Saturnian taking place 
 in 1759.90, the usual prolonged perturbation in such cases, about 
 eight years, took place, extending over the intervening period, 
 and including the previous major Jovial equinox, which occurred 
 in 1753.16. The earthquakes were unusually frequent, and of 
 the most violent character during this period. In April, 1755, 
 the city of Quito was swallowed up. On November ist, 1755, 
 occurred the great earthquake of Lisbon. In eight minutes 
 nearly all the houses and 60,000 of the inhabitants were swal- 
 lowed up ; whole streets were buried. The cities of Coimbra, 
 Oporta and Braga suffered dreadfully ; St. Ubas was totally 
 overturned. A large part of Malaga was in ruins. One half of 
 Fez, in Morocco, was destroyed, and more than 12,000 Arabs 
 perished. One-half of the island of Madeira was made waste ; 
 and 2,000 houses in the island of Mytelene were overthrown. 
 The shock was felt in North and South America, in Scotland, 
 Norway, and eastward into Asia. A Venusian equinox occurred 
 on the very day that this earthquake occurred. In 1759, at the 
 approximate conjunction of the equinoxes of Jupiter and Saturn 
 terrible earthquakes raged over North and South America, 
 Southern Europe, Syria, Asia and the East Indies. The city of 
 Balbec, in Syria, was totally destroyed. 
 
 On the 5th of February, 1783, not quite four months after the 
 minor equinox, Messina, and other towns in Sicily, were over- 
 thrown, and over 40,000 persons perished ; and in Iceland, Jan- 
 uary 9th, 1783, a whole river and its valley was engulfed by an 
 earthquake. 
 
 At the major equinox of September 29th, 1788, there was a 
 general earthquake commotion throughout the Globe. The most 
 noted was that of September 3Oth, 1789, just one year after the 
 equinox in which Borgo di San Sepolcro was swallowed up. 
 
 At the major equinox, August, 1800, amongst others, was the 
 historical earthquake at Constantinople, which laid a great portion 
 of the city in ruins, amongst them the royal palace. It occurred 
 on the 26th of September, just one month after the equinox. 
 
(49) 
 
 In 1804, another Saturnian, and in 1806, the Jovial minor 
 equinox occurred. In 1804, the most violent earthquake ever 
 known was felt in Holland, and on July 26th, 1805, at Frosolone, 
 and at Naples 6,000 to 8,000 lives were lost. 
 
 The major equinox of May, 1812, is memorable for its intense, 
 violent and general seismic convulsions. About twenty months 
 before the equinox the village of St. Michael, Azores, was sunk, 
 and a lake of boiling water appeared in its place. In March, 
 1812, two months before the equinox, the city of Caracas, (as 
 given at another place) was destroyed. But the most memor- 
 able of all the attending earthquakes of this equinox, was that 
 of the valley of the Mississippi, commencing Dec. i6th, 1811, 
 and continuing through 1812 and 1813. In this earthquake sev- 
 eral islands in the Mississippi, near New Madrid, were sunk, 
 and the river at one time driven back eighteen miles, overflow- 
 ing the adjacent country. Half of the County, as well as the vil- 
 lage of New Madrid, were submerged. Several new lakes 
 were formed, one sixty miles long and several miles wide. An 
 immense area of forest was sunk below the water level, forming 
 what is now known as the Great Earthquake Swamp. The 
 Earth's surface rose in huge undulations like the billows of the 
 sea, and with terrific detonations, chasms yawned from which 
 vast columns of sand, mud, water, and a substance resembling 
 coke, were ejected. The whole face of the country in that region 
 underwent a permanent physical change. 
 
 The minor equinox occurred 1818.39; and as Saturn passes 
 an equinoctial point in every 14^ years, a Saturnian equinox oc- 
 curred early in 1819. Earthquakes were general all over the 
 Globe, and many very destructive. The most remarkable one 
 occurred in June, 1819, by which the district of Kutch was sunk, 
 and several thousand people perished. Geneva, Palermo, Rome, 
 and many cities in Southern Europe suffered during 1819; im- 
 mense damage was done to property, and many lives were 
 lost. 
 
 The equinox of 1824.32, shows nothing remarkable; though 
 there were frequent earthquakes in all parts of the world ; 
 yet they were of a mild character. The great paroxysm that 
 came on in 1810 and lasted to 1819, in which two Jovial and one 
 Saturnian equinox occurred, seems to have exhausted the frame 
 
(5) 
 
 of Nature, and there was a period of comparative repose until 
 1829, a short time before the minor equinox, which took place 
 1830.35. 
 
 On March zist, 1829, Mercia and numerous towns and villages 
 in Spain, were laid waste, and 6,000 persons perished. This 
 was one year before the minor equinox. 
 
 Another Saturnian equinox occurred in 1834, and consequently 
 we have another prolonged seismic paroxysm until after the 
 Jovial major equinox in 1836.18. 
 
 The following are the most noted earthquakes during this 
 period : 
 
 No less than forty shocks were experienced in Italy during 
 1834. At Pontremoli, Feb. i4th, many houses were demolished 
 and many lives lost not a chimney was left standing. 
 
 Cozenza and many villages destroyed in Calabria, and many 
 lives lost, April 29th, 1835. 
 
 Rossano and other villages destroyed, over 1,000 persons per- 
 ished, Oct. 12, 1836. 
 
 Many cities in Southern Syria totally demolished, and thous- 
 ands of lives lost, in December, 1836. 
 
 At the minor equinox of 1842.11, we have: two-thirds of the 
 town of Cape Haytien, St. Domingo, destroyed, and between 
 4,000 and 5,000 lives lost, May 7th, 1842. 
 
 Point a Pitre, Gaudaloupe, utterly destroyed on February 8th, 
 1843. 
 
 The major equinox of 1848.04, was marked by general seismic 
 convulsions all over the globe, but nothing remarkable occurred 
 until the intervention of a Saturnian equinox in the latter part 
 of the year. Then a paroxysm set in, which lasted till after the 
 minor equinox of Jupiter, December 2Oth, 1853. Some of these 
 earthquakes were most violent and destructive ; but they are too 
 many for record here. 
 
 In 1859.90, occurred a major equinox, preceded for nearly two 
 years by some of the most violent earthquakes on record. Mon- 
 temurro, Calabrai, and 22,000 people destroyed Dec. i6th, 1857 5 
 Corinth, Feb. 2ist, 1859; Quito destroyed and 1,000 persons 
 killed March 2ist, 1859; Erzeroum destroyed, and 1,000 killed, 
 June 2d, 1859; San Salvador, Dec. Sth, 1859. 
 
 In 1863, another Saturnian equinox intervened with the usual 
 
(50 
 
 violent paroxysms that continued down till two years after the 
 minor Jovial equinox in 1865.83. 
 
 We can only give an abstract of the most prominent. Perugia, 
 Italy, laid waste 1861. Mendoza, South America, destroyed; 
 7,000 lives lost, 1861. Corinth, and many other cities, Dec. 26, 
 1861. Guatamala, 150 buildings and fourteen churches des- 
 troyed; and many lives lost, Dec. 19, 1862. Thirteen villages 
 destroyed and many lives lost in Asia Minor, April 22d, 1863. 
 Manilla destroyed, the destruction of property immense, and 
 10,000 persons perished, June 3d, 1863. In Sicily, Macchia, 
 Bendinella, and other villages, destroyed, with great loss of life, 
 July 1 8th, 1865. The latter belongs to the Jovial equinox 
 which occurred in November of this year. 
 
 Part of the phenomena including earthquakes of the major 
 equinox of Sept. 25, 1871, have already been given in the quo- 
 tation of the general phenomena from Aug. 5, to Oct. 25, 1871. 
 Others will be given when we make quotations for the Venusian 
 Cycle, and therefore need not be repeated here. 
 
 The testimony of the facts presented, incontestably establishes 
 these points : that earthquakes have a periodicity in the frequency 
 of their occurrence, and that they show well-defined periods of 
 maxima and minima, which alternate regularly as to time with 
 each other. Examination of the dates of their occurrence shows 
 that these maxima and minima are covariants with those of other 
 physical disturbances ; and moreover that the maxima are syn- 
 chronous with Jupiter's passage through his equinoctial points ; 
 the minima in the meanwhile corresponding in time with his 
 passage through the aphelion or perihelion points, situated mid- 
 way between the equinoctial points. One great point has, there- 
 fore, been established in Meteorological Science. But incontest- 
 ably true as it is, yet it is not at all times owing to one and invar- 
 iably to the same cause, but oftentimes is the resultant of several 
 causes whose periods for the time being accidentally coinci- 
 dent, the phenomena become often very complicated, and fre- 
 quently the minimum period is entirely obliterated. Hence we 
 may become bewildered when looking only in one direction for 
 the cause of everything that is taking place under our observa- 
 tion. We must remember that though amongst the ancients 
 Jupiter was regarded as the Earth-shaking deity, as well as the 
 
Heaven-shaking one, o*r Thunderer, yet we must learn what our 
 facts teach us that the modern Jupiter cannot claim exclusive 
 prerogatives in either Heaven or Earth, for his more sluggish 
 brother, Saturn, once in a while steps in and does his part of the 
 shaking and thundering, vigorously keeping it up for five or six 
 years, and Venus now, as in ancient times, intervenes to aggra- 
 vate the already fiercely raging turmoil. We have already ad- 
 verted to the fact that there is an approximate conjunction of the 
 minor equinox of Jupiter and one of Saturn in the year 1877 ; 
 the former occurring in August, the latter in December. We 
 are therefore on the eve of a seismic period that will last for seven 
 or eight years, and which may bridge over all the time interven- 
 ing between now and the Jovial equinox in the summer of 1883. 
 It is therefore probable that frequent earthquakes, many of 
 them of great violence, will occur between now and the close of 
 the Jovial excitement, some time in 1885. This we say in the 
 interest of Science, and not for the purpose of alarm ; for, if 
 Science is worth any thing, it must enable us to divine the 
 Future as well as to explain and understand the Past and the 
 Present. Whatever the ignorant or weak-minded may think, 
 and whatever effect the assertion may have upon their feeble 
 minds, there is no cause for alarm whatever. The fears and 
 consequent distress of the good old lady that the boiler would 
 explode while crossing on a horse ferry-boat, were just as rea- 
 sonable and well grounded as the fears of an earthquake catas- 
 trophe in our country. Such an event is an impossibility here, 
 where the necessary conditions for its occurrence do not exist, 
 excepting in some portions of the Pacific States. Earthquakes 
 are caused by disruptive discharges of Electricity through the 
 strata of the Earth. Electric currents, at all times, are circulat- 
 ing through the Earth from East to West. In times of physical 
 perturbations, indicated by sunspots, auroras and great oscillations 
 in the magnetic needle, earth currents, as they are called, often 
 become too intense to be transmitted through the strata of the 
 Earth, unless where the strata are unbroken or of good conductive 
 capacity. These currents where the strata are broken up, or 
 of too feeble conductive capacity, become dammed up, as it 
 were, until they are strong enough to force a passage, which is 
 effected by what is called a disruptive discharge. Hence, often 
 
(53) 
 
 in South America a roll of subterranean thunder is heard before 
 the throes of the earthquake are felt. Now in the Mississippi 
 Valley the strata are unbroken. This is conclusive evidence 
 that they have had the capacity to meet all demands for trans- 
 mission of Electricity in the Past ; and also, that they have the 
 ability to do the same in the Future. This is the reason why no 
 serious earthquake has occurred in our history. The same is 
 true of England and the northern portions of Europe. No 
 earthquake conditions exist there adequate to produce those aw- 
 ful convulsions that so frequently take place in Mexico, South 
 America, Southern Europe and Asia. It is natural that the ap- 
 proach of an earthquake period should be regarded with dread 
 and apprehension in such countries as Campania, near the base 
 of Vesuvius ; or Calabria, near the foot of Mount Etna ; but in 
 our own country such fears are groundless, and therefore child- 
 ish. 
 
 It is undeniable that a cycle of physical perturbation is always 
 marked not only by frequent but by brilliant auroras. If, upon 
 examination, it be found that the period of the occurrence of a 
 Jovial equinox be similarly characterized, and the periodicity of 
 the auroras to recur, and therefore to coincide with the Jovial 
 equinox, the inference will be unavoidable that the equinox and 
 the auroras must in some way stand to each other in the relation 
 of cause and effect. The ancients not being so much stultified 
 by studying books, were far closer observers of Nature and more 
 assiduous and successful students of her mysteries than we are. 
 The Heavens especially were the object that attracted their close 
 attention, observation and study ; because they believed that he 
 who understood them, could read the Future as understandingly as 
 he could the records of the Past. Any extraordinary appear- 
 ance in the sky was looked upon as a sign and omen that fore- 
 shadowed an extraordinary event about to make its appearance. 
 They believed that the destinies of every individual, from the 
 peasant in his hovel to the prince upon his throne, as well as of 
 dynasties and empires, were written by the hand of Fate in the 
 Stars. Hence it was not possible for auroras to have escaped 
 their attention ; and consequently could not have failed to find a 
 record either in their legends, poetry or chronicles. Upon exam- 
 ination the facts are found to be as anticipated. 
 
(54) 
 
 AURORAS. In the Hindoo Mahabharata, Book I, Chap. 15, 
 (Wilkin's translation) a phenomena is described, in which we 
 recognise, notwithstanding its oriental style, distinctly, the cloud 
 spout, the cyclone, and probably the aurora ; though the latter is 
 doubtful, since this phenomenon is rarely seen within the 
 Tropics. It is said to have occurred when the Suras and Asuras 
 were at war, supposed to be about 945 B. C. We quote it to 
 show how early attention was drawn to Cyclones so prevalent 
 in tropical Asia. 
 
 "They (the Suras and Asuras) now pull forth the serpent's 
 head [that is the incipient cloud-cone or spout of a tornado] 
 repeatedly ; and as often let it go, while there issues from its 
 mouth, thus violently drawn to and fro from the Suras and 
 Asuras, a continual- stream of fire and smoke and wind, which, 
 ascending in thick clouds, replete with lightning, it began to 
 rain down upon the heavenly lands fatigued with their labor." 
 
 The reader will recognize in the streams of fire and smoke, 
 the fiery electric cone so often witnessed of which instances are 
 given in the fore part ot this work in the cloud-spot thrust down 
 upon the Earth, in tornadoes. The reader will also recall that 
 the Prophet Elijah was caught up in a whirlwind of fire. Evi- 
 dently the fiery cloud-spout of the tornado was known to the 
 Hebrews. 
 
 In Hesiod's Theogony there are many passages which show 
 that auroras were well-known phenomena to the ancients. 
 Amongst others occur these lines : 
 
 "Through the void spreads a preternatural glare, mingling 
 fire with darkness." 
 
 The Chinese records of auroras are the earliest we have ; and 
 it is sometimes doubtful whether an aurora is meant or a mete- 
 oric shower, we give them as we find them. 
 
 Thus we have a French account which says : "In the fiftieth 
 year of the reign of the Emperor Kie or Li-Koue (that is B. C. 
 1768) the Chinese saw stars falling." 
 
 If this was an aurora, then it occurred fifteen months after a 
 major equinox of Jupiter. 
 
 The same account says* : "In the reign of the Emperor Le 
 
 *NOTE. We quote from a translation purporting to give the substance 
 of the Chinese Records. 
 
(55) 
 
 Wang (B. C. 687) the stars did not appear, and meteors fell 
 like rain." The original statement, however, is: "687 ans 
 avantj. C. les etoiles ne paroissoient pas, il tomba une etoile en 
 forme de pluie." Literally this statement is, in the 687th year 
 before Jesus Christ, the stars did not appear, there fell a star in 
 the form of rain. The laiter clause seems to indicate that it was 
 a single bolide that exploded and fell like rain. The fragments 
 of a single bolide certainly, with no degree of propriety, could 
 be compared to a shower of rain, and the statement that the 
 stars had disappeared, makes the translation, that "the meteors 
 fell like rain," inconsistent. We hence infer that the Chinese 
 record, from which the French was taken, meant that there was 
 such a brilliant aurora as to obscure the stars, which dissolved 
 and fell like rain. If this was an aurora then it occurred about 
 1 8 months before the major equinox. 
 
 In Kaempfer's History of Japan, published in London, 1728, 
 occurs this statement: "A. D. n In the 4Oth year of his (Syn- 
 in's, Emperor of Japan) reign, on a clear and serene day, there 
 arose of a sudden, in China, a violent storm of thunder and 
 lightning ; comets, fiery dragons, and uncommon meteors ap- 
 peared in the air ; and it rained fire from Heaven." This cer- 
 tainly is not intended to describe the phenomena of a single day, 
 but of the period when this sudden and violent storm of thunder 
 and lightning, and most probably accompanied by a tornado, 
 arose. The fiery dragons and the rain of fire from Heaven un- 
 questionably mean an aurora ; so most probably does the expres- 
 sion "uncommon meteors appeared in the air." The inference 
 hence is almost inevitable that a physical perturbation prevailed 
 at the period. A Jovial major equinox took place the year 
 before. 
 
 In the Chronicum Scotorum it is recorded that at the time of 
 the battle of Seghais, which occurred A. D. 497, "red blood was 
 brought over the lances," in marching for a night attack. Proba- 
 bly this was the sheen of a fiery aurora on the lances. In the 
 legends of both Scotland and Ireland, as we will see hereafter, 
 the reflection of a red aurora, from the milk they were drinking, 
 the butter they were eating, or of the waters of rivers and lakes, 
 these objects were said to have been turned into blood. From 
 the year 497 to 1871.72 there are 116 Jovial years, lacking one 
 
(56) 
 
 year. The aurora hence occurred the year after the major 
 equinox. 
 
 In the same Chronicle where the death by drowning of King 
 Muirecrtach Mac Erca, in A. D. 531 is recorded, occurs this 
 phrase: '-Blood reached girdles on the plain." This "lias been 
 interpreted to mean that the waters, reflected the light of a fiery 
 aurora. From 531 to 1871. 72 are 1 13 Jovial revolutions, lacking 
 about six months. These events then occurred within six 
 months of a Jovial equinox 
 
 In Lynch's Cambrensis Eversus are found two records which 
 evidently allude to auroras, but as the dates are not given they 
 are unavailable for our purpose. We quote them to show how 
 indefinite and various the fancies and consequently the descrip- 
 tions of the chroniclers were. We however are at no loss to 
 know what is meant : 
 
 44 A. C. 561. Elim Ollfinachta succeeded. He is called Oll- 
 finachta because snow that fell during his reign looked like 
 wine." Under A. C. 673, we have this record : " Finachta suc- 
 ceeded his father to the throne. During his reign an enormous 
 quantity of wine fell like fleeces of snow from the sky." 
 
 There is no difficulty in apprehending that the wine that Io6ked 
 like snow, meant the shivering, flickering streamers of a red au- 
 rora, which often may be compared to the falling of red or 
 orange red snow. 
 
 In the Chronicum Scotorum, under A. D. 660, it is recorded : 
 " Darkness at the Kalends of May, at the ninth hour, and the 
 same summer, the sky was seen to burn." The Jovial major 
 equinox occurred in 661, therefore this aurora occurred the year 
 before. 
 
 In the same, "A. D. 670, a thin tremulous cloud in form of a 
 rainbow appeared at the fourth watch of the night of the fifth 
 day before Easter Sunday, stretching from East to West in a 
 clear sky ; [an auroral arch] and the moon was turned into 
 blood." This aurora was too early by 3.48 years for the major 
 and 2.48 years too late for the minor equinox of Jupiter ; that is, 
 Jupiter was then quite near the perihelion, which as far as Jupi- 
 ter is concerned, is a period of repose. 
 
 Upon examination, it is found that a Saturnian equinox occur- 
 red 670.21, or within thirty days of this aurora. 
 
(57) 
 
 "A. D. 680" Ibd. "Loch n Echnach was turned into blood." 
 The minor equinox of Jupiter occurred in 679.83, or within a 
 few months of the commencement of the year 680, in which the 
 aurora occurred. 
 
 In the Anglo . Q axon Chronicles, A. D. 685, it is recorded : "In 
 this year it rained blood in Britain, and milk and butter were 
 turned into blood." In September, 685, the major equinox oc- 
 curred, and hence it and the aurora coincided. 
 
 For the better understanding of the obscure annals we are 
 obliged to follow, written by superstitious men, with an undue 
 leaning towards the marvelous, and withal a strong inclination 
 to connect " the portends of the sky" with political events then 
 taking place, it is proper before proceeding further to give the ex- 
 planation given by Mr. G. Henry Kinahan, of the Geological 
 Survey of Ireland, of such expressions as we find in these annals, 
 which explanation is quite satisfactory. He says, " During the 
 auroras in 1871, I saw here, (Ireland) the lakes and rivers looked 
 as though full of blood." That is at the time of the many fiery 
 red auroras of that year. He suggests that the people of olden 
 times probably had butter and milk for supper, and eating with- 
 out light, as they did, the color of the red auroras was reflected 
 in them, and hence such expressions as, the butter, the milk, 
 the cakes, the lochs, rivers, etc., were turned into blood. 
 
 We have followed the annals down to 685, where we find it 
 recorded that it rained blood in Britain this year, and butter was 
 turned into blood. Here a most extraordinary period of auroras 
 commenced, and we have continuous records of them from 685 
 down to 692, for a period of seven years. As this period pecul- 
 iarily interests us from the fact that it first suggested a Saturnian 
 Cycle, we ask the indulgence of the reader for a little deviation. 
 Our first verification of the Jovial Cycle was by comparing the 
 auroral periods with it. Of the early auroras not one failed in 
 falling upon a Jovial Cycle, excepting that of 670 which we 
 then laid aside for future consideration and investigation. But 
 here we fell upon an unintermittent period of at least seven years 
 of fiery auroras, showing both continuous and intense perturba- 
 tion during all that time. What was the cause of this perturba- 
 tion, we asked, and the answer came back, k 'A Saturnian Cy- 
 cle ! " When, from the best data we could command, we had 
 
(5S) 
 
 determined the equinoctial points on Saturn's orbit, and calcu- 
 lated the time of his last passage of one of those points, finding 
 it to be in 1863, and then compared it with the time elapsed 
 between the year 685 and 1863 by dividing the time by the length 
 of the Saturnian year, what was our utter astonishment to find 
 that Saturn passed the identical point in the year 685. Hence 
 the perturbation was accounted for, and I considered the hypoth- 
 esis that planetary equinoxes are the cause of periodical physical 
 disturbances, no longer a hypothesis, nor a theory even, but a 
 demonstrated and verified truth. 
 
 The chronicles record the following phenomena during this 
 period. 
 
 "A. D. 686, fiery snow fell all night on Easter Monday." 
 
 "A. D. 687, great prodigies seen in the sky ; fiery dragons were 
 seen, and it rained blood all night." 
 
 "A. D. 688, the moon turned into the color of blood on the 
 festival of St. Martins. The Brut y Tywisogion (the Chronicle 
 of the Princes) corroborates this statement of the Scotch Chron- 
 icle, but in different words, thus, 'A. D. 688, it rained blood in 
 the island of Britain and Ireland/ * 
 
 "A. D. 689, (Chron. Scot.) at the time of the battle against 
 the son of Prida, bloody rain fell in Lagenia." 
 
 U A. D. 690, (Brut y Tywg) the milk and butter turned into 
 blood." 
 
 "A. D. 690 or 691, after the battle of the Leinstermen with the 
 Ossorymen, fought in King's County, Ireland, in 690 or 691, 
 wherein Foylcher O'Moyloyer was slain, it is said ' a shower of 
 blood fell, and blood flowed for three days and three nights ; milk 
 and butter were turned into the color of blood, and a wolf was 
 heard to speak/ " 
 
 There is a discrepancy in the date of this battle. The Annals 
 of Cloonmacnoise say, A. D. 688 : The Annals of the Four 
 Masters say it happened in 690 ; another authority says 691 ; 
 while the Annals of Tighernach place it in 693. 
 
 "A. D. 692, (Brut y Tywg) the moon turned into a bloody 
 color." The minor equinox of Jupiter occurred A. D. 691.66. 
 The auroral period in consequence of the Saturnian equinox ex- 
 tended over the whole of the intervening time between the major 
 and minor equinoxes of Jupiter, and including them both. 
 
(59) 
 
 "A. D. 714, (Chron. Scot.) it rained a shower of honey upon 
 Othan Bee ; a shower of silver upon Othan Mor ; and a shower 
 of blood upon the Foss of Laighen." The shower of honey 
 probably means an orange aurora, the shower of silver a white, 
 and the shower of blood a red one. 
 
 If these auroras happened in Autumn, the usual season of their 
 greatest prevalence, then they preceded the Jovial equinox about 
 eight months, for it took place 715.41. 
 
 "A. D. 7/|/|, a red crucifix appeared in the heavens after sun- 
 set." Ibd. The major equinox of Jupiter took place 745.08. 
 Hence this aurora coincided very closely with the equinox . 
 
 "A. D. 79^5 this year dire forewarnings came over the land of 
 the Northhumbrians, and terribly terrified the people ; these 
 were excessive whirlwinds ; lightning and fiery dragons were 
 seen to fly in the air." Anglo Saxon Chronicle. The fiery 
 dragons lure may have meant the tornado spout which often 
 glows with electric light, and appears as if on fire, and may not 
 as usual, mean the shooting corruscations in auroras. 
 
 Here we have electric explosions, tornadoes, etc., the in- 
 variable concomitants of physical perturbations. The major equi- 
 nox of Jupiter occurred 792.5. These phenomena therefore suc- 
 ceed the equinox from eight to ten months. 
 
 "A. D. Si i, (Scotch Chronicle) This was a year of prodigies, 
 A column of light was seen in the heavens ; cakes were con- 
 verted into blood ; and blood flowed when they were cut." The 
 minor equinox occurred in 810.22, or about nine and a half 
 months before the commencement of the year 811. 
 
 "A. D. 829, In the Chronological History of the Air and of the 
 Weather, published in London, 1749, occurs this statement: 
 4 An earthquake happened at Aix a few days before Easter, and a 
 violent hurricane for several days together ; very many trembling 
 fiery-like stars ran up and down the air ; great tempests of wind 
 followed." This was just one year after the major Jovial equi- 
 nox. 
 
 I find in a rough calculation for the equinox of Venus allow 
 for style and precession of the equinoxes that it occurred about 
 the 3d or 4th of April, A. D. 929. The tempests of wind there- 
 fore must have happened within a few days of the Venusian 
 equinox. 
 
(66) 
 
 "A. D. 850, a column of light shot up to heaven and remained 
 visible to the inhabitants of that place ^Repton) for 30 days." 
 Florence of Worcester. Assuming this to have occurred in 
 Autumn, when fully two-thirds of auroras happen, then it came 
 within ten or twelve months of major equinox, which took place 
 in 851.8. 
 
 "A. D. 890, (Chron. Scot.) the heavens appeared to be on fire 
 at the Kalends of January." The minor equinox of Jupiter oc- 
 curred A. D. 891.45 ; consequently the aurora preceded it by bet- 
 ween sixteen and seventeen months. 
 
 "A. D. 944, two fiery columns were seen a week before All 
 Hallowtide, which illuminated the whole world." Ibidem. 
 Jupiter's major equinox occurred the next year, 945.85 ; therefore 
 the aurora preceded the equinox just a year. 
 
 "A. D. 979, that same year was seen a bloody cloud often in 
 the likeness of fire. It mostly appeared at midnight, and so in 
 various beams was colored. When it began to dawn, it glided 
 away." Anglo Saxon Chron. This was an extraordinary au- 
 rora, or rather auroras, but since they occurred about three years 
 and more before the major equinox, and about two and two- 
 thirds years after the minor equinox of Jupiter ; therefore they 
 are not referable to Jupiter. Calculation however shows that a 
 Saturnian equinox occurred early in the year 979, and therefore 
 these auroras exactly fit a Saturnian period. 
 
 Florence of Worcester's Chronicle records of the previous 
 year, 978, the following auroral phenomena which appear almost 
 identical with those described by the Anglo Saxon Chronicle as 
 happening in the year 979, namely: "A. D. 978, at midnight, 
 the 1 8th Kalends of May (April I4th) there was seen through- 
 out England a cloud, sometimes of a blood color, and sometimes 
 fiery. It afterwards broke up into rays of different colors, and 
 disappeared at daybreak-" Gaimer, in his History of the Eng- 
 lish, says, "At midnight as he [the murdered King Edward] 
 lay in the moat, a heavenly light spread itself there. The light 
 was bright no wonder ; it very much resembled the Sun. 
 This ray came over his holy body ; the top of it was in heaven." 
 As the date corresponds with that of the death of King Edward, 
 it is evident that the year 978 was an intense auroral year. But 
 the minor equinox of Jupiter had occurred in 976.35 ; hence it 
 
was too remote over two years to have been the cause of the 
 intense auroral display in 978. But the occurrence of a Saturn- 
 ian equinox in 979 fully accounts for these auroras outside of the 
 Jovial periods, and also for their great intensities. 
 
 We have now compared with the equinoctial periods in the 
 Jovial Cycle, the dates of the occurrences of all auroras we have 
 found mentioned in Ancient History and Chronicles prior to 
 the year 1000 of our era. We acknowledge that the language 
 employed by the earlier annalists in the period, is so obscure as to 
 leave reasonable room for doubting whether all the records refer 
 to auroras or to some other phenomena. But those of the latter 
 part of the period are so distinctly and unequivocally stated as to 
 render their identity incontestable. Possibly a few may be apoc- 
 ryphal, but the genuineness of by far the greater portion, is un- 
 questionable. As with the earthquakes, it is surprising to see 
 each aurora, when examined, fall into line and find its place in- 
 variably within the perturbed or equinoctial periods of the Jovial 
 Cycle. No, not invariably ; for there are a few, a very few ex- 
 ceptions. And what do they do, disprove the theory ? No, they 
 confirm it by enlarging it. They prove that the theory was only 
 wrong in assuming there was but one cycle, an exclusive one ; 
 and that the principle supposed to be special to Jupiter, is gen- 
 eral and belongs to all the planets. The facts of more than a 
 thousand years had been passed under review before one of the 
 exceptional facts presented itself. It was told to stand aside 
 for the present, with the promise that at the proper time it should 
 have a hearing, when we had leisure to listen to the tale it had 
 to unfold. The facts of more than another century are passed 
 under review before other phenomena of similar character pre- 
 sented themselves. These phenomena by the infrequency of 
 their recurrence suggested a longer cycle than the one under in- 
 vestigation. Naturally the longer period was sought for in the 
 next larger and outer planet, one of whose revolutions is equal 
 to two and a half that of Jupiter. The suggestion was, that 
 these intense and exceptional phenomena must be owing to 
 Saturn, and that he at his equinoxes must exert a disturbing in- 
 fluence similar to that of Jupiter. The question, Is this so ? was 
 propounded to Nature ; and the immediate response was, It is so. 
 The exceptional facts that had no place in the Jovial Cycle, now 
 
(62) 
 
 all fell into line, and found their proper places at the equinoctial 
 points of Saturn. I felt, when the revelation broke upon me, 
 as though my task had been triumphantly achieved, and that 
 henceforth Man held in his hands the keys that unlock the mys- 
 teries of one of the great departments of Nature. 
 
 Since it is not our purpose to give a history of auroras*, but 
 to verify a Meteorological cycle ; hence we will not, as hereto- 
 fore, when the phenomena were so few, consider every one, and 
 assign to it a proper place in its cycle. We have to pass over 
 time as rapidly as possible; because, since the year 1000 the 
 records are too crowded to do otherwise. However, where a 
 period of peculiar interest occurs we will give it the special 
 attention it merits. 
 
 "A. D. 1052, a tower of fire was seen on the night of the fes- 
 tival of St. George, during the space of five hours." The festi- 
 val of St. George is on the 23d of April. The aurora occurring 
 A. D. 1052.32, and the major equinox A. D. 1053.28. Hence 
 the events are not quite a year apart. 
 
 Numerous auroras are recorded in the years 1560 to 1564, the 
 major Jovial Cycle was completed 1563.40. 
 
 Brilliant and frequent auroras are recorded from 1568 to 1575. 
 The Saturnian Cycle was completed in 1569 and the major Jovial 
 in 1575.16. 
 
 Many brilliant auroras are recorded as having been seen in the 
 years 1621, 1622, and 1623. The major Jovial equinox occurred 
 A. D. 1622.46. 
 
 Several very brilliant auroras are recorded as having been seen 
 in the autumn of 1633. The major equinox occurred in 1634.32, 
 or less than six months after. In 170^, 1706 and 1707, a num- 
 ber of auroras are recorded ; the most remarkable is that which 
 was seen in Ireland, November, 1707. A Jovial equinox took 
 place near the beginning of 1706. 
 
 We now meet with the most remarkable auroral period in 
 history, extending from 1715 to 1720. The major equinox of 
 Jupiter did not occur until 1717.58. The intensity of the period, 
 
 *NOTE Those who wish to pursue the investigation thoroughly are 
 referred to Prof Krone's '-Nova et antiqua Luminis fitque Aurorae Bore- 
 alis Spectacula," published in 1739; and to M. de Mairan's -'Traite Phy- 
 sique et Historique de 1' Aurora Boreale," published in 1754. 
 
its early commencement and prolongation to over five years sug- 
 gests the presence of an additional cause, which is found to be a 
 Saturnian equinox occurring on January ist, 1716; it conse- 
 quently both precipitated and prolonged the disturbance. 
 
 The most memorable and besides historical aurora of this 
 period occurred on February 23, 1716; the day of the execution 
 of Lord Derwentwater, a Jacobite, that is, an adherent of James 
 Stuart, sometimes called James III, who, by the aid of France 
 and the Tories, made an attempt to regain the throne of Eng- 
 land in 1715. From the occurrence of this aurora on the day of 
 his execution, auroras, for a long time, were known in the North 
 of England as "Lord Derwentwater's Lights." It is to this 
 aurora that the almanacs of the last century refer as the "Great 
 and Amazing Light of the North, and which continues to be 
 seen at times ever since." On the 6th of March, 1716, there 
 was another aurora, described in the London Flying Post, of 
 March 8th, with an explanation of it which is about as amusing 
 and curious as it well could be made. After his explanation, 
 the writer proceeds to do what was an easier task, namely to 
 show that the aurora had nothing to do with politics. Speaking 
 of the Jacobites, that is, the adherents of James (which in Latin 
 is Jacobus), he says . "Some ignorant people, whose ideas on 
 such occasions are stronger than their senses, fancied they saw 
 armies engaged, giants with flaming swords, fiery comets, drag- 
 ons and like dreadful figures ; and others fancied they heard the 
 report of firearms and smelt powder." * * * "The disaf- 
 fected party have worked this up to a prodigy, and interpreted 
 it to favor their cause, etc." 
 
 The last really brilliant aurora of this period occurred Feb- 
 ruary 21, 1718; the maximum, however, occurred in 1716. It 
 is pertinent to remark here that at one time during this intense 
 perturbation an immense sunspot was visible to the naked eye. 
 
 In the report of the Scottish Meteorological Society, it is shov\ n 
 that immense rainfalls took place in 1717 and 1718. 
 
 The extraordinary brilliancy of the auroras of these periods 
 attracted general attention, and of course, as is always the case, 
 however ignorant and rude the people are, when extraordinary 
 phenomena take place, hypothesis are stated and speculations 
 are rife as to the cause of them. The only hypothesis that has 
 
(64) 
 
 attracted attention is that of Dr\ Halley, whose name is perpet- 
 uated in the comet whose periodicity he determined. He wrote 
 and published several articles in the Philosophical Transactions 
 of 17*5 t I 7 I 7' to P roy e that auroras are magnetic phenomena. 
 Kaemtz, the German Meteorologist, about fifty years ago, hit 
 the true theory respecting auroras, that is, that they are both 
 magnetic and electric. He would have succeeded in explaining 
 them had he known the dependent relation between Magnetism 
 and Electricity. As we have traversed this whole subject in the 
 first part of this work, a repetition of it here would be improper. 
 The auroral observations so far given are those of Europe, where 
 the phenomenon is comparatively rare as compared with North 
 America. The only American observations made during the 
 early part of the Eighteenth Century known to us, are those of 
 Prof. Winthrop, of Massachusetts, incomplete, but covering 
 about 20 years from 1739 to 1758. 
 
 The major equinox of Jupiter occurred 1741.30. His record 
 runs as follows: September 12, 1739, extraordinary aurora. 
 January 10, 1741, many sunspots visible to the naked eye. In 
 January and February, many auroras are recorded. March 5, 
 1741? an extraordinary aurora. September 27, 1741, an intense 
 bright aurora. Minor equinox of 1747.23, or late in March. Only 
 one entry on his record March I, 1747, "An extraordinary Au- 
 rora Borealis." 
 
 For the major equinox of 1753.16 the record is missing. For 
 the next a joint Saturnian and a Jovial period, his record stops 
 before the occurrence of the Saturnian in December, 1759. The 
 Jovial having occurred about February ist of that year. His 
 record is "August 13, 1757, an aurora. None for a great while. 
 Nov. 12, 1 757' a remarkable aurora. Sept. 7, 13, and 14, 1759, 
 auroras." Mayer observed a large stmspot, March 15, 1758, 
 whose diameter was equal to one-twentieth part of the Sun. 
 He says : u lngens macula in sole conspiciebatur, cujus diam- 
 eter=i-20 diam. solis." 
 
 We have to pass over all the intervening auroras till the extra- 
 ordinary one on Oct. 23, 1804, which attracted attention in both 
 the Old and New World, and in both the Northern and Southern 
 Hemisphere, by its extraordinary brightness, which is said in 
 its luminous effects to have been equal to the full moon. This 
 
(65) 
 
 was a pure Saturnian aurora, since Jupiter's equinoxes occurred 
 as follows: major, 1800.58; minor, 1806.51; while that of 
 Saturn occurred 1804.22. 
 
 Assuming that we are correct in assigning Sept. 25, 1871, or 
 1871.74 for the occurrence of the Jovial major equinox, then the 
 equinoxes that have occurred, and will occur in the present Cent- 
 ury, are as follows : 
 
 MAJOR. MINOR. 
 
 1800.58 1806.51 
 
 1812.44 1818-37 
 
 1824.30 1830.23 
 
 1836.16 1842.09 
 
 1848.02 ^SS-QS 
 
 1859.88 1865.81 
 
 1871 74 1877.67 
 
 1883.60 1888.53 
 
 1895 46 1900.39 
 
 The auroras of the present century have been too numerous to 
 be particularly mentioned. The long period, 1811 to 1820, of 
 perturbation was especially characterized by the frequency and 
 brilliancy of its auroras. The French meteorologist, Biot, 
 sketched several of these, and an engraving of one of them, that 
 of August 1 7th, 1817, is still found in books to illustrate auroral 
 phenomena. 
 
 The major equinox of 1824.30, was notable for the brilliancy, 
 I might say appalling display of fiery auroras. Though but a 
 lad, I remember them well, and the terror they inspired for I 
 shared in it amongst the country people in a mountainous 
 region of interior Pennsylvania. Illiterate ministers laid aside 
 the gospel, and made auroras their text, averring them to be the 
 signs and wonders in the heavens that foreshadowed the ap- 
 proaching end. This added to the terror, and drove some people 
 into madness. These auroras continued unusually long after the 
 equinox, for even in 1827 some notable ones occurred. There 
 was then a comparative repose till the Autumn of 1829, six or 
 seven months before the minor equinox of 1830.23, when they 
 again appeared with great brilliancy. Capt. Ross, then on a 
 voyage of discovery in the Arctic Ocean, speaks enthusiastically 
 of the unsurpassable splendor of the auroras in the polar regions 
 in the Autumn and Winter of that year. A long and brilliant 
 
(66) 
 
 auroral era had now commenced, which continued down to 1838. 
 The occurrence of the minor Jovial equinox late in March, 1830, 
 and a Saturnian one in 1833, were the causes not only of the fre- 
 quency and brilliancy of the auroras, but of the prolongation of 
 their term through the major equinox of Jupiter, occurring in 
 1836. A precisely similar conjunction will exist in 1877, and 
 therefore unusual bright auroras will occur, probably commenc- 
 ing in the Autumn of the present year, till after the major Jovial 
 equinox in 1883. 
 
 On the 7th January, 1831, a remarkable aurora occurred that 
 was seen both in Europe and America.* Humboldt says it was 
 so bright that common print could be read by it. An aurora on 
 the night of the meteoric shower, Nov. 12 and 13, 1833, started 
 the hypothesis that auroras were caused by meteoric Matter. The 
 brilliant auroras of November 17, 1835, and of April 23d, 1836, 
 are illustrated by plates in Bradford's " Wonders of the 
 Heavens" 
 
 We can only advert to the brilliant auroras of the major equi- 
 noxes of Jupiter, occurring in 1848, 1859, and 1871. Those of 
 1847 and 1848 were intensely bright. I have been informed by 
 lumbermen in the pineries that they often filed their saws by 
 auroral light in those years. The intensely bright aurora on the 
 night of the solar outburst, September 2d, 1859, was seen all 
 over the Globe, and was accompanied by violent magnetic dis- 
 turbances, observed in both the Northern and the Southern Hem- 
 isphere. Those of 1871 have already been partially given in the 
 extracts from our phenomenal 'record. 
 
 During each of these auroral cycles, synchronous with the 
 major equinox of Jupiter, both polar hemispheres of the sky 
 were almost constantly luminous with auroral light. It was 
 during these periods that it was discovered that auroras are syn- 
 chronous in both hemispheres ; and that when an aurora bore- 
 alis illuminated the Northern Hemisphere, it was found, invari- 
 ably, that an aurora australis illuminated the Southern. The 
 skies of both hemispheres were filled with shivering billows and 
 glowing streams of light, shining with a white, and sometimes 
 
 *NoTE. A drawing of this aurora was made by Becker. It has been 
 engraved, and illustrates Mueller's "Atlas Zum Lehrbuch der Kosmis- 
 chen Physik." 
 
(67) 
 
 with an orange lustre ; but oftentimes glowing with a fiery red, 
 varying in all the- prismatic colors of the rainbow 
 
 In Canada and the Northern portion of the United States, 
 scarcely a week passes that an aurora may not be observed ; 
 faint indeed, but distinct enough to be recognized. They invari- 
 ably precede and often accompany a storm centre across the 
 Continent. In Europe, however, they are rare phenomena, and 
 are never seen .excepting during a general physical disturbance. 
 This is the reason why so few are upon record, which however, 
 for scientific purposes, is all the better ; because they hence 
 mark periods of extraordinary physical perturbation, which they 
 do not in America unless only the brilliant ones are taken into 
 consideration. So rare is the sight of an aurora in Europe, that 
 Prof. Nichol, of Scotland, gives it as a curious fact, that most of 
 the writers upon auroras, including Dalton and Mairan, never 
 saw one. 
 
 In the comparison of all auroras recorded within the his- 
 torical period, with the times of the occurrence of the Jovial 
 and Saturnian equinoxes, we find they invariably coincide 
 with one or the other. Hence auroras as well as earthquakes 
 confirm and verify the theory that the cycles of physical pertur- 
 bations coincide with planetary equinoxes ; and hence that the 
 two stand in the relation of cause and effect. Since the test in 
 verifying the theory has been to let it stand or fall by the agree- 
 ment or non-agreement of the dates when the phenomena took 
 place, with the dates of the occurrence of the equinoxes of two 
 planets ; and since it has been ascertained that there is a uniform 
 correspondence in dates between them ; hence we are obliged 
 unavoidably to accept as a demonstrated truth, that there are two 
 great Meteorological Cycles, namely, a Jovial and a Saturnian 
 one ; and that in each of these cycles there are two points which 
 the planet of the cycle cannot pass without producing physical 
 disturbances accompanied by identical phenomena. 
 
 Sunspots taken generally are not visible to the naked eye, and 
 hence but few instances of their being observed are on record. 
 The surface of the sun, however, is seldom if ever entirely free 
 from spots: resembling in this respect the polar hemispheres of 
 the Heavens, which are rarely entirely free from auroras. When 
 however, our Earth and its atmosphere indicate a general and 
 
(68) 
 
 violent physical disturbance, then immense spots are also seen 
 upon the face of the Sun. Not only the size, but the number of 
 the spots are then observed to be increased. These we are now 
 warranted to attribute to either Jovial or Saturnian influence. 
 But whatever obtains at a Jovial or at a Saturnian equinox, must 
 also obtain at the occurrence of any equinox of any of the infer- 
 ior planets, for our theory is not of special, but of general appli- 
 cation. The theory then exacts that at the occurrence of an 
 equinox of any, and of every one of the planets, there must be 
 an increase of sunspots. That it is so, at the equinoxes of the 
 Earth is beyond a doubt ; and we feel warranted to say the same 
 of those of Venus ; since the average cycles of increase deter- 
 mined by observers of 56 days half the time between two Ve- 
 nusian equinoxes indicates that at every second cycle, or 1 1 2 days, 
 always such increase takes place. But since 112 days also a cy- 
 cle determined by observers measure the time from one Venusian 
 equinox to another, therefore we feel warranted in saying that a 
 Venusian equinox effects an increase of sunspots. 
 
 Observations no doubt will determine the correctness of this 
 deduction, but we have no access to any observations made, and 
 no means of making them ourselves. If this proves to be true, 
 then it will be a singular circumstance, if the elements of Vul- 
 can which have so far eluded all the skill and ingenuity of as- 
 tronomers should happen to be discovered and determined, by 
 his effect upon the Sun. 
 
 The earliest mention of sunspots in the chronicles is indefinite, 
 and reads as follows: "It is said that about the year 535. the 
 light of the Sun was dimmed for the space of fourteen months." 
 If accidental, it is certainly singular that the chronicler hit so 
 near on a period of great disturbance, when such an event as he 
 describes was possible. His uncertainty as to the exact time 
 qualified by the term "about," indicates that he fixed the period 
 as near as he could, and that he referred to what actually took 
 place. Now, the major [ovial equinox occurred in the year 
 536-75? or a year and three-quaiters after the date given, and a 
 Saturnian in the year 537.45, or not quite two years after. 
 
 The next record runs as follows : "In the year 626 half of 
 the disc of the Sun was obscured during the whole Summer." 
 A Saturnian equinox occurred in January, 627, and the major 
 
(69) 
 
 Jovial in February, 625. The time of the sunspotswas interme- 
 diate, or rather a year and four months after one, and six months 
 before the other. 
 
 The next mentioned are the observations of John Fabricius,of 
 Wittemberg, made in 1610, and published in 1611. Harriot 
 began making observations on 8th December, 1610, when large 
 spots were visible. Galileo observed the spots in January, 1611, 
 and Prof. Scheiner, of Ingolstadt, about the same time. Jupi- 
 ter's major equinox occurred in September, 1610. 
 
 In 1769, within a year of the minor equinox, the celebrated 
 Alexander Wilson observed the numerous sunspots that covered 
 the solar disc in that year, and published his theory respecting 
 their cause, which was accepted for a long while, but is now gen- 
 erally discarded. The elder Herschel now undertook their ob- 
 servation. In 1794 (minor equinox year) he observed many; 
 and a very remarkable one on January 4th, 1801, and only six 
 months after the major equinox. 
 
 It is unnecessary to enter into details of special sunspots. Ac- 
 cording to our theory the minima of sunspots would fall, if Jup- 
 iter were the sole cause of them, exactly midway between a 
 major and a minor equinox, that is 2.96 years before and after 
 each equinox. But from the facts presented, it must be evident 
 that Jupiter is not the sole cause of physical disturbances ; yet 
 the same facts make it evident that he is the controlling cause ; 
 for it is evident from the facts presented, that occur what may, 
 Jupiter's agency is never entirely obliterated. Saturn, at long 
 periods, intervenes and influences phenomena both as to time 
 and intensity, but never obliterates the Jovial period. Mars, the 
 Earth, Venus and Mercury, at shorter intervals, bring their pow- 
 er to bear, but it is only to accellerate or retard the maxima or 
 minima of the Jovial Cycle. We will therefore only offer the 
 average maxima as we find them in " Nature " of Jan. 4th, 1872 : 
 
 AVERAGE MINIMA. AVERAGE MAXIMA. 
 
 Years 1810.5 Years 1816.8 
 
 " 1823.2 " 1829.5 
 
 " 1833-8 1837.2 
 
 " 1844.0 1846.6 
 
 " ^56.2 " 1860.2 
 
 " 1867.2 " 1871.6 
 
 The reader must however bear in mind that this table is 
 
made up by individuals who supposed there was only one per- 
 turbation in a cycle, and that this perturbation had a periodicity 
 of ten or eleven years. Hence they give only one maximum and 
 one minimum in the cycle. 
 
 De la Rue and Stewart, from actual observation, give the min- 
 imum years as 1833.92, 1843.75, 1856.31, and 1867.12. Wolf 
 and Loewy give the same as 1833.8, 1844.0, 1856.3, and 1867.2, 
 De la Rue, Loewy and Stewart give the maxima years as fol- 
 lows : 1836.91, 1847.87 and 1859.69. Wolf gives them as, 
 1837.2, 1846.6 and 1860.3. 
 
 It will be seen by reference to our table, that the major equi- 
 nox of Jupiter corresponding to these maxima of sunspots, oc- 
 curred 1836.16, 1848.02, 1859.88, which, correspond very closely 
 to the maxima of sunspots according to De la Rue, Loewy, and 
 Stewart ; and also within limits to those of Wolf 
 
 Of the maxima, as made up prior to constant observation, not 
 very reliable however, two of the maxima occur near the minor 
 equinox, namely, 1818.37, and 1830.23. This was owing to the 
 influence of the Saturnian equinox ; and it is also perceived that 
 the nearest minimum to an equinox is that of 1823.2, being only 
 one and one-tenth of a year from the major equinox of 1824.3. 
 These, however, are made up of irregular observations, and at 
 best can only lay claim to being considered as approximations. 
 It is due to say of Schwabe, of Dessau, that he was the earliest 
 of continuous observers of sunspots, commencing as he did in 
 1826. 
 
 This must close the testimony for showing that it is inferable 
 that sunspots have a connection with the equinoxes of Jupiter, 
 since they have their maxima when Jupiter is at his equinoctial 
 points, and their minima when he is at or near his solstices. 
 
 We intended also to have proven that magnetic maxima dis- 
 turbances have the same relation to the equinoctial, and their 
 minima to the solsticial points of Jupiter, as other phenomena. 
 But as we have, with few exceptions, only averages, the obser- 
 vations, if adduced, would only be presumptive evidence, and 
 not positive proof, that such corresponding relations exist. In 
 Science we must have positive certainty that a thing is true, and 
 not presumptive probability, however strong, that it may be so. 
 
 We have examined all the averages as reduced, of magnetic 
 
observations, for a period of forty years, and find a uniform and 
 close correspondence between their periods and Jupiter's posi- 
 tions on his orbit, that is, their maxima with his equinoxes, and 
 their minima with his solstices. Like sunspot observations, only 
 the greater maxima and the least minima are kept in sight in 
 magnetic observations and in the search for the length of the 
 cycle ; and hence when from the intervention of Saturn, the 
 minor disturbance became the greater a-d was displaced by over a 
 year, the length of the next cycle, as indicated, was only a frac- 
 tion over nine years, while the preceding one had been over thir- 
 teen years. Their failure in finding the true length of the cycle, 
 was from not distinctly recognizing two maxima in the cycle 
 with .two corresponding minima, and keeping them separate. 
 Hence when, from adventitious causes, the major was shorn of a 
 portion of its wonted energy, as in 1824, and the minor more 
 than correspondingly increased, and the maximum precipitated 
 by one year, as was the case in 1830, they, in mistaking the lat- 
 ter for the former, committed so serious an error as to make the 
 attainment of their object an impossibility. 
 
 These averages, however, as far as averages legitimately can 
 prove any thing, bear strong corroborating testimony to the truth 
 of our theory. The following must suffice as to these averages, 
 since it fairlv represents their uniform correspondence with the 
 periods of Jupiter. It is a table prepared by Colonel, now Gen- 
 eral Sabine, of his reductions of magnetic perturbations from 
 1843 to 1848, both inclusive : 
 
 v Ratio No. of Ratio of 
 
 Perturbations Aggregate Value. 
 
 1843 -6o 0.52 
 
 1844 0.78 o 78 
 
 1845 0.72 0.65 
 
 1846 1. 2O I.I5 
 
 1847 1.28 1.42 
 
 1848 1 .43 1.52 
 
 By reference to table of Jupiter's equinoxes, already given, it 
 is seen that Jupiter's major equinox occurred about the first of 
 January, 1848. Deducting from this date half the time between 
 the occurrences of his equinoxes, and we find that Jupiter was 
 at his perihelion about the first of January, 1845. His minimum 
 three years then were composed of the years 1844, 1845, and 
 half of 1843 and 1846, while in the maximum, half of the year 
 
(72) 
 
 1849 n t given should be included. What the observations, 
 thus corrected, would show, is not known ; most probably it 
 would be still more favorable to the theory. However, as it 
 stands it is strong enough. 
 
 Col. Sabine remarks upon this table as follows : "So general 
 a change in the march of all the magnetic elements, demands a 
 proportionate cause." After pointing out the singular coinci- 
 dences between the years of magnetic maxima and minima 
 perturbations with those of solar spots as observed by Schwabe 
 in these years, he adds ; "The coincidence of the maximum and 
 minimum of solar spots and those of magnetic perturbation 
 demands a cosmical cause depending upon the Sun." Very true ; 
 but what does the perturbation of the Sun depend upon? And 
 why should this perturbation have such a regular periodicity? 
 It is evident that no regular periodicity were possible, unless 
 there was a fixed cause for it in the solar system. The physical 
 agent that effects this perturbation is unquestionably Electricity ; 
 and hence the cause must be such as developes an unusual amount 
 of Electricity in the Sun at these periods. We have shown that 
 planetary equinoxes, when the solar magnetic pole to which 
 the planet is then more exposed than on any other part of its 
 orbit, has the effect of a moving magnet upon the latter ; and 
 the greatest angle that the plane of its rotation then makes with 
 that of the Sun are, amongst others that might be named, suffi- 
 cient causes for the development of an unusual amount of Elec- 
 tricity in both Sun and planet. 
 
 Observation upon all general physical phenomena, Telluric, 
 atmospheric and solar, have unquestionably established that 
 they are coetaneous with each other in their appearance ; coex- 
 tended in their duration, and covariant in their energies ; and, 
 moreover, that they are inseparable, for they never appear singly. 
 It is hence evident that they either mutually cause each other, or 
 that they depend upon and are effects of an occult and unknown 
 cause. A moment's reflection is sufficient to convince us that 
 they cannot cause each other, for that implies that an effect can 
 interchange places and functions with its cause, which is absurd. 
 We know, from direct observation, that a solar explosion throw- 
 ing up to a great height immense jets of whit is supposed to be 
 incandescent hydrogen gas ; and that even the sudden appear- 
 
(73) 
 
 ance or sudden disintegration of large sunspots instantly sends 
 an electric thrill through the whole Globe, and sets its polar skies 
 ablaze with the fiery aurora. Instances have been observed and 
 are recorded, where, at the moment, or in a few seconds after 
 the occurrence of solar phenomena like these, electric currents 
 have been observed and felt in all parts of the World and at an- 
 tipodean points ; and at night while the electric disturbance con- 
 tinued, the skies of each polar hemisphere were illuminated with 
 unusually brilliant auroras. Now, although we may say, and 
 say truly in a restricted sense, that the solar perturbation is the 
 cause of the electric perturbation of the Earth in such cases, 
 yet evidently it is only a secondary and not a primary cause. 
 The telluric effect also undoubtedly reacts upon its cause in the 
 Sun, and intensifies it, but in no sense can it be said to cause it. 
 The solar phenomenon is therefore an effect of an unknown 
 cause, and of a cause that is not inside, but outside of the Sun. 
 Though we are hence compelled to look for the location of the 
 disturbing cause outside of the Sun, yet reason restricts us to 
 and within the Solar system. 
 
 Now it were an easy task to discover and locate this cause, if 
 it were the sole cause. But the complexity of solar phenomena 
 shows the cooperation of minor at least, if not some major causes. 
 Taking sunspots for instance. At times the whole cycle of 
 nearly twelve years duration is broken up into short periods 
 with well defined intervals between^ of either no sunspots, or of 
 comparatively few. Sometimes these short periods coalesce and 
 form longer ones. At other times the well defined minor periods 
 are obliterated and the spots about equally distributed over the 
 whole interval between the two permanently fixed disturbances 
 regularly recurring in the Great Cycle ; and again at other times 
 the two disturbances with corresponding minima between, are 
 alone distinctly cognizable in the Cycle. These facts are inexplic- 
 able upon any other hypothesis than that there is not a sole cause 
 but several cooperating causes concerned in the evolution of 
 solar phenomena, and hence that the cause is not simple but com- 
 pound, and oftentimes complex". One cause however is of such 
 overwhelming energy that, though often modified and obscured, 
 it is never obliterated, but can under all circumstances be dis- 
 tinctly traced in all these otherwise varied changes. It hence 
 
(74) 
 
 follows that that cause, if any, is the one that is ascertainable ; 
 and that we must look to it for the solution of the mystery of 
 physical disturbances ; for though not the sole cause, it yet is the 
 controlling one. 
 
 Logically we have shown that the cause of solar perturbation 
 cannot be located in the Sun, but outside of it; and though 
 outside of the Sun, yet inside of the Solar System. This cause 
 however is not simple but complex ; and in its component elements 
 we have found one of such great energy that it is the controlling 
 cause. If it be the controlling cause, then it is so by virtue of 
 its greater energy ; in other words, it is the greatest of the com- 
 ponent causes. In our search for causes we are restricted to and 
 within the limits of the Solar System, hence where can we locate 
 the greatest cause, outside the Sun in the Solar System, except 
 in the largest planet of that system ? Led by the inductions of 
 Reason, we arrive again, but by a different route, at the planet of 
 Jupiter as the seat of the greatest possible disturbance in the 
 Solar System outside of the Sun. 
 
 One immense step towards success was attained when the 
 great physical disturbing cause was definitely located in Jupiter. 
 But the facts observed made it evident that the perturbation was 
 intermittent ; hence the question at once arose, Why is the in- 
 fluence exerted by Jupiter upon the Solar System intermittent? 
 An examination of the observed facts clearly indicated that the 
 great maximum disturbance by which the Cycle was first recog- 
 nized, is not the only one in it, but that there is another well de- 
 fined period of minor disturbance which divides the Cycle into 
 two equal parts. Since the length of the Cycle corresponds 
 with that of the Jovial year, hence each perturbation marks half 
 of that year. 
 
 Another important advance had therefore been made ; and 
 now reasoning from analogous facts furnished by the Earth, we 
 are led inductively to fix upon the Jovial equinoxes as the peri- 
 odically disturbing causes of the Sun and the Solar System. 
 The next step now is to fix the equinoctial points on Jupiter's or- 
 bit ; and then to ascertain when he was last at either point. This 
 done, it is easy to calculate when he was at either equinox in all 
 Time that is past, or when he will be at all Time to come. The 
 final step can now be taken, namely, to verify that physical 
 
(75) 
 
 events correspond in the time of their occurrence with the dates 
 of Jupiter's equinoxes. A comparison of the dates of every va- 
 riety of physical phenomena with those of Jupiter's equinoxes^ 
 must at least astonish, if it does not convince the most incredu- 
 lous of the truth of our theory by their uniform and almost in- 
 variable correspondence in dates. We leave the matter here for 
 the calm and deliberate judgment of the reader whether we have 
 made out our case or not. For ourselves, without any hesitation 
 and qualification, we accept it no longer as a theory, but as a 
 demonstrated and verified truth that not only the occurrence of 
 Jupiter's equinoxes but those of the other planets are the causes 
 of disturbances in the Sun, and consequently in the whole solar 
 system. 
 
 We had intended also to give a verification of our theory by 
 showing that the maximum of rainfalls and of Cyclones by 
 which we especially mean the tropical hurricanes also have 
 their maxima at the equinoxes of Jupiter, and their minima at 
 his solstices, but we must forbear. ' If the evidence we have 
 adduced is not deemed sufficient by any one to prove the correct- 
 ness of our theory, then no kind or amount of evidence will do 
 so as far as he is concerned. There is no help for him, and he 
 has "to be delivered over to Satan for the crucifixion of the flesh." 
 
 We will however state what has been the general results of our 
 investigation of rainfalls and Cyclones with reference to their 
 prevalence at the Jovial equinoxes. We have examined the 
 Scotch tables published by the Scotch Meteorological Society, ex- 
 tending back to nearly the beginning of the last century, and the 
 tables of the rainfalls of England from 1726 to 1869. In Scot- 
 land the rainfalls were immensely in excess in 1717 and 1718. 
 The major Jovial equinox occurred in the year 1717.58. From 
 1717.58 to 1865.81, twenty- r our Jovial equinoxes occurred. At 
 fourteen of these the rainfalls within the disturbed period were 
 from five to forty per cent, in excess of the average for the decade 
 in which they occurred. At five, they were from two to five 
 per cent, in excess of the decadal average. At four they were 
 from an average of one to two per cent, above ; and only at one, 
 the minor equinox of the year 1759.09, was it below nearly two 
 per cent. 
 
 The averages in the tables are made out for the Calendar year. 
 
(76) 
 
 If there were a possibility of separating the rainfalls so as to 
 show exactly the amount that fell for three years, say twenty 
 months before and sixteen months after, the table indicates that 
 probably every period would show a large excess. 
 
 We have fragmentary observations made in the Southern 
 Ht misphere at several different localities, in South Africa, Mar- 
 itius, India, Australia and Tasmania. They seem to point to the 
 same conclusion, but as they were used to prove the existence of 
 a maximum rainfall in every eleven years, and a corresponding 
 minimum, the years of the minor maximum are omitted, conse- 
 quently they are unavailable for our purposes. 
 
 In Dr. Englemann's tables of continuous observations since 
 1839, we find the same correspondence, or rather coincidences of 
 the periods of greatest rainfalls with the Jovial equinoxes. We 
 have separated the observations so as to show the rainfall for one 
 year, that is six months before and six months after the occur- 
 rence of each equinox. Dr. Englemann gives the average rain- 
 fall for thirty years at St. Louis, 44.48 inches. From these tables 
 of monthly rainfalls, we ascertain for one year that is for six 
 months before and six months after at the minor Jovial equi- 
 nox occurring 1842.18, the rainfall v/as 46.3 inches: for the 
 major that occurred in 1848.2, it was 66.96 inches ; for the minor 
 of 1853.95, it was 46.69 inches ; for the major of 1859.88, it was 
 66.86 inches ; and for the minor of 1865.81, it was 46.87 inches ; 
 for the major of 1871.72, we have not the tables. A comparison 
 of these amounts show a singular fact, probably accidental, that 
 at the major and minor equinoxes the amounts bear a uniform 
 ratio to each other. The amounts at all the minor equinoxes 
 vary only about half an inch, but are about five per cent, in excess 
 of the average for thirty years ; while the amount of rainfall at 
 the major equinoxes also is nearly identical, varying only one- 
 third of an inch, but are about fifty per cent, above the average 
 for thirty years. 
 
 We have compared the dates of 104 tropical hurricanes that 
 have happened since the year 1675 to 1875, with the dates of the 
 Jovial equinoxes ; we find that seventy-nine occurred within 
 twenty months before, or sixteen months after a Jovial equinox. 
 The date of two, those of the 3d and I9th of September, 1804, 
 correspond with a Saturnian equinox ; and twenty-three are not 
 
(77) 
 
 found within the limits we have assigned three years for the 
 duration of a Jovial disturbance. 
 
 Mr. Chas. Meldrum, of the observatory at Port Louis, Mauri 
 tius, in the focus of the hurricanes of the East Indies, has made 
 them a special object of observation and study. He finds by 
 averaging the periods, since their occurrences have been noted, 
 that their average periodicity is eleven and one-ninth year. It 
 is well known that there is a sporadic case once in a while ot 
 every kind of physical phenomena. Now it is easily seen that 
 one or two such cases, when taken into consideration, will en- 
 tirely vitiate averages, which at best are only approximations, 
 and make them wide from the mark. Senor Andreas Poey, of 
 the observatory of Havana, Cuba, in the heart of the hurricanes 
 of the West Indies, has also given much attention to them, and 
 has published the most complete catalogues of them we have. 
 He also finds their periodicity to be about eleven years. The 
 same remark applies to his deductions as to those of Mr. Mel- 
 drum. The wonder is, that with their method of deduction they 
 come so near the true period. When, however, hurricanes are 
 taken individually, and their dates compared with those of the 
 Jovial equinoxes, it is ascertained that they as uniformly find 
 their places and fall into line as other phenomena do with these 
 equinoxes. 
 
 Jupiter's disturbing influence, on an average, extends fully 
 over three years. The perturbation indubitably consists in his 
 imposing upon the Solar System so intensely high an electric 
 charge, that each member of it becomes a veritable Gymnotus 
 Electricus swimming in Space, delivering instantly an electric 
 broadside upon the least provocation. The charge, however, is 
 static, for if it were not so, we would have an incessant turmoil 
 for three years, of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and rain, 
 hail, and thunder storms. Intense as the charge is, yet, the 
 whole is in equilibrium, for all members of the Solar System are 
 similarly affected. They are in an irritable condition, and the 
 moment any one of them is affected so as to change its electric 
 condition, the equilibrium of the whole system is disturbed, and 
 each member in its own way proceeds to readjust the equilibrium. 
 
 The Earth and its Atmosphere, though intensely charged with 
 Electricity, may yet be perfectly tranquil, until either in its own 
 
(78) 
 
 path of its orbit it encounters an exciting cause, or until it is 
 affected by similar occurrences in Mercury, Venus and Mars, 
 when instantly a spasmodic paroxysm ensues either by earth- 
 quakes and volcanic eruptions in the Earth, by hurricanes, im- 
 mense rainfalls and terrific electric explosions in the Atmos- 
 phere, or by all combined, synchronous in time and often coin- 
 cident in place. Now Mercury will bring on such a paroxysm 
 every 44 days, Venus every 112 days, the Earth twice a year, 
 and Mars once in a year.* Hence during the time of the con- 
 tinuance of this excited condition, a paroxysm may, and proba- 
 bly always does, in a modified form, take place when any one 
 of these causes supervenes. When there is an extraordinary 
 conjunction of these causes as there was in February and 
 March, 1871, and m August, September and October, of the 
 same year the paroxysm is almost unintermittent for eighty or 
 ninety days, but ordinarily under the influence of a single excit- 
 ing cause, the excitement expends itself in fifteen or twenty days. 
 The Jovial disturbance, since it lasts for about three years, hence 
 manifests its presence by great violence at the occurrence of a 
 planetary equinox of one of the inferior planeis long before and 
 after the occurrence of the Jovial equinox itself takes place. 
 This is the reason why so many energetic phenomena occur 
 eighteen and sometimes twenty months in advance, and twelve 
 to sixteen months after Jupiter's equinoxes. 
 
 We have already stated that the Sun is scarcely ever free from 
 spots, and that the aurora is scarcely ever absent from the polar 
 skies ; this is true of earthquakes and cyclones. A few sporadic 
 cases of each will occur at all times, but they generally are of a 
 mild form. But these phenomena when they occur with unusual 
 frequency and with tremendous energy, are always found to be 
 synchronous with the physical disturbance imposed by a Jovial 
 or Saturnian equinox, and that the paroxysm is brought about 
 by the influence of one of the minor planets. 
 
 Guided by fa.cts we have discovered the unity of physical phe- 
 nomena and identified the cause whence they emanate. We 
 now know their cause, the fixed time for it to act, the length of 
 
 *NOTE. There is a strongly marked period of disturbance recurring 
 every 23 days. This we attribute to Vulcan. If this conjecture should 
 prove to be correct, then his year consists of about 46 days. 
 
(79) 
 
 the period of its activity, and the laws that control it. Hence 
 we know how and why the phenomena occur and approximately 
 the time when they will occur. But there is one thing we do 
 not know. We do not know; except empirically, the relation 
 between the cause and. the effect, nor the correlation between 
 the effects themselves nor of their mutual interdependence. 
 
 A vast field for discovery is now open and within our reach, 
 but to reap the rich harvest, the whole scientific and unscientific 
 world too must change their method of observation. Such facts 
 as those observed accidentally by Messrs. Carrington and Hodg- 
 son, independently and at different stations, on the ist of Sep- 
 tember, 1859, P om t ou t the direction that observation must take 
 in the Future. They were observing a large sunspot when they 
 were startled by a sudden solar outburst. Two patches of most 
 dazzling brilliancy, far exceeding the brightness of the Sun, burst 
 forth and moved with great rapidity at the rate of over 7,000 
 miles a minute over the dark spot. But* the most wonderful 
 circumstance is that, the instant the outburst took place, not only 
 their own magnetic instruments were disturbed, but the self- 
 registering magnetic instruments in all parts of the woild show 
 the same perturbation at the moment. Moreover, at the same 
 time, "earth currents" appeared on all telegraph lines. In the 
 United States, some operators on the line between Washington 
 and New York, were knocked down. In England, fire flowed 
 from the pen of Bain's telegraph ; and in Norway, telegraph in- 
 struments were set on fire. That night .an electric storm pre- 
 vailed over the whole globe ; bright auroras illuminated the polar 
 skies of both hemispheres : and the town of Chirvan, in the gov- 
 ernment of Tiflis Asia Minor, was buried by a mountain being 
 thrown upon it during an earthquake. 
 
 Similar observations had been made before, and have been 
 since. The researches of Emile Kluge show many synchronisms 
 between earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and magnetic disturb- 
 ances. Prof. Lament, of the observatory near Munich, and 
 Prof. Colla, of Parma, Italy, both observed a violent perturba- 
 tion of their magnetic apparatus on the morning of April loth, 
 1842, so extraordinary that both recorded the hour and minute. 
 Afterwards it was ascertained that at the very moment a terrible 
 earthquake occurred in the Grecian Archipelago. Elsewhere 
 
(So) 
 
 we have given the observations of Matteuci, that electric currents 
 of greater tension and greater variability flow through the Earth 
 during rainstorms, and in clear weather also when it is windy or 
 when there are sudden and extreme oscillations of the barometer, 
 than in clear and tranquil weather. We have also given the ob- 
 servations of Berlandier, on the frontier of Texas, and in the 
 State of Tamaulipas, Mexico, upon the increase of temperature 
 of cold water springs, often two days in advance of the appear- 
 ance of a tropical hurricane upon that coast. In the present 
 chapter we have given the synchronisms between magnetic dis- 
 turbances observed at Havana, and the enlargement, sudden 
 change and disintegration of sunspots, while synchronous trop- 
 ical hurricanes, accompanied with earthquakes, were raging on 
 the adjacent coast of Florida, or amongst the adjacent islands. 
 
 Now, since magnetic disturbances, as we have shown else- 
 where, are but electric disturbances ; and since sunspots are 
 synchronous with sudden and violent electric currents in the 
 Earth ; and electric currents are synchronous with oscillations 
 in atmospheric pressure, with rain and wind storms, with hurri- 
 canes and with earthquakes, therefore we know that the bond of 
 union between all these phenomena is Electricity. The period- 
 icity of the phenomena is owing to the ebbs and flows of Elec- 
 tricity ; and the ebbs and flows of Electricity in the Solar Sys- 
 tem ensues from the peculiar relations that subsist between the 
 Sun and each planet at its equinoctial and solsticial points. 
 
 Let this great truth be once indelibly impressed upon the pop- 
 ular mind, and let a definite and true conception of the relations 
 between physical phenomena and their laws and causes be 
 formed, so as to displace the vague notions now generally prev- 
 alent, and a stimulant to research and an impulse to progress 
 will be given whose extent and limits no one can now foresee, 
 nor foretell. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 Venusian, Mercurial, Martial and Vulcanian Cycles. 
 
 The Jovial Cycle furnishes the principle around which as a 
 nucleus, all meteorological phenomena crystallize. Hence we 
 have endeavored to lay its foundation deep upon a firm and solid 
 bed-rock of facts. There it must permanently stand, unshaken 
 and immovable, amid all the wrecks of Time, unless the authen- 
 ticity of the facts upon which it rests is overthrown, so that their 
 dictum no longer can be accepted as truth. 
 
 But if true, then it is not barren, for truth is always prolific? 
 and it always bears fruit of its own kind. The small kernel first 
 discovered in Jupiter, will, under the operation of the laws of 
 Nature, develope and expand into a gigantic tree whose branches 
 will fill the skies. In Nature there is no isolated principle. 
 None stands there solitary and alone : for Nature does not operate 
 by special, but by general laws. Hence, if Jupiter were the sole 
 planet in the solar system, though he might represent a general 
 principle that obtains universally in other solar systems ; but in 
 our system he apparently would represent on|y a special princi- 
 ple. But placed as he is here, in companionship with co-planets, 
 he is subject to the operation of the same law that governs the 
 system ; and in whatever manner that law affects him, it likewise 
 affects his co-planets under similar conditions. If in passing the 
 equinoctial points on his orbit, his own electric condition is in- 
 tensified, and he reacts upon the Sun and intensifies its electric 
 condition, then the same effects in degree are produced when 
 every other planet passes its equinoctial points. 
 
 Since facts unquestionably prove that the Earth and the Sun, 
 and even Jupiter himself, are disturbed when he passes his equi- 
 noctial points, hence facts must also exist that prove this to be 
 the case with all other planets under similar circumstances. 
 That this is the case with the Earth at her equinoxes, has been 
 known and admitted so long that " the memory of man runneth 
 
(82) 
 
 not to the contrary ; " and that she likewise communicates her 
 infection to her coplanets, cannot be doubted so long as the phys- 
 ical law is in force, that in a group of insulated bodies the elec- 
 tric condition of no one of the members can be either eased or 
 intensified, without decreasing or increasing in proportion the 
 electric tension on all the members of the group. Such are de- 
 ductions warranted by general principles ; and this can be either 
 verified or disproved by the records of facts which Time and the 
 diligence of observers have accumulated. These records we 
 will now proceed to examine, and see whether the Earth and its 
 Atmosphere, and the Sun himself, give any evidence of disturb- 
 ance when Venus or Mercury pass their equinoctial points. 
 
 To impress the condition under which violent paroxysms occur 
 more indelibly upon the mind of the reader, we will recall the 
 fact repeatedly stated in regard to Jupiter's long perturbation of 
 nearly three years. Though the frequency and energy of Telluric 
 and atmospheric paroxysms during this period indicate an abnor- 
 mal electric condition, yet the great and terrific paroxysms in- 
 variably occur when the equinoctial perturbation of one of the 
 inferior planets is superimposed on the Jovial. Take any Jovial 
 period, and the largest sunspots, the most brilliant auroras, the 
 most appalling earthquakes, and the most terrific Cyclones, invar- 
 iably occur at our own equinoxes, or at those of one of the infer- 
 ior planets. The same is true of our own equinoctial disturb- 
 ances, and those of Venus also. The most violent and terrific 
 paroxysms occur when another planetary equinox falls within 
 the given period of perturbation ; for instance, at an equinox of 
 the Earth and one of Venus ; one of Mercury and, above all, 
 what I consider the equinoctial disturbance of Vulcan. For this 
 short period, as we will show at the proper time, like the long 
 Jovial period, is never obliterated, and invariably at its fixed 
 time manifests its presence, and under proper conditions, with 
 terrific energy. Its constancy and its energy led to its dis- 
 covery. 
 
 The reader therefore perceives that the question of the time 
 for the occurrence of physical paroxysms is not a simple one 
 that can be astronomically determined by merely determining its 
 exciting cause, but is a compound and often complex one, de- 
 pending upon the approximate coincident occurrence of one or 
 
(83) 
 
 more exciting causes. Probably in but few cases is a phenom- 
 enon purely owing to one cause. It is certain that all violent 
 ones are the combined effects of several cooperating causes. 
 For example, in Jupiter's Cycle lacking only 51 days of 12 
 years he fixes two periods at which physical perturbations will 
 occur. The duration of each of these is estimated at three 
 years, though the perturbations of the magnetic needle, and the 
 prevalence of sunspots show that the influence is sometimes very 
 sensibly felt for a longer period. These periods are separated by 
 intervals of comparative tranquility of the same length as them- 
 selves, in which physical phenomena are rare, and what occur 
 are generally of a mild character. But the periods of perturba- 
 tion abound in frequent and violent physical disturbances, often 
 unintermittent for four or five months, and then intermit for as 
 long a period, when they again recur. 
 
 It is during these periods, as we have shown, that nearly all the 
 terrific physical phenomena recorded in history have occurred. 
 They are brought about in this way : During the period of Jupi- 
 ter's excitement (the Ancients called it Jupiter's wrath) the 
 Earth obtrudes by her equinoxes six periods of excitement, Venus 
 nine, and sometimes ten, Mercury twenty-four or five, and Vul- 
 can about forty-eight. However, as nearly two-thirds of the 
 equinoxes of Venus fall near to or within twenty-five or thirty 
 days of the Earth's, so in the three perturbed years we have only 
 seven or eight seasons strongly marked by violent paroxysms, 
 though all the elements of perturbation are more or less active 
 during the whole time. During the disturbed period that culmi- 
 nated in the Autumn of 1871, we had only six such seasons so 
 strongly marked by their violence as to give them prominence ; 
 namely : first, September, October and November, 1870 ; second, 
 January, February and March, 18.71 ; third, June and July, in 
 same year ; fourth, August, September and October, of same 
 year; fifth, March and April, 1872 ; and sixth, August, Septem- 
 ber and October, same year. The first of these periods was 
 purely Jovial and Telluric ; the second, Jovial, Venusian and Tel- 
 luric ; the third, Jovial and Venusian ; the fourth, Jovial, Mar- 
 tial, Venusian and Telluric ; the fifth and sixth, were Jovial, Ve- 
 nusian and Telluric. Each period, of course, was besides compli- 
 cated by several Vulcanian and one or two Mercurial disturbances. 
 
(84) 
 
 It is hence perceived that paroxysms are precipitated at any 
 time during a Jovial disturbance when an equinox of one or of 
 several minor planets supervene, and that such paroxysm endures 
 whi'e the adventitious disturbing cause lasts, when comparative 
 tranquility again ensues until another such disturbing cause 
 supervenes. This is the reason why the terrific phenomena so 
 characteristic of these periods are so widely distributed as to time, 
 some coming a year and a half before and others as long after 
 the occurrence of the Jovial equinox. 
 
 The same principle obtains in Telluric and Venusian equi- 
 noxes. The violent phenomena to which they give rise, hardly 
 ever are synchronous with them. If they are, then it is because 
 an equinox of Mercury or of Vulcan for the time being coincides, 
 or nearly so, with the Telluric or Venusian equinox. Hence 
 phenomena in the Telluric and Venusian cycles are also distrib- 
 uted over the entire period of the perturbation caused by them, 
 because they depend for their occurrence upon the intervention 
 of a secondary cause. For instance, in the Northern Henlis- 
 phere, the tropical hurricanes, which plainly are owing to changes 
 that will be completed at the Autumnal equinox, by the inter- 
 vention of secondary causes, often occur in the latter part of 
 July, and continue to occur to the end of October. In the 
 Southern Hemisphere, owing to the same causes, they begin to 
 appear in the latter part of January and continue till after the 
 middle of April. No exact coincidences of physical paroxysms 
 with Telluric and Venusian equinoxes can hence be expected, 
 though frequently, from the causes we have indicated, such coin- 
 cidences do occur. The latest case is that of the terrible tor- 
 nado in Alabama and Georgia, of March 20, 1875, synchronous 
 with the Telluric and Vulcanian equinoxes of that date. But, 
 though phenomena exactly coinciding with Telluric and Venusian 
 equinoxes are rare, yet with Mercurial, and especially with Vul- 
 canian, they almost invariably coincide to the day. It is to be re- 
 gretted that our information of the latter planet is so meagre, 
 being confined exclusively to its existence, its nodes, and his 
 probable periodicity. We are now prepared to proceed and 
 verify the existence of a Venusian cycle, consisting of 224.7 
 days, or .615186 of a year, with a physical disturbance at the 
 end of 1 1 2 days. 
 
VENUSIAN STORMS. 
 
 Under this head we shall include all the storms falling 
 within the Venusian equinoctial period ; though in their pro- 
 duction, Jupiter, Mars, Earth, Mercury and Vulcan have par- 
 ticipated. Wherever we conveniently can, we will state what 
 planets conjoined in the production of the phenomena. 
 
 The records of storms are abundant in history, but no date ex- 
 cept the year is given prior to the year 1000. Jupiter extends his 
 influence over three years, hence all Jovial phenomena can be 
 identified when the year is given ; but Venus extends her influ- 
 ence hardly over two months ; hence, if the month is given, we 
 can approximately identify them, but there is no certainty unless 
 we have the day given. 
 
 It is stated that in the year 944, 1 ,500 houses were destroyed 
 by a tempest in London. No other date is given. In the year 
 1090, it is recorded that a violent tornado overturned 606 houses 
 in London alone. 
 
 The first specific date of a storm we find, is the one that oc- 
 curred on the 5th of October, 1091, in England. The account 
 states that it came from the South-west, and that the sky was 
 terribly dark. Many churches were destroyed, and that in Lon- 
 don over 500 houses fell. A Venusian equinox occnred October 
 1 2th, 1091, hence corresponding within seven days. This date 
 probably is old style : hence if corrected for style and precession 
 of the equinoxes, it will still correspond within 15 days of the 
 date of the equinox. 
 
 It is said by Hollingshead that, in the month of January, 1382, 
 when the queen of Richard II. came from Bohemia, on her set- 
 ting foot on shore an awful storm arose, and her ship and a 
 number of others were dashed to pieces in the harbor. A Ve- 
 nusian equinox occurred February 5th, 1382 ; though the day for 
 January is not given, yet as this is old style, 17 days have to be 
 added for style and precession of the equinoxes, to whatever day 
 in January it may have occurred ; it hence may coincide with 
 the equinox, or at least must approximate very closely to it. 
 Hollingshead relates as a singular coincidence that Richard's 
 second queen also brought a storm with her to the coast of Eng- 
 land, in which the King lost his baggage, and many ships were 
 destroyed ; but the only date given is the year. 1396. 
 
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 Many storms are recorded, but none that we could find with 
 day given, until we came to the wreck of the Mary Rose, 60 
 guns, going from Portsmouth to Spithead, and all on board, per- 
 ished in a storm July 2Oth, 1545. This however was not caused 
 by a Venusian equinox, it having occurred 52 days after the pre- 
 ceding, and 60 days before the succeeding Venusian equinox. 
 Correcting the date for style and precession of the equinoxes and 
 it corresponds to August 4th, 1545, of the epoch of 1875. A Mer- 
 curial equinox occurred on August 4th, 1545. If our determin- 
 ation be correct of the length of the Vulcanian Cycle, then that 
 cycle completed itself on the 3ist of July, 1545, or five days be- 
 fore. 
 
 The general storm that prevailed in England, and in fact 
 throughout Europe, the day that Cromwell died, September 3d, 
 1658, corresponds with the following equinoxes : Venus, Aug- 
 ust I9th ; Mercury, September ist; Vulcan, September 2d ; and 
 Earth, September 2ist. If the date is corrected for style and 
 precession, it brings it within five days of the Autumnal equinox. 
 I consider it a Telluric phenomena, intensified by the approxi- 
 mate conjunction of so many planetary equinoxes. 
 
 The next specific date is September ist, 1691, a storm in which 
 the Coronation, 90 guns, foundered off the Ramhead, and the 
 Harwich, 7 g uns ? wrecked and all on board perished. No 
 Venusian equinox comes within 40 days of this disaster. A 
 Mercurial equinox occurred August 3 ist, 1691, or one day of 
 date given ; but correcting the date of the disaster for style and 
 precession, and it corresponds to September i4th, 1691. The 
 Vulcanian cycle completed itself exactly on this day 
 
 We now come to what is called the " Great Storm," the one 
 that occurred on the 26th and 27th of November, 1703, in Eng- 
 land and throughout Europe. The loss sustained in London 
 alone was estimated at 2,000,000 sterling. The number of per- 
 sons drowned in the floods of the Severn and the Thames, and 
 lost on the coast of Holland, and in ships blown from their moor- 
 ings, and never heard of afterwards, is estimated at 8,000. 
 Twelve men-of-war, among which were the Sterling Castle, 
 Mary, Northumberland, of 70 guns each, were lost on the Good- 
 win ; the Vanguard, 70 guns, sunk at Chatham ; the York, 70 
 guns, near Harwick, all on board perished except four men ; on 
 
(87) 
 
 the Resolution , 60 guns, wrecked on the coast of Sussex ; and on 
 the New. Castle, 60 guns, at Spithead, 193 were drowned ; on the 
 Reserve, 60 guns, at Yarmouth, 1 73 persons perished ; and on 
 the smaller vessels, altogether 1800 were lost in sight of shore. 
 
 In Kent alone 17,000 trees were torn up by the roots. Eddy- 
 stone lighthouse was destroyed, and in it the ingenious Win- 
 stanley, the contriver of it, and all the persons with him perished.. 
 Thebishop of Bath and of Wells and his lady were killed in bed, 
 in their palace in Somersetshire. Immense numbers of cattle 
 were killed and drowned. The devastation on land and the loss 
 in shipping was immense. The date of this storm, corrected for 
 style, etc., is December 8th and 9th, 1703. The equinox of 
 Venus occurred on November 9th, 1703 I or 29 days from the 
 date as corrected. It probably therefore had little influence. 
 A Saturnian disturbance was however prevailing and in full en- 
 ergy at the time, and an approaching Jovial equinox was only 
 18 months distant. An equinox of Mercury occurred on the 9th 
 of December, or on the second day of the storm, and a Vulcan- 
 ian one* on the 8th of December, the day that the storm com- 
 menced. 
 
 An awful storm prevailed in the North of England, Oct. 29, 
 1775 ; many ships destroyed, and four Dublin packets wrecked. 
 Equinox of Venus Oct. 27th, 1775 ; of Mercury, Nov. ist, and of 
 Vulcan, Nov. 6th 
 
 Hurricane at Surat, East Indies, April 22, 1782. A Jovial 
 equinox occurred about five months after this cyclone. Venu- 
 sian April I3th ; Vulcan ian, April 29th, and Mercurial May 4th. 
 
 October 3d to iSth, 1780, a terrible hurricane, or perhaps sev- 
 eral, prevailed in the West Indies. On the nth of October it 
 
 *NOTE. The reader's attention is particularly called to what we have 
 provisionally named the Vulcanian Cycle, recurring every 23 days; and 
 to the surprising exactitude with which it almost invariably hits the 
 dates of every violent physical phenomenon. We had with much labor 
 calculated approximately its exact period, but afterwards discovered, if 
 we discarded the fractional parts of both our own year and that of Vul- 
 can, considering the former as 365 days and the latter as 46 days, the 
 number 23, that is, the interval between his equinoxes, measured the 
 phenomenal periods for over 300 years, without anj r appreciable devia- 
 tion. We will not positively assert that our determination is correct, 
 but that it is an exact, well and sharply defined Meteorological Cycle, 
 admits of no doubt. We appeal to facts, and to them alone, to decide 
 this matter. 
 
(88) 
 
 raged most terribly at Barbadoes ; over 4,000 of the inhabitants 
 lost their lives. A twelve pounder was taken up and carried 
 140 yards. The following vessels of the British navy were lost 
 in this hurricane : Thunderer, 74 guns ; Sterling Castle, 64 ; 
 Defiance, 64 ; Phoenix, 44 ; LaBlanche, 32 ; Laurel, Shark 
 and Andromeda, 28 each ; Deal Castle, Penelope and Scar- 
 borough, 24 each ; Barbadoes, Camelcon, Endeavor, 14 each; 
 and Victor, loguns. This hurricane was at Havana on the i6th, 
 and at the Bermudas on the iSth. The following approximate 
 conjunction of planetary equinoxes were taking place. Earth, 
 September 2ist; Venus, September 29th ; Vulcan, October ist; 
 and Mercury, October 9th. It ought to be noted that tropical 
 hurricanes originate at sea, and move very slowly, so the exact 
 date of their origin is hardly ever known ; the date given for 
 them is that when first observed. The same hurricane has often 
 been seen for twenty consecutive days. 
 
 We may as well mention another terrible hurricane by which 
 Barbadoes was laid waste on the roth of August, 1831. Over 
 2,500 of the inhabitants were killed, and over 5,000 wounded. 
 A piece of lead, weighing 4,000 pounds, was lifted and carried 
 over 300 yards. The Jovial perturbation of the year previous, 
 reinforced by a Saturnian, still prevailed. Venus had passed her 
 equinox on the 29th of June ; but the Mercurial equinox occurred 
 August 4th, and a Vulcanian August 8th. This hurricane, it is 
 perceived, was one of unusual violence and of long duration. 
 On August roth, the day that it devastated the Barbadoes, a 
 severe earthquake occurred in the East Indies. Col. Reid, 
 Governor of the Bermudas, records in his journal : " That 
 during the nth and I2th of August, the Sun was of a bluish 
 color, and its light unusually dim ;"* a fact that will be appre- 
 ciated by physicists three or four generations hence, as showing 
 what is now shown by the spectrum, that Light passes by way 
 of blue into Electricity, by way of red into Heat. But this is 
 forbidden ground for us at present. 
 
 On the 8th of November, 1800, a general storm prevailed 
 throughout England, doing immense damage both on sea and 
 
 *NOTE. I witnessed the same phenomena on the same days, in the 
 State of Maryland, where I was engaged in teaching. A similar phenom- 
 enon occurred a few weeks later, only the Sun was purple instead of blue. 
 
(9) 
 
 land. Jupiter's equinox occurred in June of this year ; that of 
 Venus, October 24th ; of Vulcan, November 6th ; and that of 
 Mercury, November iyth. In Europe storms generally come 
 from the ocean ; hence generally appear later than their exciting 
 causes. 
 
 December i6th and lyth, ici4, "a tremendous storm through- 
 out Great Britain and Ireland, by which immense damage was 
 done and many ships were wrecked." Venusian equinox, No- 
 vember zist; Vulcanian, December i8th ; Mercurial, Decem- 
 ber 23d. 
 
 December I2th, 1822, "a storm in Ireland, particularly in the 
 vicinity of Dublin, many houses thrown down and vast numbers 
 unroofed. A Venusian equinox occurred November 23d, 1822 ; 
 a Vulcanian, December 3d, and a Mercurial December 2d, 1822. 
 
 The genus Cyclones embraces all kinds of rotary storms. 
 Sand-spouts of sandy deserts ; cloud and dust spouts on land ; 
 and water-spouts at sea, are species of Cyclones. When a tor- 
 nado with its dust and cloud-spout passes from the land over a 
 body of water, it becomes converted into a water-spout, and vice 
 versa. But there are distinct varieties of each, in which the 
 conversion does not take place ; e. g.^ the water-spout of a calm 
 atmosphere and tranquil sea ; and the dry whirlwind in calm 
 weather carrying up an immense column of dust. 
 
 On the 27th of June, 1827, occurred, on the coast of Sicily, in 
 the Mediterranean Sea, those grand, yet as may well be con- 
 ceived, awe-inspiring water-spouts represented in our engraving. 
 The following conjunction of equinoxes occurred at this time ; 
 namely, Vulcan, July 4th ; Venus and Mercury both on June 
 30th. 
 
 January I2th and i3th, 1828, "an awful storm in England, 
 and along the British coast. Many vessels lost, and thirteen 
 driven ashore at Plymouth alone." There was a Venusian equi- 
 nox on the i3th of January. 
 
 The Black Sea Storm. From the I3th to the i6th of No- 
 vember, 1854, a terrific storm raged in the Black Sea. Eleven 
 transports (English) were totally wrecked and six disabled. The 
 new steamer Prince was lost with 144 lives, and a cargo worth 
 500,000, indispensable to the army in the Crimea. The loss of 
 life in the other vessels is estimated at 340. Except Jupiter who 
 
(90) 
 
 had passed his equinox about eleven months previous to the date 
 of this storm, but two other planets contributed to this phenom- 
 enon, namely, Vulcan and Venus, the former passed his equinox 
 on the loth, the latter on the i5th, or the day before the storm 
 ended. 
 
 According to Professor Dewey, a violent storm raged on the 
 American Lakes on the same day, namely, November I3th, 1854. 
 
 I have so far followed in detail an English list. Prof. Miiller, 
 in his Lehrbuch der Kosmischen Physik, mentions a hurricane 
 that commenced on the 23d of December, 1821, and continued 
 until the 27th. For four days it swept over Europe like a single 
 whirlwind. When it struck the peaks of the Spanish mountains 
 and the Maritime Alps, it broke up into smaller storms, which 
 rushed with devastating fury through all the valleys, smaller in 
 diameter but of equal energy to the original hurricane. This 
 hurricane was similar in character to that of 29th November, 
 1836, and originated in the Atlantic. I have not been able to 
 find a trace of it in America, yet like the latter storm, it may 
 have originated here and traversed the broad Atlantic. Under 
 these circumstances, it is not to be expected that its date will cor- 
 respond very closely with its exciting causes. It is very remark- 
 able that seven days before its appearance in Europe, namely, 
 on* the 1 6th of December, 1821, an extraordinary conjunction of 
 the following planetary equinoxes took place, namely, Venus, 
 Mercury and Vulcan. 
 
 The following is the storm referred to above : Johnston, in his 
 Physical Atlas, says, " One of the most dreadful hurricanes on 
 record in the Temperate Zone, whether on account of injury it 
 caused or the extraordinary extent to which it raged, was that of 
 November 29th, 1836. According to the best information it 
 began in America, crossed the Atlantic, and reached the Europ- 
 ean coast on the parallel of the English Channel. The first 
 accurate account shows it on the 23d of November, on the east 
 coast of North America, in the parallel of the St. Lawrence. 
 It continued its way over the Atlantic, and approached Land's 
 End on the 29th of November, at 7.45 A. M. ; it was at Plym- 
 outh at 8.30; at Exeter 9.30; Weymouth 10.15; Poole 10.30; 
 Farnham at 12, noon ; London 12.30 P. M. ; Island of Walcher- 
 on at I ; in Diisseldorf at 2 ; in Hamburg and Berlin at 6 ; and in 
 
(90 
 
 Koenigsberg at 9 P. M. The storm raged most on the coast of 
 France and Belgium. At Ostend, scarcely a house was left un- 
 roofed, and the demand for tile in consequence became so great 
 that the price for 1000 arose from 1 6 to 30 florins." 
 
 The following is ascertained to be the dates of the planetary 
 equinoxes of that date : Mercury, November 22d, and Vulcan, 
 November 23d, 1836, the latter the exact day that the storm first 
 attracted notice on the Northeast coast of America. 
 
 We intended to have taken up the British list of wrecks and ver- 
 ified the cycles by them, but it would be too tedious : besides, if 
 the evidence adduced, and that to be adduced, do not prove the 
 existence of these cycles, what evidence will ? We have already 
 given a list of the wrecks wrought by the special storms we have 
 considered, we will however give one more, because it will be 
 recalled by many readers. It occurred in the Bay of Biscay, on 
 January nth, 1866, and produced a deep sensation both in Eu- 
 rope and America at the time. We allude to the foundering of 
 the steamer London, on her way to Melbou-rne, carrying down 
 220 persons ; among them Prof. VVooley, principal of the univer- 
 sity of Sydney ; and the tragedian, G. V. Brooke. On the same 
 day the steamer Amalia also went down with a cargo valued at 
 200,000. An unusual atmospheric perturbation pervaded the 
 entire globe at the time. In the latter part of December, and 
 early part of January, violent storms are mentioned in the Chinese 
 Sea ; and on the 26th and 2Sth of December, 1865, violent gales 
 on the American Lakes and Atlantic coast, are recorded. In a 
 summary of the English list of wrecks, we find this remark : 
 " Many wrecks and great loss of life during the gales from the 
 6th to the nth of January, 1866." There must have been an 
 adequate cause for this extreme and widespread atmospheric 
 commotion, and for its violence and protraction. The following 
 are ascertained to be the exciting causes : Jupiter passed his 
 minor equinox about November ist, 1865 ; a Venusian equinox 
 occurred December roth ; a Vulcanian December 3ist, 1865 ; and 
 a Mercurial January 9th, 1866. 
 
 In passing from European to American storms, we recall at- 
 tention to the fact already stated, that European storms, as a 
 rule, originate on the Atlantic Ocean, and hence exist for days 
 and even a week before they manifest themselves on the Europ- 
 
can coast. We have given an illustration of this fact in the 
 great storm of November, 1836, traced by Mr. Johnston to New 
 Foundland, where it was fully developed on the 23d, or six days 
 before it struck the shores of Europe. The same remark applies 
 to the tropical hurricanes of America. They originate in the 
 tropical sea, many degrees east of the Windward Islands, and 
 exist for days before they strike those islands, and then from five 
 to ten days often elapse before they strike the coast of Florida. 
 The tropical hurricane that struck the coast of Nova Scotia with 
 such terrible fury on the 24th and 25th of August, 1873, affords 
 an illustration of this remark. The Crest of the Wave encount- 
 ered it on the i3th of August, in N. latitude 14 W. longitude 
 27 as a severe gale. The next definite account of it, is on the 
 iSth, from there the Signal Office located it daily until it struck the 
 coast of Nova Scotia on the 24th, and for days afterwards, for 
 it is supposed that the severe storm that passed over England on 
 the 3ist of August, and struck the coast of Norway on Septem- 
 ber 2d, was this identical storm. Under such circumstances it 
 is seen to be almost impossible to trace this class of storms to 
 their exciting causes. In the case of this storm, however, this 
 can be done accurately. 
 
 The Telluric equinox was uquestionably, as well as the Ven- 
 usian, a factor in the cyclone. The immediate exciting cause 
 was Mercury, who passed his equinox on the I3th, the very day 
 that the Crest of the Wave met this storm, then only a severe 
 gale. On the I9th of the month, it was intensified by the occur- 
 rence of a Vulcanian equinox, and on the next day, the 2oth, by 
 a Venusian. Hence its terrific energy whilst opposite Nova 
 Scotia ; for its center did not strike that coast by from 100 to 150 
 miles. 
 
 The loss of life was terrible, and that of property immense, 
 estimated at the time at from $4,000,000 to $5,000,000. The 
 number of houses destroyed was about 900. The Signal 
 Service Office says : "Any endeavor to estimate the value 
 of the property destroyed, is attended with great difficul- 
 ties, but may be within bounds, if to the $700,000 damage done 
 to wharves and crops, is added $1,000 for each building, $2,000 
 for each of the larger vessels, and $r,ooo for each of the smaller 
 ones, which would give a total of $3,500,000 ; a sum that it will 
 
(93) 
 
 be seen may easily be far below the truth." The Signal Office 
 Report further states : "That 1032 ships, of which 435 were small 
 fishing schooners, are known to have been destroyed during the 
 24th and 25th of August, in the neighborhood of the Gulf of St. 
 Lawrence and the Atlantic shores of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, 
 and New Foundland. On the other hand over 90 vessels were 
 destroyed by this hurricane in its passage over the ocean before 
 it reached Nova Scotia, making a grand total of at least 1123 
 vessels destroyed within a few days by its power. Two hundred 
 and twenty-three lives are definitely reported to be lost, and the 
 moderate estimate of the numerous cases in which whole crews 
 have been lost, swells this number to nearly 500 ; and if to this 
 is added the loss of life on land, and the loss in the earlier his- 
 tory of the cyclone, the grand total amounts to ;:t least 600 
 lives." 
 
 This lamentable disaster shows the necessity of elementary 
 knowledge in the first principles of Meteorology more clearly 
 and convincingly than any argument we can adduce, enforcing 
 what it teaches in a manner more powerful than any words 
 would that we can command. Here is a chance for teaching 
 Natural Science in our elementary schools ; but let no philan- 
 thropist, with more zeal than knowledge, commit the egregious 
 blunder of attempting to teach it before it is discovered ; for 
 what now passes for Meteorology is less like that Science than 
 Vegetable oysters are like real oysters. Better teach nothing 
 than teach error. Elementary books say, "that the wind at the 
 surface of the Earth will tend from the colder to the warmer 
 region, and from the place where there is least vapor to where 
 there is most vapor," when the facts fully as often contradict as 
 sustain this theory. For instance, the warm wind flowing north- 
 ward, out of an area of a southern high barometer, flows from 
 a warmer to a colder region, and as it advances northward, has 
 its own temperature reduced as the thermometer shows ; and the 
 moist winds of the ocean, which every where carry moisture into 
 the interior of continents, watering them by producing rain 
 there, flow as often and as long from the moist region over oceans 
 to dry regions over continents, as the dry air over continents 
 flows into the moist air over oceans. The truth is the principle 
 is false ; for as we have shown in Part I, atmospheric move- 
 
(94) 
 
 ments have nothing whatever to do with either the temperature 
 or hygrometric condition of the Atmosphere. These movements 
 are initiated and controlled by general laws of an entirely differ- 
 ent character, as we there demonstrated. 
 
 Amid the general zeal for applying Science to facilitate the 
 operations, and for multiplying and cheapening the products of 
 every kind of industry, we have not seen any practical plan for 
 the application of Science to the protection of those products 
 afterwards against the dangers and risks of the elements to 
 which they will be exposed in flood and field, on land and water, 
 either before they are finally garnered, or distributed to the 
 points where needed. Here we see hundreds of lives lost, and 
 from four to five millions of dollars worth of property engulfed 
 and swallowed up in a few hours, and most of it recklessly ex- 
 posed from sheer ignorance of the first principles of Meteorol- 
 ogy. Surely the declaration of the prophet, "the people perish 
 for want of knowledge," is as true in our Age notwithstanding 
 from self-conceit and pride we maintain the contrary that it 
 was 2,500 years ago. The sufferers, in this instance, are not to 
 be charged with culpable ignorance, for they were fully as much 
 enlightened on this subject as this Age is ; but the fault is with 
 the thought, or rather want of thought, and mental habitudes of 
 our Age laboring under the delusion that Nature is a sealed, not 
 an open book, which every one can read and understand for 
 himself. 
 
 Meteorology is that Science which takes cognizance of all 
 atmospheric phenomena and changes, and by investigating their 
 nature and character, ascertains and determines their causes. In 
 this sense, as a Science, it is therefore not yet born, for what 
 now passes for it, is even incapable of explaining the Past, how 
 then can it be expected to divine the Future? 
 
 The economy of Nature is perfect, but books, the spectacles, 
 with distorting glasses, through which we look at it, prevent us 
 from perceiving its beauty and symmetry, and from conceiving, 
 admiring and adoring its simplicity, grandeur and sublimity. In 
 it physical causes are so organized and arranged that they pro- 
 duce proper variety in their effects. Heat and cold, rain and 
 sunshine, we must have, but neither continuously. We must 
 have alternations of each, systematically distributed so as to give 
 
(95) 
 
 the proper variety and diversity to the seasons ; and this is at- 
 tained to the utmost perfection by the fixed planetary arrange- 
 ment Nature has ordained to bring about these changes at reg- 
 ular intervals. The Sun she has ordained to shed abroad the 
 primitive form of Energy, Light : but uniform energy distributed 
 by a body of uniform potency, and in unvarying quantity, would 
 soon produce stagnation in the Sun himself, and both in the 
 planets and in their aeriel oceans, unless there were exciting causes 
 that not only at times aroused the planets to greater activity, but 
 influenced the Sun himself constantly to modify, diversify and 
 vary his energy. These exciting causes are the equinoxes by 
 which a planet alternately renews its electric vigor ; now by 
 the North, and anon by the South magnetic pole of the Sun, 
 thus alternately imbibing electric energies that, we have good 
 reasons for believing, differ in many essential properties. 
 
 We are endeavoring to prove the reality of these exciting 
 causes, and hence are not yet properly justified to make a prac- 
 tical application of the principles they inculcate. But suppose 
 they had been accepted as scientific truths at the time this 
 cyclone occurred, what would have been the deductions drawn 
 from them for the guidance of those on land as well as on water? 
 Mercury passed his equinox on the I3th of August. Now, under 
 ordinary circumstances, that is when the Earth is not laboring 
 under airy other equinoctial disturbance, Mercury's equinox, 
 though it would produce a minor disturbance, such as a gentle 
 rainstorm, yet it would not give rise to anything calculated to 
 excite serious alarm. But the Earth was already feeling the 
 effects of her own approaching equinox ; and that of Venus had 
 already advanced so far as to culminate in a week. Besides, 
 there was Vulcan hidden in the fiery beams of the Sun, giving, 
 at short intervals, such ponderous strokes as Jupiter might envy, 
 he too would get in his blow the day before Venus. Something 
 quite serious was therefore to be expected, and all possible pre- 
 cautions would have to be taken to avoid danger. Such would 
 have been the deductions ; now what are the facts ? 
 
 The Signal Service, in their Monthly Weather Review, say : 
 "The areas of low barometer traced on Map No. 2, were accom- 
 panied with slight disturbances, while in the western portion of 
 the United States, but no marked change in the weather occurred 
 
until the nth of the month, when an area of low barometer 
 marked No. 6, was first observed in Kansas.* This storm 
 moved slowly to the eastward with cloudy weather, rain and 
 light to fresh winds, the winds increasing as the centre ap- 
 proached the Atlantic coast, and finally produced the north- 
 easterly gale which occurred on the middle Atlantic and New 
 England coast, on the I4th and I5th." 
 
 In the Signal Office Report, 1873, (page 1026) this storm is 
 again referred to as follows : "The depression passing through 
 Delaware on the nights of the I3th and i4th, was apparently 
 accompanied by two, if not by three or four, smaller storm cen- 
 tres, which being of the nature of tornadoes, seem to have done 
 considerable damage, both by wind and rain, in eastern Penn- 
 sylvania and Maryland. The most severe winds were reported 
 from the New Jersey coast," etc. 
 
 In the official report at Boston, Mass., (ibidem, p. 241) is this 
 item: "August I3th-i5th, 1873 Storm very severe outside. 
 Many vessels staid in port ; and a few small boats were washed 
 from their moorings." 
 
 Report from Portland, Maine, (ib. p. 283) : "August I4th and 
 I5th, 1873 Gale from the northeast at this station, but a heavy 
 swell coming in from sea." 
 
 In the disasters of shipping on the Great American Lakes, 
 {Ib. p. 1044) we find: "August I3th, 1873 Barge J. D. Mor- 
 ton, during the rough weather on Lake Erie, broke loose from 
 tow of steam barge Sun, and went to pieces ; Scow Senator 
 had her foretop mast broken and lost canvass during a squall on 
 Lake Erie." "Schooner Caroline Marsh lost 8,000 to 10,000 
 feet of lumber of deck load by a gust of wind while off Oswego, 
 August i5th. Brig Pilgrim lost her topsail yards during storm 
 off Chicago. August i9th Schooner J. Rigley lost part of her 
 canvass off Forty-Mile Point." 
 
 *NOTE. I was present at the birth of this storm on Sunday afternoon, 
 August Qth, in Middle Park, Colorado, at the western base of the Snowy- 
 Range. We were under the western rim of the cloud canopy, and en- 
 countered a heavy rain from 4 P. M. to 2 A. M. next morning. To the 
 west the sky remained clear, but a fearful thunder-storm raged almost 
 above our heads, on the Range. At Boulder, situated forty miles from 
 the Range, at the eastern base of the mountains, we found the same 
 storm had come down from the mountains and passed eastward on the 
 Plains, on the morning of the loth. 
 
(97) 
 
 The last accident occurred on the day of the Vulcanian equi- 
 nox, and this is the last accident by storm mentioned during the 
 month. It should be remarked here that planetary equinoxes 
 produce high as well as low barometers, as we will show here- 
 after. A high barometer is a down-pour of air, as we have 
 shown in Part I, from the surface of the serial ocean, and a low 
 barometer a storm centre is an upheaval of air from the Earth. 
 There cannot be an upheaval without a down-pour, and vice 
 versa. It so happened that the very high barometers that had 
 successively come from the Northwest, but driven back by the 
 Nova Scotia Cyclone three different times, covered Canada and 
 Ontario for nearly the balance of the month, that is from the I9th 
 to the zSth. This is why no storm centre appeared on the Lakes 
 during that time. This point is fully discussed in Part I, and 
 illustrated by explanatory maps, showing the mutual repulsion 
 of dissimilar barometers. 
 
 On the I9th, a Vulcanian, and on the 2oth, a Venusian equi- 
 nox occurred. Our theory suggests a violent commotion on the 
 Lakes at this time ; and most probably it would have occurred 
 had not the high barometer been arrested and driven back by the 
 hurricane approaching the coast of Nova Scotia, because a storm 
 centre had developed on the iSth in the Upper Missouri, and" was 
 rapidly progressing eastward when, on the I9th, it was arrested 
 in North-western Iowa, and driven back to its source by the high 
 barometer in Canada.* It did not return until the 2oth, and 
 then was deflected by the Canadian high barometer northeast- 
 ward towards Hudson's Bay. 
 
 In the Mount Mitchell, North Carolina, observations, I find 
 the following: {Ibidem p. 783-84) "August iSth, foggy with 
 heavy rain from i .35 A. M. to 8 P. M. ; light rain at 1 1 P. M. ; 
 heavy rain during a thunderstorm. August ipth, fair till 7 A. 
 M. ; cloudy till noon ; foggy and heavy rain from 6.38 to 7.56 P. 
 M. August 2oth, heavy rain in the morning; generally foggy, 
 with very heavy rain till midnight. Rainfall during the day 2.08 
 inches." At Knoxville, Tenn., {Ibidem p. 910) August i8th, 
 heavy rain with velocity of wind 20 miles an hour. 
 
 *NOTE. This was storm centre No. 8, of Weather Map for August, 
 1873. It reappeared as No. 9, on the 2oth. See Monthly Weather Review 
 of August, 1873, and also Signal Office Report, 1873. 
 
Such was the weather in the Southern States, while a high 
 barometer rested on Northern New York and Canada, and the 
 terrific tropical cyclone was on its way to the coast of Maine 
 and Nova Scotia. The Crest of the Wave had met this cyclone, 
 as already stated within the Tropics, far east of the Windward 
 Islands, on the i3th, the day of Mercury's equinox. At the 
 time of the Vulcanian and Venusian equinoxes, it was passing 
 by the usual parabolic movement northwestwardly between the 
 Bermudas and the coast of Georgia. It now acquired terrific 
 energy, and swept the ocean clean in its path. Its destructive 
 career afterwards has already been described. 
 
 According to principles shown in Part I, where the attraction 
 of similar and repulsion of dissimilar barometers was demon- 
 strated, the great tropical disturbance attracted and absorbed in 
 its cyclonal vortex all the local minor disturbances within thous- 
 ands of miles of its path. Hence the local disturbances of the 
 Southern States were attracted and swallowed up by it. Thus, 
 little by little, it gathered strength on its way, and amassed and 
 organized as it bore down upon the devoted and doomed coast, 
 that terrible energy with which it smote it upon its arrival. Ah ! 
 but, says the tyro in Science, that coast is in possession of and de- 
 fended by a high barometer ! At any other point, and under or- 
 dinary circumstances, this would be true, but this is never true of 
 Nova Scotia when a cyclone is coming down the Gulf Stream, 
 for there is a permanent high barometer at or near the Bermudas, 
 and when there is a high barometer in Canada, there is not sea 
 room enough for the cyclone to pass without a terrible and pro- 
 tracted conflict with the opposing forces. 
 
 It is therefore a fatal mistake to deduce from general prin- 
 ciples that a high barometer gives immunity from cyclones in 
 Nova Scotia or on the coast of Florida, because it does so at 
 points where there is ample room for the storm centre to 
 sweep around, as it invariably does, an interposed area of high 
 barometer. 
 
 As early as the i8th of August, the conflict between the trop- 
 ical low and the Canadian high barometer, commenced, and the 
 latter was driven back northwestwardly towards Hudson's Bay, 
 for reinforcements. It reappeared in Ontario on the 2oth, and 
 renewed the conflict, retarding the advance of the tropical cyclone, 
 
(99) 
 
 which , as the map of the Signal Office shows, made very little 
 progress during these days, but the retardation was mutual, for 
 the high barometer also shows extremely tardy movement dur- 
 ing this time. The latter is again swung around in a large circle 
 northward on the 2ist, but returns, and by a curve towards the 
 northeast, clears the track of the cyclone on the 22d. But on 
 this very day another high barometer appears north of Lake Su- 
 perior. It advances and encounters the tropical hurricane, now 
 opposite the mouth of Chesapeake Bay ; it is overpowered 
 and driven towards Labrador. On the 25th it is at a point to the 
 west of Quebec, whence it is driven northwestward towards Hud- 
 son's Bay ; but reappeared north of Lake Superior on the 26th, 
 after the cyclone had left for the coast of Scotland. This is 
 illustrated by Maps Nos. 6 and 7, Part I. 
 
 In the first part of this work we have shown that the terrific 
 energy of cyclones is generated when a cyclone is compelled to 
 force a passage between two high barometers, between which it 
 is driven like a wedge. Its flanks are driven in upon its centre 
 by the two flanking high barometers. This is the cause why it 
 then acquires that terrific energy that appals and strikes with 
 consternation and amazement every beholder. This Nova Sco- 
 tia cyclone and the Florida cyclone of October 3(l-6th, 1873, both 
 fearfully illustrate this principle. 
 
 Moreover, in Part I, we have shown, that whenever there is 
 such a tremendous upheaval, or rather sucking up of air as there 
 is in the bore of a hurricane, there must be an equivalent down- 
 pour of air, somewhere within limits, to supply it. We there 
 demonstrated that a high barometer is caused by a down-pour 
 and a low barometer by an up-pour of air. Hence a hurricane 
 which is nothing more nor less than the point of lowest depres- 
 sion within an area of low barometer, requires not only a neigh- 
 boring high barometer, but an extraordinary high one to supply 
 it with air. This is not only a logical deduction, but a necessity, 
 for which Nature has provided the means. The motive power 
 putting the up-pouring and down-pouring columns of air in mo- 
 tion, we there demonstrate to be Electricity. Hence a low 
 barometer, which is an ascending current of Electricity, will 
 like any other electric current, evoke by Induction an elec- 
 tric current flowing in the opposite direction. That is, a 
 
(100) 
 
 low barometer will evoke or beget a high barometer, and vice 
 versa. 
 
 We have said that this sad and terrible calamity occurred 
 because of a culpable ignorance of the first principles of Meteo- 
 rology, which prevents us from foreseeing such dangers, and con- 
 sequently of taking measures to meet them and avoid the de- 
 struction they threaten. 
 
 Our Age is laboring under the fatal delusion that all that can 
 be known of meteorological causes, producing atmospheric 
 changes and movements, was known to the good, old, learned, 
 and revered fathers of Philosophy, whose crude notions we have 
 inherited, but not their mental force and vigor. This delusion 
 exacts us to believe just as they believed ; to see things just as 
 they saw them ; to make observations just as they made them ; to 
 pursue investigations just as they pursued them ; to think just as 
 they thought, and under no circumstances whatever to arrive at 
 any conclusion different from theirs. But as they were as blind 
 to 'the Future as bats are in daytime, they had to take events as 
 they came ; and we, as long as we adhere to their dogmas, have 
 to do the same. Practically, this is Fatalism in its worst form ; 
 for if Nature has deprived us both of the means and the faculty 
 of foreknowledge, then all we can do is to resign ourselves to 
 any fate that may betide. 
 
 When we look at the astronomical condition existing at the 
 time the Nova Scotia cyclone supervened, such an exposure of 
 life and property as was there and then, seems like madness ; 
 and it seems not only like tempting, but defying Fate. 
 
 Two planetary equinoxes had just occurred on two successive 
 days. An equinox of neither of these planets ever occurs singly 
 without manifesting more or less violence, yet now, since they 
 had joined forces, what might not have been expected? From 
 these astronomical events a storm was impending and inevitable ; 
 and here was Nova Scotia, situated right in the gate of the 
 highway, not only of all the continental storms of North Amer- 
 ica, but also of that of the terrific tropical storms that originate in 
 the tropical seas east of the Windward Islands, and by a parabolic 
 movement westward, sweep around the area of high barometer 
 that permanently covers the Bermudas and Sargasso Sea. What- 
 ever other points enjoyed immunity from such visitations, this 
 
(101) 
 
 coast enjoyed none ; for here between the mouth of the St. Law- 
 rence and the centre of the Gulf Stream, is the highway of all 
 North American storms ; the gate through which they must all 
 pass, even if they have to force a passage towards the attracting 
 permanent Icelandic low barometer in the northeast. Yet under 
 such physical conditions, and in such a locality, we firid life and 
 property as recklessly exposed as though hurricanes and their 
 devastations were unknown phenomena upon that coast. 
 
 That cyclonal phenomena depend upon and are caused by 
 astronomical events, was then unknown to the public. But a 
 cause with energy adequate to produce such a terrific phenom- 
 enon as that cyclone was, cannot conceal itself, nor be without a 
 witness of its presence. The Canadian high barometer to those 
 who can read correctly the meaning of the barometer adver- 
 tised the fact that the impending storm would not be a continen- 
 tal, but a tropical one ; and hence would be somewhat tardy in 
 its appearance. The Canadian high barometer, by its slow 
 movement, and in the direction it moved, also gave notice that its 
 way to join the Bermuda high barometer was cut off by the 
 cyclone, and there would be a terrific conflict when the latter 
 would come between it and the Bermuda high barometer. Such 
 was the lesson inculcated by the barometer. But there wns still 
 another witness. Under such peculiar and intense electric con- 
 ditions, the sky and the clouds assume a hue and form so entirely 
 distinct and characteristic as to be unmistakable. If only never 
 so small a speck of sky can be seen, it will be perceived to be 
 intensely serene and extraordinarily blue ; and the clouds by their 
 massiveness, compactness and sharpness of outline, either against 
 the sky or against their different strata, or volumes of the same 
 stratum, will give unmistakable evidence not only of the imminence 
 but of the energy of the approaching danger. Even when astronom- 
 ical events have occurred, or are about occurring, that will bring 
 on paroxysms, the interpretation of barometrical- readings, and 
 especially of what is written on the clouds and sky, cannot be 
 dispensed with ; for they inform us of the development and pro- 
 gress of the impending phenomenon, its locality, what direction 
 it is taking, and the very moment it may be expected to be upon 
 us if we are in its path. 
 
 We find the material we have on hand too vast to be embod- 
 
(102) 
 
 ied in these pages, and hence will use only so much as is- 
 necessary to establish the Planetary Equinoctial Theory beyond 
 gainsaying. Before proceeding to do so, however, we will re- 
 mark that, so far we have only examined and mainly presented 
 European phenomena, but now we Will give attention to Amer- 
 ican ones, since they serve our purpose better for illustration than 
 European do. 
 
 As before remarked, European storms have generally to go too 
 far from home before they fall under observation, to coincide 
 sharply with the date of their exciting causes. The same remark 
 applies to tropical hurricanes, both American and Asiatic. They 
 too, originate out on the ocean, at far distant points not fre- 
 quented by ships ; and hence may exist for a week or ten days 
 before they strike a neighboring coast, or fall under observation 
 of a passing ship. Hence with them also no sharp coincidence 
 will be found when the date of their appearance is compared 
 with th'e date of the exciting planetary equinox. But with the 
 continental storms of America it is otherwise. They are so near 
 at ho,me that they announce themselves generally a day or so in 
 advance of their planetary equinox. Generally they originate in 
 Western Manitoba (pronounced Man-ee-to-baw), where there is 
 practically a low barometer all Summer. They arrive at the 
 Great Lakes and in the trough of the Mississippi Valley, about 
 the date of their exciting planetary equinox ; and on the Atlan- 
 tic coast a day or two later. In applying the principle of the 
 Planetary Equinoctial Theory to Southern storms, a distinction 
 must be made between the tropical hurricanes that come from 
 the ocean east of the Windward Islands, and those that originate 
 in the Gulf and in the western part of the Caribbean Sea. The 
 former will almost uniformly be found to be from eight to ten 
 days tardy ; while the latter will be at most from one to two 
 days only, and often sharply up, if not ahead of time, like their 
 brothers of the northwest are. 
 
 The general principle of our theory must already be sufficiently 
 understood so as to need no further illustration. As we find it 
 more convenient to do at once what has to be done, at any rate 
 before the verification and demonstration is complete, so we will 
 proceed and demonstrate that when the Earth is under the influ- 
 ence of the electric excitement produced by either its own equi- 
 
nox or that of another planet, no violent paroxysms ensue, un- 
 less by the intervention of the equinox of a second planet. For 
 instance, Jupiter at his equinoxes imposes an intensely high 
 electric condition upon the Earth for a period of three years, yet 
 violent paroxysms only occur when another planetary equinox 
 supervenes. 
 
 It is at the Terrestrial equinoxes, during a Jovial term, that 
 the most terrible earthquakes and the most destructive cyclones 
 occur. All the Venusian equinoxes during that period produce 
 phenomena of unusual energy and violence. A Mercurial equi- 
 nox that ordinarily passes with phenomena so mild as scarcely 
 to attract attention, now gives rise to phenomena of a very vio- 
 lent character. But especially is this the case with Vulcan ; 
 strong at all times, his energy then is truly terrific, as we will show 
 at the proper time. As it is during a Jovial period, so it is dur- 
 ing a Telluric and Venusian. The violent paroxysms are always 
 brought about by the supervention of the equinoxes of other 
 planets with periods so short that almost the paroxysm can be 
 foretold to the very day. Mercurial and Vulcanian phenomena, 
 especially the latter, are of this character. When we discuss 
 Vulcanian phenomena, we will demonstrate that this especially 
 is the case when only that planet and the Earth are concerned ia 
 the phenomena ; and in some cases the phenomena seem to be 
 purely Vulcanian when no other disturbing cause, in our present 
 state of knowledge, can be assigned than that of this planet. 
 
 We will now take up the Venusian period and verify the prin- 
 ciples we have laid down, namely, that the most violent phenom- 
 ena during that period, nearly always occur at or near the date 
 of a Mercurial or Vulcanian equinox. Our demonstration will 
 make evident, what however might have been inferred, that the 
 crisis in many cases is precipitated and occurs a day or two be- 
 fore the exciting equinox. The Vulcanian equinox of June iyth, 
 1875, just occurred at this writing, is a case in point. The un- 
 usual and extraordinary rainfalls in California, and the tornado 
 at Quincy, Illinois, and other points West, occurred on the i5th 
 of June, two days before the equinox. The terrible rain and 
 wind storm, accompanied by a slight earthquake here, and quite 
 a severe one in Indiana and Ohio, came on the day of the 
 equinox. 
 
GCVERAL PRINCIPLES VERIFIED. 
 
 On the 23d of December, 1853, * ne nne new steamship San 
 Prancisco, sailed from New York with a regiment of United 
 States troops on board, bound around Cape Horn for California. 
 On the 24th she encountered a hurricane on the Gulf Stream, 
 that in a few moments made a complete wreck of the ship. Her 
 decks were swept, and by a single blow of those terrible seas 
 that storms raise there, one hundred and seventy-nine souls, offi- 
 cers and soldiers, were washed overboard and drowned. She 
 was seen on the 25th by one vessel, and on the 26th by another, 
 but neither, in the tempestuous state of the weather, could ren- 
 der her any assistance. 
 
 : Capt. Linnell, of the Eagle Wing, from Boston to San Fran- 
 cisco, encountered this same hurricane on the 24th. An abstract 
 of his log reads as follows: "December 24th, 1853, first part 
 threatening weather ; shortened sail ; at 4 P. M. close-reefed the 
 top sails, and furled the courses ; at 8 P. M. took in fore and 
 mizzen-top sails ; hove to under closed reefed main topsail and 
 spencer, the ship lying with her lee rail under water, nearly on 
 her beams ends ; at 1.30 A. M., 25th, the fore and main top gal- 
 lant masts went over the side, it blowing a perfect hurricane ; at 
 8 A. M. it moderated ; a sea took away jib-boom and bow-sprit 
 cap. In my thirty years experience at sea, I have never seen a 
 typhoon or hurricane so severe. Lost two men overboard, saved 
 one ; stove sky-light, broke barometer, etc." 
 
 This evidently was a Gulf cyclone, and had originated perhaps 
 three or four days before it encountered the doomed ship. The 
 course that storms originating in the Gulf of Mexico will take 
 northeastward, toward the Icelandic low barometer, depends 
 upon the position of the Bermuda, or more properly, Sargasso 
 Sea permanent high barometer. Besides being pushed North, 
 and dragged South by the advance or retreat of the Sun, it con- 
 stantly oscillates like a slow pendulum, swinging East until it 
 covers the Mediterranean Sea and Africa, as far East as the 
 Nile, when it slowly returns, and in its western oscillation, cov- 
 ers the Gulf and the Gulf States as far as the Rio Grande. 
 When it is on its extreme eastern oscillation, storms originating 
 on the Gulf or in the Gulf States, sweep northeastward along the 
 Gulf Stream. When it is in medium position, such storms are 
 
repulsed and driven upon the continent, and sweep down along 
 the sea board ; but when it is on a western swing, these storms 
 strike the coast of Texas, and then proceed northeastward, 
 by the Great Lakes, taking Texas, Western Louisiana, Arkansas, 
 Missouri, etc., in their route.* In the case of the storm that 
 struck the San Francisco, the high barometer must have been 
 on its eastern swing ; hence the storm pursued its natural course, the 
 Gulf Stream northeastward. Had the Signal Service then been 
 established, it no doubt would have detected this storm in the 
 Gulf or on the southern coast of Texas, at or before the depart- 
 ure of the ill-fated steamer, and have avoided the disaster. The 
 astronomical con'ditions were extremely threatening at this period, 
 and if known, would have shown that it would be the height of 
 imprudence to venture out upon the Gulf stream at the time the 
 ship left port. 
 
 Venus had passed her equinox nine days before, namely, on 
 the I2th of December. Vulcan the Terrible passed his equi- 
 nox on the 2ist, the day the steamer left; and Mercury would 
 make his equinox on the 26th, or in five days. Under such con- 
 ditions it would have been a miracle if a cyclone had not passed 
 down the Gulf stream within five or six days from the time the 
 steamer left. 
 
 Though out of place here, because Venus was not concerned 
 in it, to enforce the lesson inculcated with such awful sanction 
 by this terrible disaster, we cannot refrain from citing another to 
 the same import, namely, that it is extremely hazardous to ven- 
 ture out upon the Gulf stream, when Vulcan has just passed, or 
 is about to pass an equinox, while the excitement of a Telluric 
 or Venusian equinox is impending. The case is that of the 
 steamer President, which left the port of New York on March 
 nth, 1841 ; encountered the terrific cyclone of the I3th, and was 
 never heard of afterwards. She had on board a full load of 
 passengers, many of high rank, wealth and influence, both Amer- 
 ican and foreigners. Amongst the latter was Tyrone Power, the 
 comedian ; a son of the Duke of Richmond, etc. This vessel 
 left port while both a Telluric and Mercurial equinox was im- 
 
 *NOTE. My friend, the Hon. Thomas Allen, assures me that these 
 southwest hurricanes frequently do immense damage to his railroads in 
 Arkansas and Southern Missouri. 
 
(io6) 
 
 pending, and both to occur on the same clay, in ten days. Vul- 
 can had passed his equinox o\\ the Sth, three days before, not 
 giving time enough for the fierce storms this planet always gen- 
 erates ivhen one of his equinoxes occurs under such conditions. 
 This again was a southern storm from the Gulf, and must have 
 been pursuing its destructive career fully five if not more days 
 before it struck the doomed vessel with its living freight, and 
 "Sent it to ocean's depths with bubbling groan, 
 Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined and unknown." 
 
 A furious hurricane raged on the Great Lakes and in Canada, 
 on the 9th and loth of October, 1844. Many vessels were 
 wrecked and many houses blown down. Telluric equinox Sep. 
 2 1 st. Venusian September 23d, and Vulcanian October 9th, 
 day of the commencement of hurricane. 
 
 In an English list of wrecks we find : "Screw-steamer Royal 
 Charier totally wrecked off Moelfra, on the Anglesea coast ; 
 446 lives lost. The vessel contained gold amounting invalufe to 
 between 700,000 and 800,000, on night of October 25th and 
 26th, 1859." As the record did not state whether the disaster 
 was caused by a storm, or. was the result of accident, on refer- 
 ring to a list of storms we found : "Dreadful storm on night of 
 October 25th and 26th, 1859 ; the Royal Charter totally lost, 
 and many other vessels ; another terrible storm on October 3ist, 
 and November ist, 1859." As * ne major Jovial equinox occurred 
 early in December, 1859, tne Earth was hence laboring under its 
 perturbation. A Venusian equinox occurred October iSth, 1859, 
 or seven days before the first storm. A Vulcanian equinox oc- 
 curred on October 3ist, or six days after the first storm, and on 
 the very day of the last storm. The combination hence was, 
 Jovial, Venusian and Vulcanian. It may here be stated that 
 Mercury passed his equinox November 2oth, 1859. On the Eng- 
 lish list of wrecks I find : "Mail steamer Indian wrecked in a 
 storm off the coast of New Foundland ; out of 116, 27 lives lost, 
 November 2ist, 1859," that is the day after the equinox. The 
 combination here was Jovial, Mercurial and Vulcanian, since 
 Vulcan again passed an equinox on the 230! of November. On 
 a skeleton list of American storms, I find, "Severe storms on 
 the Lakes, November 25th, 1859," no other particulars given. 
 
 Prof. Bache, Hare and Beck described a tornado that occurred 
 
on June 1961, 1835, in New Jersey, traveling northeastward 
 through New Brunswick, Piscataway, and Perth Amboy, to the 
 ocean. It had at times a double cone, one inverted with base on 
 the cloud, and the other resting upon the Earth. Sometimes it 
 was only a cone or funnel depending from the clouds, changing 
 its position rapidly. It prostrated everything in its path, trees, 
 fences, buildings, etc., and drank up the Raritan river to its bed. 
 Tornadoes are also recorded on this day at Kinderhook, White 
 Plains, etc., N. Y. This tornado occurred about six months 
 before the major Jovial equinox which occurred about January 
 ist, 1836 ; and consequently it was partially owing to the Jovial 
 perturbation. An equinox of Venus occurred June 2Sth, or nine 
 days after the tornado, and both a Mercurial and a Vulcanian 
 equinox had occurred on June I2th, or seven days prior to the 
 tornado. 
 
 On 3oth of April, 1852, occurred a most remarkable tornado 
 at New Harmony, described by Chappelsmith. It was traced 
 from near Paducah, Kentucky, northeast to New Harmony, and 
 thence 200 miles east to Georgetown, Kentucky. It occurred at 
 4.30 P. M. This is always the most critical time of day, when 
 if there be any cyclonic tendency, it will surely develope either 
 into tornadoes or into violent wind and hail storms. The same 
 hour in the morning is also quite critical, but less dangerous. If 
 attention is directed to the time of day that tornadoes and hail- 
 storms take place they will almost invariably be found to occur 
 in the afternoon, generally between three and five o'clock. 
 Sometimes they occur later in the day, but seldom earlier. The 
 reason for this is obvious. The storm centre always is the low- 
 est point of an area of low barometer moving forward over the 
 surface of the Earth. Now, since there are two barometrical 
 depressions daily ; one, the lesser, between three and four A.M., 
 and the other, the greater, between the same hours in the after- 
 noon, hence, whenever and wherever the low barometer of the 
 moving storm centre coincides with either daily depression, there 
 is danger that either a tornado or violent wind and" hail storm 
 may burst upon the locality unfortunately so situated. The day 
 that the tornado occurred was cloudy and threatening, and the 
 barometer quite low. It is remarkable that at four or five miles 
 distant no wind nor any other unusual agitation was observed^ 
 
(loS) 
 
 Near New Harmony the track of fallen trees was half a mile in 
 width, and its forward movement estimated at the rate of sixty 
 miles an hour. The destruction was the work of a moment, and 
 intense electric energy was apparent. One observer said, "the 
 cloud appeared on fire at the bottom like a large pile of burning 
 brush." Others say it was "a cloud with green and red flame," 
 and others said it was green and blue. 
 
 The following were the impending planetary equinoxes : Ve- 
 nus May 3oth ; Mercury April 2ist, or nine days before the tor- 
 nado ; Vulcan May ist, or the day after it. 
 
 The following, though containing nothing extraordinary, will 
 be read with interest since it is the first case wherein our theory 
 is brought to the test of the actual observations of the Signal 
 Service. 
 
 In November and the early part of December, 1870, the astro- 
 nomical condition was as follows : Equinox of Mercury occur- 
 red Nov. 4th ; Vulcan Nov. loth ; Venus Nov. I4th ; and Vulcan 
 again Dec. 3d. The October equinox of Vulcan, namely, on 
 the iSth, had been signalized by tornadoes ; namely, on the I5th 
 at Milwaukee, and on the same day terrific tornadoes occurred 
 in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky. On the afternoon of 
 October 2ist, a fearful tornado struck Belleville, Richland Co., 
 Ohio. But we intend to confine our remarks to the earliest ob- 
 servations of the Signal Service, which about the first of Nov- 
 ember established its stations in the West. 
 
 The equinox of Vulcan on the loth of November, would 
 make us anticipate a disturbance under the conditions so near to 
 Venus, and so soon after Mercury, a day or so in advance of his 
 time. The first dispatch sent from the office at Chicago, is 
 dated at noon on Nov. 8th, and was sent by Gen'l Myer, Chief 
 Signal OIHccr, and directed to be bulletined by the lake observ- 
 ers at once. It was as follows : " High winds all day yesterday 
 at Cheyenne and Omaha ; a very high wind at Omaha this morn- 
 ing ; barometer falling, with high wind at Chicago, Milwaukee, 
 etc. ; high winds probably along all the lakes." The next 
 morning reports showed that, as anticipated, high winds had 
 fallen on all the lakes. 
 
 The next dispatch was sent Nov. 9th, at n A. M., and direct- 
 ed 'to be bulletined on the lower lakes, at New York, and at 
 
(109) 
 
 Boston : " Low barometer, moving eastward ; high winds along 
 the lakes, and probably will be along New York and eastern 
 coast." This again was verified. f 
 
 On the 1 9th, another disturbance appeared in the northwest, 
 and signals were ordered to be hoisted, but it seems it passed 
 northward of the lakes, manifesting itself feebly only at Duluth 
 and Detroit. Nothing serious was now to be expected until the 
 recurrence of a Vulcanian equinox on Dec. ^d. Here is what a 
 paper published in the Annual Report of the Chief Signal Officer 
 for 1871, says : " The first considerable storm that swept over the 
 lake region after the commencement of these (Chicago) reports, 
 was that of December 6th-yth, 1870." (p. 168.) The origin 
 and progress of this storm is minutely described and illustrated 
 by twelve maps, but we have not room for details. The follow- 
 ing must suffice : 
 
 *' Dec. 3d, 4 A. M., the following dispatch was sent : Barom- 
 eter rapidly falling at Omaha, St. Paul and Duluth ; heavy 
 weather probably on the lakes. It was received at Duluth, on 
 the western extremity of Lake Superior, on the day of its date, 
 and within one hour afterward the storm set in with great vio- 
 lence. Wind from the northeast, and the lake very rough." 
 
 As the high barometer to the east and the southeast, shown on 
 the maps, repelled the low barometer or storm centre, it re- 
 mained almost stationary in Kansas and Nebraska, until the high 
 barometer fell back slowly on the 5th. At 10 A. M. this day, 
 the following dispatch was sent to all the stations on the lower 
 lakes : " Very low barometer, with rain at Milwaukee and Chi- 
 cago, progressing eastward." " The Evening News, published 
 at Cleveland, Ohio, published this dispatch, and the Ledger, 
 next morning said, 'At 3.20 P. M., the storm arrived, falling at 
 once upon the city in the utmost fury, drenching the streets with 
 floods of water, wrenching off signs, knocking down chimneys, 
 and causing the wildest consternation among pedestrians, who 
 were caught without a moment's warning in a terrific gale. 
 (ib. page 170.) 
 
 "On the 6th," we are told, "the very low barometer still lin- 
 gered on Lake Ontario, where rain continued to fall, which ex- 
 tended south to Pittsburgh," supplemented with this speculation : 
 "Perhaps this retardation of the storm may have been occasioned 
 
(no) 
 
 by the highlands of the Adirondacks, and those of the Eastern 
 States." Why then do not these mountains retard every storm ? 
 Or, are they cause only at times, and no cause at other times? 
 We would also like to have the "highlands" pointed out to us 
 that checked the progress of this low barometer down the valley 
 of the Missouri, kept it stationary for nearly two days at Omaha, 
 then suddenly deflected it on the western point of Lake Superior, 
 and afterwards retarded its progress over the upper Lakes. 
 When that is done we will be able to appreciate the theory that 
 the Adirondacks, the Green, and the White Mountains retarded 
 its progress and made it linger so long on Lake Ontario. We 
 have given as an explanation of the retarding and deflecting phe- 
 nomena of storms, the mutual repulsion of high and low barome- 
 ters ; and until a case is shown where a low barometer has pushed 
 right into the centre of a high barometer, or vice versa, or that 
 either has kept on its course indifferent to, or regardless of the 
 presence of the other, we shall adhere to that explanation. It 
 is a mere question of fact, and a five minutes examination will 
 settle it. . The maps themselves, illustrating this storm, establish 
 the correctness of our explanation beyond gainsaying. 
 
 At the conclusion of the earthquake testimony in relation to 
 the Jovial Cycle, we stated that we would produce additional 
 testimony on that point, when we came to verify the Venusian 
 Cycle. We will now redeem that pledge ; not as cumulative 
 proof of the reality of that Cycle, for that we consider incon- 
 testible, but for the purpose of demonstrating how phenomena 
 crowd, whenever cycles intersect each other. 
 
 The Jovial Cycle culminated as we have seen at the Autumnal 
 Equinox of the year 1871, the phenomena of which have already 
 been given. We will now call attention to the phenomena of 
 the Vernal Equinox of that year ; when we have superimposed 
 upon the Jovial perturbation the following accessory disturban- 
 ces, namely, that of the Earth's equinox on the 2ist of March, 
 that of Venus on March 5th, that of Mercury, March i6th, and 
 those of Vulcan February loth and March 5th. 
 
 Auroras were observed from the 9th of February to the end 
 of the month, on every day excepting on I4th and 25th. Those 
 of the loth, nth and izth very brilliant; those of the loth 
 and nth extraordinarily so. Magnetic, that is, electric dis- 
 
(HI) 
 
 turbances, were observed in Europe on the I2th, and an 
 aurora was seen by daylight in England on that day. Electric 
 disturbances were observed in the Southern Hemisphere on Feb- 
 ruary 4th, 5th, 9th, i3th, I4th, and i5th. February 9th, one 
 day before Vulcan's equinox, an earthquake occurred at Illapel, 
 Chili, simultaneous with an extraordinary rain, causing destruc- 
 tive freshests from the Andes. On the icth, tremendous rains in 
 the Andes of Peru, causing destructive floods. February nth 
 A slight shock of an earthquake at Valparaiso, Chili, simultan- 
 eous with another tremendous rain in the mountains, causing 
 disastrous freshets. In Hayti, on the lyth and I9th, severe 
 shocks of an earthquake were felt. Severe earthquakes were 
 felt on the iSth in Burmah, and westward as far as Calcutta. 
 On the I9th, a terrific earthquake occurred in the Hawaian Is- 
 lands. Earthquakes were also felt in Peru on the 22d and 23d, 
 and on 25th a very severe one in Chili. On the 25th, also a vio- 
 lent earthquake occurred in Comiguin, one of the Philippine 
 Islands, which continued to May ist, when it culminated in a 
 terrible disaster* at the Mercurial equinox. 
 
 March 2d An earthquake in Nevada ; same day detonations 
 commenced in the volcano Roeang, Celebes ; on the 5th, at 7 
 P. M., a frightful eruption took place; three minutes later a 
 wave reached the shore of Tagoeland, one mile distant, destroy- 
 ing three villages and drowning 41 6 persons. The eruption con- 
 tinued till the I4th, when the heaviest and final eruption took 
 place. March 6th A severe earthquake at Bogota, commenc- 
 ing on the 4th. 
 
 March 5th Earthquakes at Arequipa, Jacua, and other places 
 in Peru, said to have been preceded by an electric storm, and 
 -accompanied with tremendous rains, followed by terrible floods. 
 Near Lima, many lives were lost, plantations wasted, and rail- 
 roads washed away. March 6th A most remarkable electric 
 storm at Tacua, Peru ; for hours the snowy peak of Tacora 
 seemed the centre of a conflagration of lightning and terrific thun- 
 
 *NOTE. The following is the newspaper account of this catastrophe : 
 A terrible earthquake in the Philippine Islands. On the island of Comi- 
 guin, after being terribly shaken since February, and especially during 
 March, a plain fell in on the ist of May, 1,500 feet in diameter, engulph- 
 ing many houses, cattle, and over 150 persons. The gulf became a cra- 
 ter, and is still casting up ashes, stones, smoke, etc. 
 
(112) 
 
 der, that shook the mountain and the country for miles around. 
 On the 6th, an earthquake was also felt in New Hampshire. 
 
 March 8th The terrific tornado of East St. Louis occurred, 
 fully described and discussed in Part I. March 1 7th Another 
 remarkable electric storm in Peru, and very brilliant auroras 
 seen in both hemispheres. In England an earthquake and re- 
 markable earth currents in Atlantic cables. In Scotland, the 
 earth currents were immediately followed with a remarkable rise 
 in temperature, from 17 to 92 in fifteen hours. On the 2oth, 
 another shock of an earthquake occurred in England. 
 
 As a Jovial equinox was impending, it could be anticipated 
 that the phenomena attending the June, 1871, equinox of Venus, 
 would not only be frequent, but that they would exhibit extra- 
 ordinary energy. The disposition of the equinoxes not only 
 ensured frequent paroxysms, but a protracted period of them. 
 The following was their astronomical arrangement: (i) An 
 approaching Jovial equinox, occurring September 25th. (2) 
 Vulcanian equinoxes, occurring June 5th and 28th. (3) A 
 Mercurial equinox, June I2th; and, (4) the Venusian, on June 
 25th. The following is an abstract of my phenomenal record 
 for the month of June, 1871 : 
 
 June i, a terrific rain fell in the great rainless desert of Ata- 
 cama, Chili, on May 3ist and June ist. 
 
 June 2d Tremendous thunderstorm at this point (St. Louis) 
 and vicinity this afternoon ; at the same time a terrific tornado 
 occurred in Macon county, Ills.* 5th A heavy thunder and 
 rain storm, coming from the western part of the Gulf, passed 
 over the Indian Territory, Missouri, etc., towards the Lakes, 
 followed by showery weather for three or four days. 8th Earth- 
 quake at Waggawagga, Australia. loth A brilliant aurora 
 seen by me at Golden, Colorado, i ith Another heavy thunder 
 and rainstorm from the Gulf passed northeastward over Arkan- 
 sas, Missouri and Illinois, to the Lakes. I2th A terrific hurri- 
 can at Galveston, Texas. 1 6th An awful tornado at Eldorado, 
 Kansas, the whole town was destroyed ; on the same day a ter- 
 rific hurricane in Louisiana. 1 7th Witnessed a most brilliant 
 aurora at Denver, Colorado. 1 8th Encountered an intensely 
 
 *NOTE. This tornado is fully described in Part I. 
 
hot simoon on the Plains, between Wallace and Bosland. On 
 the i yth and iSth a most remarkable magnetic disturbance was 
 observed at the Observatory of Havana, Cuba, commencing at 
 10 P. M., and continued 24 hours. iSth The following phe- 
 nomena are recorded : Violent tornadoes at several points in 
 Wisconsin ; a terrific tornado at Scranton, Green Co., Iowa, de- 
 molishing houses, and carrying dwellings ten rods and killing the 
 inmates ; a terrible tornado at Westerville, Iowa. An awful 
 cyclone several miles east of Springfield, Illinois, accompanied 
 by a terrible roar and a bluish flame reaching from the Earth to 
 the clouds ; it pulled up trees, and gathered up fences and every- 
 thing in its path, and whirled them in the air. A very brilliant 
 aurora observed in Europe, accompanied by violent magnetic 
 disturbances, and synchronous with immense storms of rain in 
 England, France, etc. Earthquake in New Jersey and on Staten 
 and Long Islands. In New Jersey the earth opened and swal- 
 lowed up trees ; a gulf was sprung in the canal, through which 
 all the water disappeared : it was found a tedious, difficult and 
 costly job to fill up and close the rent. I9th Terrific thunder 
 and rainstorm, flooding the country in eastern Kansas and Mis- 
 souri ; it was accompanied by a heavy gale. Same day an earth- 
 quake in Brooklyn, New York and New Jersey, at 10 P. M., 
 accompanied by a rumbling sound. 29th Earthquakes in the 
 island of Madeira, in Chili, and in Peru ; very violent at Tacua. 
 2ist An earthquake at Calistoga, California; and a cyclone at 
 Surat, India, devastating the cotton crop. 26th Earthquake at 
 Chiriqui, Central America. 28th A violent earthquake at To- 
 cray, Peru ; same day occurred the remarkable tornado in Ulster 
 County, New York, described in Part I. On the night of 27th- 
 28th A most remarkable storm on Lake Superior, followed by 
 a destructive tidal wave at Duluth. The storm must have been 
 accompanied by a tremendous water-spout. It is described as 
 follows : "An awful rainstorm, with vivid lightning but very 
 little thunder, was over the Lake all night. The lightning flashed 
 up in sheets from the Lake ; the rain first fell perpendicularly, 
 then came furious winds from all points of the compass, that 
 lashed the water into mountain waves, and twirled them into 
 spires, till they reached the clouds." 
 
 The phenomena of July belonging to this Venusian disturb- 
 
ancc are as follows, but we will only quote the first nine days : 
 July 3d and 4th A faint diffused aurora, as seen from St. 
 Louis along the whole northern horizon ; during this night and 
 morning a general rainstorm prevailed from Wisconsin west to 
 Wyoming. The cloud was so intensely electric as to make tele- 
 graphing impossible ; and in many places there were terrific 
 winds accompanied with destructive hail. 4th The disc of the 
 Sun covered with spots ; a violent typhoon at Kobe, Japan ; 
 great damage at sea, many vessels wrecked, and on land many 
 houses blown down, and over 400 persons killed. 5th A des- 
 tructive typhoon at Hioga, Japan ; an earthquake in California ; 
 dreadful tornadoes and water-spouts at Rowen, Reno, and Truc- 
 kee, Nevada, doing immense damage to railroad ; terrible torna- 
 does in Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa ; a train blown off 
 the track and one car carried over 200 feet, at DeSoto, Nebraska. 
 6th A tornado at Mandeville, West Virginia. 7th A destruc- 
 tive tornado in Arkansas. 9th A water-spout in Cork harbor, 
 Ireland. At 4 P. M. a violent and destructive tornado occurred 
 at Dayton, Ohio. Many houses were demolished and many 
 churches and bridges blown down. Many persons were killed, 
 and the damage done to property in the city and county, estima- 
 ted at over a million of dollars. 
 
 The phenomena of the succeeding Venusian equinox in Octo- 
 ber, 1871, have mostly been given when the Jovial Cycle was 
 under discussion, therefore it is not necessary to quote what 
 remains of them, nor to quote those of succeeding cycles. W^e 
 indeed might take up every Venusian Cycle that has occurred 
 since, and produce incontestible evidence that similar phenom- 
 ena have characterized each of them. We could do more ; we 
 could go back indefinitely and do the same, as we have ample 
 material on hand. But this would not only be tedious, but 
 superfluous. If the evidence we have produced from the records 
 of the Past ; and if the testimony that Nature has furnished in the 
 phenomena she has exhibited since we first published our theory 
 to the world, challenging a test of it by facts ; and especially, if 
 the astounding phenomena daily occurring while we are writing 
 this (June, 1875), do not convince every one of ordinary intelli- 
 gence of the reality of the Venusian Cycle, then he is too 
 incorrigibly dull to be convinced by any evidence whatever, or 
 
("5) 
 
 by facts even that would lay waste and desolate whole continents. 
 Before closing the discussion on this point we will add, since, 
 to give the facts themselves, would be a mere repetition ; for by 
 changing the names of the localities, the detailed account we 
 have just given of the phenomena in June, 1871, is exactly des- 
 criptive of the phenomena of June, 1875. To us the coinci- 
 dence and identity of phenomena of such extraordinary character, 
 happening after so long an interval of time, but under identical 
 astronomical conditions, is conclusive proof that those conditions 
 not only influenced but caused the phenomena. 
 
 The Terrestrial Cycle, we may say, has always been known ; 
 not indeed as a meteorological cycle in the sense we must now 
 understand it; but from time immemorial it has been known 
 that when the Sun apparently, but the Earth really, crosses the 
 Equator, as the Equinoctial Colure is called, storms prevail, 
 which have received the characteristic name of "equinoctial 
 storms." It has also been kno\vn that simultaneously with the 
 occurrence of these storms, a meteorological change takes place 
 over the entire Globe ; the polar hemispheres exchange seasons 
 and climates ; and the direction of the wind over the whole sur- 
 face of the Earth is more or less changed, and in some localities 
 entirely reversed, in consequence of the hemispheres changing 
 their electric state from the static to the dynamic, and vice versa. 
 These great changes are wrought by a change in the electric 
 condition of the Earth, which at one equinox renews its electric 
 energy at the North, and at the other at the South Magnetic 
 Pole of the Sun. From well established electric laws, it might 
 have been foreseen that the Earth, as a member of the Solar 
 System, could not do so without effecting the electric condition 
 of every member of that system, as well as that of the great 
 central Luminary himself. 
 
 It is an astronomical fact, that the Earth's orbit is so placed in 
 reference to the Sun, that the Earth in every revolution on oppo- 
 site points of its orbit, is alternately brought, so to speak, above 
 and below the Sun ; and that its equinoxes occur when it passes 
 by the Sun. As all the orbits of the planets are similarly placed, 
 and make various angles with the Earth's orbit, therefore each 
 planet in every revolution passes, in popular language, above 
 and below the Sun ; and in passing by the Sun, its equinoxes 
 
(u6) . 
 
 occur by which its electric condition is affected. But by an in- 
 exorable law, this cannot take place in any of them without af- 
 fecting the electric condition of all members of the system. 
 
 We have proven that both when Jupiter and Venus pass these 
 points on their orbits, they effect great changes in the electric 
 condition of the Earth and of its Atmosphere. Hence it is only 
 an extension of the same principle when we logically, as we in- 
 evitably must or else be inconsistent, infer the same influence 
 will be felt, and the same effect produced by all the other planets 
 under similar circumstances. 
 
 We have already given the accessory agency of Mercury in 
 causing phenomena, pending a Venusian disturbance. It will 
 be seen by reference to the facts stated, that the Mercurial period 
 is always sharply defined, since the phenomena often appear at 
 the exact time that his equinoxes take place, and always within 
 a few days before or after. Being so well defined, the Mercurial 
 Cycle will not be seriously questioned ; but determined not to 
 leave any point in doubt, we will endeavor to show his direct 
 agency by adducing cases wherein his influence is not complica- 
 ted with extraneous influences. This expression, however, must 
 be understood in accordance with the principles already stated ; 
 namely, that all phenomena are compound, and that no planet, 
 not even Jupiter, is sole cause of them. 
 
 All planets exacerbate the electric condition of the Earth, but 
 as this exacerbation, when caused by slowly moving planets, 
 comes on gradually and abates in the same manner, no electric 
 paroxysm ensues, unless by the supervention of a disturbance of 
 a swiftly moving planet ; and then the more suddenly this dis- 
 turbance supervenes the more well-defined and violent is the 
 paroxysm. For instance, the Jovial perturbation, if the obser- 
 vations of magnetic disturbances are to be credited, comes on 
 gradually for two years and upward ; but the full force of a Ve- 
 nusian disturbance is enforced in thirty days ; a Mercurial one in 
 ten ; and a Vulcanian in not exceeding seven days. Hence the 
 more rapid the orbital velocity of a planet, the more complete 
 will be the juncture of its phenomena with its equinoxes. 
 Hence, too, we find that Mercurial and Vulcanian phenomena 
 always, unless they originate at localities distant from the place 
 of observation, sharply coincide with their equinoxes. For 
 
("7) 
 
 real Mercurial phenomena we must look to such as occur 
 at periods when there is a Jovial disturbance prevailing, and 
 which are too remote from other planetary equinoxes to be 
 affected by them. This is a somewhat difficult task : since Mer- 
 cury, from the smallness of his size, were it not for the energy 
 of his position near the Sun, would scarcely exercise any per- 
 ceptible influence. But as it is, his influence is decidedly more 
 marked than that of Mars. 
 
 The following, though it was not a pure Mercurial phenomenon, 
 yet it deserves a record : The Lady Nugent, a British troop- 
 ship, sailed from Madras May roth, 1854, anc ^ foundered in a 
 hurricane a few days afterwards. All on board, 350 rank and 
 file of the Madras infantry, officers, and crew, altogether over 
 400 perished. A Jovial equinox had taken place about the mid- 
 dle of December, and a Venusian April 4th. A Vulcanian and 
 a Mercurial had occurred on the same day, May 8th, or two 
 days before the vessel sailed. The hurricane occurred in conse- 
 quence of superimposing the Vulcanian and Mercurial perturba- 
 tions upon the Jovial. 
 
 On the 6th of September, 1838, the steamer Forfarshire, 
 from Hull to Dundee, was wrecked in a violent storm near the 
 Outer Fern Lighthouse. Out of fifty-three persons, thirty- 
 eight perished. James Darling, the keeper of the lighthouse, and 
 liis heroic daughter, Grace Darling although there was a tre- 
 mendous sea running ventured out in a coble, and rescued 15 
 persons. Mercury passed his equinox on September yth, 1838. 
 No other equinoctial excitement except that of the Earth pre- 
 vailed at the time. 
 
 On the 2yfh of August, 1826, a most extraordinary hurricane 
 occurred in the White Mountains, New Hampshire. It brought 
 down a land slide that buried the Willey family. Mercury 
 passed his equinox on the previous day, namely, the 26th. 
 No other equinoctial influence prevailed excepting that of the 
 approaching Autumnal equinox of the Earth. 
 
 My phenomenal record of 1871, when a joint perturbation 
 prevailed, affords several instances of Mercurial disturbances dur- 
 ing periods when the Earth was free from any extraneous excite- 
 ment other than the Jovial. The first is that of January 3ist. 
 Brilliant auroras were seen, both in America and Australia, on 
 
(nS) 
 
 January 3Oth ; and violent earth-currents were observed at all 
 physical observatories. On the 3ist, severe earthquakes occurred 
 at Bombay and Assam, in India, and in Asia Minor they did much 
 damage. On February ist, 2d and 3d, a general rain and snow 
 storm prevailed in the United States. 
 
 At the time -of Mercury's equinox, April 29th, 1871, the fol- 
 lowing phenomena are recorded : 
 
 April 24th Destructive hailstorms near New Orleans ; many 
 plantations ruined, and cotton must be replanted. 
 
 April 26th Destructive hailstorm at Rose Hill, Missouri, at 
 Detroit, Michigan, and at Bluff, Texas. 2^th A destructive 
 hailstorm at Canton and Grenada, Mississippi, at 5 o'clock, P. 
 M., and at Ponchatoula, Louisiana. 28th A terrible hailstorm 
 at Wytheville, Virginia. 29th Terrific gale and hailstorm at 
 Jacksonville, Illinois. 3oth A destructive hailstorm passed 
 through northern Mississippi ; a tornado and hailstorm at Louis- 
 ville, Kentucky, and a second hailstorm at Wytheville, Virginia. 
 On the same day there was a violent earthquake at Hayti. 
 
 We have already mentioned the falling in of a plain, and the 
 engulfing of houses and their inhabitants, on the ir.land of Comi- 
 guin, during a protracted earthquake on May ist. On the 2d 
 of May there was a terrible hurricane at Baton Rouge and the 
 Lower Mississippi. The remaining equinoxes of Mercury for 1871, 
 are all so complicated with those of other planetary equinox- 
 es, as to make it impossible to show what share he had in the 
 phenomena that occurred at the periods. The phenomena of 
 his equinoxes that fell within the Venusian periods, have already 
 been given. 
 
 An uncomplicated equinox of Mercury occurred March 3d, 
 1872. In the Signal Office Report of 1872, p. 288, a full report, 
 accompanied by seven maps, is given of a storm that originated 
 in the Gulf of Mexico, on the ist of March, and left the coast 
 of Nova Scotia, where it did much damage, on the night of the 
 3d. March 3d A severe earthquake at Mostar, in the Herze- 
 govina, and a gale on Lake Michigan. 
 
 The next equinox of Mercury is also free from extraneous in- 
 fluences. It occurred on the I5th of April, 1872. In the disas- 
 ters of the Great Lake, (see Signal Report of 1872, p. 196,) we 
 find, April I3th Scow Annie Comine struck a pier, and after- 
 
("9) 
 
 wards damaged by drifting against a dock. Scow Nettie dis- 
 masted in a gale. April I4th Scow Christie sunk. Schooner 
 Union lost anchor and damaged. Schooner Game Cock dam- 
 aged. Steamer Jay Cooke slightly damaged. Eva M. Cone 
 lost foretop. Minnie Corbett lost two spars. April i5th 
 Schooner Liberty dashed to pieces on a pier in a violent north- 
 east gale. Propeller Navarino sunk. Steamer Sheboygan driven 
 back by gale, and twenty other schooners and scows damaged, 
 driven ashore, etc., and fish-boat Hattic lost with all on board. 
 
 My phenomenal record gives April i/fth A violent typhoon 
 at the Philippine Islands, and April i5th A terrific eruption of 
 the volcano Merapi, Java. Immense destruction of life and 
 property. f 
 
 The next Mercurial equinox occurring May 3oth, 1872, was 
 complicated with a Venusian that had occurred on the 28th. 
 The list of Lake disasters shows considerable damage to ship- 
 ping from 26th of May to 2d of June. But as it is impossible 
 to separate the phenomena, being the joint production of the 
 two planets, we will not quote them. 
 
 The following is from the daily journal of the Signal observer 
 on Mount Washington, and gives an idea of the condition of the 
 weather: May 27th, 1872 Barometer falling steadily all day. 
 Weather fair till 3 P. M., when dense stratus clouds, covered 
 the summit and remained there until rain began to fall at n P. 
 M. This weather continued through the night. May 28th The 
 weather has been very bad all day. Snow fell during the night, 
 and continued up to 10.30 P. M., changing then to rain and 
 sleet. May 29th The wind from the north-west, with high and 
 gale velocity. The rain last night changed to snow, and con- 
 tinued to fall to a little before day-break ; and some of the drifts 
 measured upward of fifteen inches in depth. Heavy stratus 
 clouds obscured the sky and covered the summit all day. May 
 3oth Day very cloudy. At 6.40 P. M. a heavy driving rain 
 commenced, which continued when midnight report was sent. 
 Difficulty in telegraphing midnight report to Boston, although a 
 strong current was put on, as the bad weather caused frequent 
 breaks. May 3ist The weather has been one continuous round 
 of snow, hail, sleet and rain all day." Signal Service Report, 
 1872, p. 215. 
 
(1 20) 
 
 For the Mercurial equinox of July i3th, 1872, from the indefi- 
 nite way in which the damages to vessels on the Lakes are stated, 
 it is impossible to s..y whether it was sustained by gales or not ; 
 and as the Signal Office then had not commenced their Weekly 
 and Monthly Review of the Weather, the influence of that equi- 
 nox upon the weather cannot be shown. However, in the Re- 
 port of 18/3, the observations of Sergeant Fish, made at Una- 
 laska, Alaska, are given. Ey reference to them I find it had not 
 rained at that station from the 7th of July to the nth, when a 
 low barometer set in with rain daily till July lyth. 
 
 The Mercurial equinox next in time was that on August 26th, 
 1872. In the Lake disaster list are found the following items : 
 
 Schooner Naragansett lost canvass in a gale. A scow driven 
 ashore on August 26th. On the 27th, schooner Luddington 
 lost jib-boom. 28th A northeast storm all day on Lake Michi- 
 gan, driving many vessels into port for shelter ; scow Ida Bloom 
 struck a pier and lost jib-boom ; several small sail boats lost or 
 damaged at Milwaukee ; a canal boat sunk and another damaged. 
 Schooner Louise Meeker, with 22,000 bushels of oats, struck by 
 a gale, capsized and sunk ; schooner Glad Tidings lost jib- 
 boom in a gale ; scow Minnie Corlctt, loaded with shingles, 
 damaged. 29th The following schooners suffered damage : 
 Garibaldi, sail torn ; Angelinc, lost mainsail ; Sanburn, split 
 mainsail and foretop sail ; and Almira, damaged against piers. 
 Scow Porter went ashore ; and a raft of logs broke loose from a 
 tug and washed ashore, etc. 
 
 Mercury's next equinox occurred on October 9th, 1872. There 
 was no list of Lake disasters published from August 3ist, 1872, 
 to January ist, 1873 ; consequently we cannot refer to the invar- 
 iable gales on the Lakes at the planetary equinoctial periods. 
 Referring to the monthly weather map of the Signal Office, for 
 October, 1872, we find that storm centre No. 2 of that month, 
 appeared in Dakota, on the morning of the Sth of October, was 
 central on the Lakes on the 9th, and disappeared in the Gulf of 
 St. Lawrence on the night of the loth. 
 
 Mercury's last equinox in 1872, occurred on the 22d of Nov- 
 ember. There was a storm centre from the southwest that was 
 central on the Lakes on the 24th. The Weather Review for the 
 month of November, gives no special information ; it only says : 
 
(121) 
 
 *' During the month four storm centres crossed the country diag- 
 onally from the southwest to New England and the British Prov- 
 inces." This of course was one of them. It further says : 
 * fc Destructive gales have attended the progress of many of these 
 storm centres, particularly over the upper lake region, in the St. 
 Lawrence Valley, and on the middle and east Atlantic coast." 
 
 The first Mercurial equinox in 1873, occurred January 5th, 
 just three days before the Venusian equinox. Its perturbation 
 is therefore complicated with that of Venus. A storm centre 
 appeared in Wyoming on the 3d, passed through Arkansas on 
 the night of the 4th, up the Ohio Valley on the 5th, and reached 
 Nova Scotia on the 6th. On the latter date, another storm centre 
 appeared in the Upper Missouri Valley, and was central on 
 the upper lakes on the 8th. This storm is the one that was so 
 destructive to stock on the Plains in Kansas and Nebraska. 
 
 The second Mercurial equinox occurred on the iSth of February, 
 two days after a Vulcanian equinox. The phenomena, accord- 
 ing to the Weather Review of February, 1873, were : A storm 
 centre moved, February i5th, i6th and i7th, northeastward from 
 Texas over the Ohio Valley, then eastward over and beyond the 
 Atlantic coast, accompanied by rain, generally heavy ; with a 
 severe thunderstorm at Memphis on the I5th. Another on the 
 1 7th and iSth, northwestward from Dakota, over Minnesota and 
 Lake Superior, followed by low temperature. And still another 
 on the 2oth and 2ist, over the Southern States and the northeast, 
 accompanied by high winds and heavy rains and snows over the 
 whole country. 
 
 On the 3d of April, 1873, another Mercurial equinox occurred 
 simultaneously with a Vulcanian. In the Lake disaster list we 
 read . " April 3d Scow Raven dismasted. 3d Propeller 
 Fremont damaged. 4th Schooner Caroline Marsh lost her 
 jib-boom. 5th Light-house at Erie blown down, and schooner 
 Aldebaran lost mast by lightning." In the Monthly Weather 
 Review for April, 1873, we read that a storm centre passed over 
 Missouri, Illinois and Michigan, into Canada, on April ist and 
 2d, sending minor disturbances over the middle Atlantic coast, 
 accompanied with brisk to high winds and heavy rains in all the 
 States east of the Rocky Mountains. It was felt as a severe 
 storm from northern Texas to the northwest and Lakes. A second 
 
(122) 
 
 storm centre passed over Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, 
 Illinois and Michigan, into Canada on 3d, 4th, 5th,.6th and yth of 
 April, with brisk and occasionally high winds, accompanied with 
 rain and snow. It sent out several minor disturbances eastward to 
 the Atlantic coast. A third centre passed from Texas to Can- 
 ada, by the Lakes, on 7th to loth, with heavy rains from Texas 
 to Minnesota, and eastward to the Atlantic, followed by a severe 
 "Norther" in Texas. 
 
 On i yth of May, another Mercurial equinox occurred, and a 
 Vulcanian on the I9th. On the i5th Schooner Mary Battle 
 lost main and mizzen mast in a storm on Lake Erie. iSth Sev- 
 eral schooners driven ashore ; many minor disasters occurred up 
 to and including the 2ist, which we must pass over. In the 
 Weather Review for 1873, we find storm centre No. 6 travelling 
 very rapidly from Minnesota to New England on i2th and i3th y 
 accompanied with light rains and high winds throughout its 
 course. On I3th, i4th and i5th Storm centre No. 7 passed 
 from the Plains of Kansas and the Indian Territory through 
 Alabama to the Atlantic coast. Considerable rain fell in all the 
 Southern States. Storm centre No. 8 passed from the southwest 
 by way of Lakes Michigan and Huron, into Canada, on the iSth, 
 1 9th and 2oth, with violent rain-belts and from brisk to high 
 winds. Storm centre No. 9 passed, from May 2ist to 24th, from 
 Montana to Nova Scotia. It was during this disturbance, May 22d, 
 that the terrific tornado in Washington County, Iowa, and 
 another on same day in Central Illinois, occurred, fully discussed 
 in Part I. 
 
 The equinox that occurred next is that on the 3Oth of June. 
 The list of disasters on the lakes mention damages of such a 
 nature that they likely were caused by gales, but being un- 
 certain, we will not quote them. On the istof July, however, 
 we have something definite Schooner Minnie Mueller lost 
 foremast and flying-jib in a gale ; bark Mary Battle arrived with 
 foretop-mast gone ; and bark Dundee with sail damaged. Tug 
 Bartlett lost smoke-stack. In the Weather Review of June, we 
 have storm centre No. 9 passing from the northwest over the 
 Lake Region, from the 25th to the 28th, sending out branches 
 with severe thunderstorms, from Tennessee to Minnesota ; the 
 Lakes and New England. From the 28th to the 3oth Storm 
 
centre No. 10 passed from Minnesota to Canada, accompanied 
 with severe thunderstorms, north and west of the Ohio Valley. 
 Brisk winds over the northwest, the Lake Region and the At- 
 lantic States ; and rain, often quite heavy, from the Lower Mis- 
 sissippi, to the northwest and Lakes, to the Atlantic coast. 
 
 The effects of the Mercurial equinox in August, have already 
 been noted, and the origin of the terrific Nova Scotia Cyclone 
 traced to it. 
 
 The list of lake disasters was not continued beyond the 3ist of 
 August, 1873, as stated before, therefore we cannot refer to 
 the weather on the Lakes at the occurrence of the Mercurial 
 equinox September 26th, 1873. The Weather Review for Sep- 
 tember says : " Sept. 23d and 24th, high winds over the north- 
 west and Lakes ; rains from Missouri and Ohio Valleys to the 
 Lakes, and Middle and east Atlantic coasts. This was the 
 severest storm of the month, especially on the Upper Lakes, 
 where there were very heavy gales. Sept. 25th and 26th 
 High winds in the northwest and on the Upper Lakes ; with rain 
 in Montana, and snow on the 26th ; heavy gales on Upper Lakes,, 
 Sept. 2yth, 28th and 29th High winds, on Lake Ontario and in 
 Lower St. Lawrence Valley ; rain in all sections east of the. 
 Rocky Mountains, followed by a severe i Norther ' in Texas on 
 night of 29th." On the 29th and 3Oth A high barometer from 
 the northwest covered the entire country, accompanied with low 
 temperature and heavy frosts in the northern sections. I desire 
 to call particular attention to this fact of high barometers follow- 
 ing low barometers or storm centres. All our excessively cold 
 weather in Winter is caused by these high barometers preceding 
 or following low barometers. This we will show at the proper 
 place. 
 
 The next Mercurial equinox occurred on November 9th, 1873. 
 The Weather Review of that month says : "No. IV storm cen- 
 tre originated in the western part of the Gulf of Mexico, and 
 moved along the Gulf and the Atlantic coast all the way to Nova 
 Scotia. It started upon this track on the morning of the 6th, 
 and reached Plaister Cove, Nova Scotia, on the morning of the 
 9th. It was accompanied by fresh winds and rain on the sea- 
 board, and on reaching the coast of Maine it was marked by 
 high and dangerous winds in its front. As usual with cyclones 
 
(I 24 ) 
 
 taking this track, as it neared Nova Scotia, the barometric de- 
 pression increased, and the cyclonic winds became more violent, 
 than when the meteor was moving on lower parallels of latitude. 
 Storm center No. V probably originated in Colorado. It was 
 first observed on the loth in Kansas, and first moved to St. Paul, 
 Minnesota; thence on nth towards Milwaukee, sweeping east- 
 ward with destructive force over the Lakes, accompanied with 
 heavy snow and rain." 
 
 The last Mercurial equinox in 1873 occurred on the 23d of 
 December. The Weather Review for that month says : "No. 
 VIII storm centre began on the lyth in the Southwest, and ad- 
 vanced slowly in a direction almost due north-east over the Ohio 
 Valley. It was attended by heavy precipitation and high winds. 
 It disappeared near Nova Scotia on the 2oth. No. IX com- 
 menced on the 2ist, near the mouth of the Rio Grande, skirting 
 the Gulf coast, it crossed over northern Florida on the night of 
 the 22d ; thence making its pathway along the main axis of the 
 Gulf Stream. No. X began in the Gulf on the night of the 
 24th ; passed over Southern Florida and thence along the Atlan- 
 tic seaboard. It reached the coast of Nova Scotia on the 27th. 
 This gale was followed by heavy snowstorms in New England, 
 the snow falling two feet deep in some places." 
 
 The Mercurial equinoxes ot the year 1874 down to the present 
 time, July, 1875, we will have to pass over hastily, quoting the 
 substance of the statements of the Monthly Weather Review. 
 
 The first occurred February 5th, 1874. A storm centre passed 
 from Southwestern Texas, from the 3d and 4th, to the coast of 
 Virginia on the 7th, accompanied by heavy rain and snow in the 
 Southern, Central, and Middle Atlantic States. On the 7th, a 
 Cuba storm appeared on the coast of southwest Florida, which 
 became a very destructive cyclone on the Gulf Stream opposite 
 the middle Atlantic coast. 
 
 The second occurred March 2ist. Three minor storm centres 
 passed over the Continent from the Northwest, from the I9th to 
 the 25th. On the i6th and lyth there were forty consecutive 
 hours rain in Georgia, and 5.1 inches of water fell. 
 
 The third occurred May 4th. A storm centre from the north- 
 west was central in Kentucky and Tennessee on the 4th. It 
 came from the Pacific Coast, and entered the Atlantic off Cape 
 
Hattcras. A high barometer over the Lakes deflected it and 
 made it take this unusual direction. 
 
 The fourth occurred on the iyth of June. A storm centre 
 that was central over Kansas on the i4th, passed over the Lakes 
 to Halifax, where it reached on the iSth. This storm exhibited 
 "the steepest barometric gradient for the month." On the i8th 
 a severe shock of an earthquake was felt at Salt Lake City, Utah. 
 
 The fifth occurred July 3ist. This equinox is complicated 
 with that of Venus, which occurred eight days before, namely, 
 on the 23d of July, and Vulcan on 3oth. This month through- 
 out was marked for its destructive local storms. First, those of 
 the 4th and 7th, that were produced by the Vulcanian equi- 
 nox of July 7th ; and second, those that were the joint production 
 of the three crowding equinoxes of the seven last days of the 
 month. These were waterspouts on the 22d and 23d in Colora- 
 do ; 24th, destructive storm and waterspout in Nevada ; 25th, a 
 destructive waterspout in Germany ; and 26th, the terrible storm 
 and waterspout at Pittsburgh, or rather at Allegheny City, on 
 the other side of the river, at which 134 lives were lost, accord- 
 ing to the official report, and property valued at over five hund- 
 red thousand dollars was destroyed. An earthquake occurred at 
 Cairo, Illinois, on the 9th, referable to the Vulcanian equinox of 
 7th ; another at Camp Russell, at Nebraska, on the 23d, the date 
 of the Venusian equinox ; and another on August 3d, at San Ber- 
 nardino, California, referable to Mercury. 
 
 The sixth occurred on September i4th. Three separate storm 
 centres passed over the Continent from the I3th to the iSth, with 
 heavy rains, ending the drought that had prevailed in the Mid- 
 dle States and east Atlantic coast for five or six weeks. On the 
 i6th and i7th much damage was done in Kansas, Iowa and Mis- 
 souri by a severe wind and rain storm. 
 
 The seventh occurred October 27th. A severe storm was cen- 
 tral in Nebraska on the 27th. Its passage over the Upper Lakes 
 resulted in numerous disasters. A Detroit paper says : " The 
 gale moved everything on land that was not fastened." There 
 was a severe "Norther" in Texas on the 29th. Snow fell so 
 heavily in Dakota as to obstruct the railroads ; and a water-spout 
 occurred on Lake Erie on the 3ist, striking the shore half a 
 mile west of Buffalo, where it burst. 
 
(126) 
 
 The eighth, and last Mercurial Equinox of 1874, occurred on 
 December loth, 1874. A storm centre passed through the Brit- 
 ish Possessions, north of the Lakes, on the loth and I2th, with 
 high winds on the Lakes. Another storm centre appeared in 
 the Northwest on the I2th, and passed over the Lakes on the 
 1 3th, accompanied by rain in the south, and sleet, snow and high 
 winds in the Lake Region and eastward, with severe gales on 
 the Middle Atlantic coast ; several wrecks occurring north of 
 Cape Hatteras. Distinct shocks of a earthquake occurred on 
 the loth on Long Island, in Westchester and Rockland counties, 
 along the Palisades and Hudson River, New York, and in New 
 Jersey. On the I2th, another shock was felt at Garrison's, New 
 York, and on the 8th there was an earthquake at Guadaloupe, 
 West Indies. 
 
 In the present year (1875) the Mercurial equinoxes, up to the 
 time of writing this, have been as follows : 
 
 First, on the 23d of January. A storm centre passed from 
 Portland, Oregon, to Canada, from I9th to 2 3d, accompanied 
 with heavy snows, there were light snows and rains in the South- 
 ern States and a "Norther" in Texas. On the 2ist to 25th an- 
 other storm centre passed from the Pacific Coast to Canada, ac- 
 companied with severe gales, rain, sleet, and snow, North ; and 
 heavy rains and thunderstorms South. At 4 A. M. on the 24th, 
 two shocks of an earthquake were felt at Carson City, Nevada. 
 The first shock was light, the second quite severe, and lasted 
 several seconds. The same shocks were felt at Sacramento, Cal. 
 
 The second occurred on March 8th, but is so much complica- 
 ted with the Venusian equinox of the 5th, and other equinoxes, 
 that its distinct phenomena cannot be traced. On the 6th a storm 
 centre appeared on the Gulf coast of Louisiana, preceded by 
 rains and easterly winds in Alabama and Mississippi. Its path 
 was almost due northeast through Alabama, East Tennessee, 
 thence skirting the Atlantic coast to Halifax. In the Southern 
 States immense rainfall, and in the Northern snow, along its 
 whole route. At Memphis the deepest snow ever known fell. 
 Through the Ohio Valley, thence towards Lake Erie, the snow 
 fall was extraordinary. High winds in the West ; severe gales 
 along the Atlantic coast, and on the coast of Texas a severe 
 "Norther" prevailed for twelve hours. 
 
The third Mercurial equinox occurred April 2ist. This is 
 complicated with the Martial equinox of April 3Oth. On the 
 1 8th and i9th a severe marine storm prevailed from Cape Hat- 
 teras to Cape May. One ship reports "being surrounded by 
 whirlwinds and waterspouts, culminating in a violent gale from 
 North-northwest, with blinding snow so dense that one could 
 scarcely see three lengths of the vessel." On the 2ist, a storm 
 from Western Texas appeared in Louisiana, Mississippi and 
 Alabama ; thence southeast over Florida to the Gulf; and thence 
 by the Gulf Stream to New Foundland, where it disappeared on 
 the 25th. When the centre passed by Cape Henry, vessels in 
 Chesapeake Bay experienced the severest hurricane of the Spring 
 and Winter. 
 
 The fourth occurred on June 4th. On the ist a storm centre 
 appeared from the Southwest at Omaha, Nebraska ; it moved 
 with very heavy rains slowly to Duluth, on the western extrem- 
 ity of Lake Superior, and was central on the Lake during the 
 2d ; thence it passed northeastward beyond observation. It oc- 
 casioned severe hail storms, and local wind storms and tornadoes, 
 in Kansas, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio. On the 4th, another low 
 barometer, coming from the Southwest, appeared in Kansas, ac- 
 companied by occasional heavy rain. On the 5th it had reached 
 Indiana. Near Winchester, Kentucky, it occasioned a severe 
 hailstorm on the 6th. The ship Hamilton reports a severe 
 earthquake at sea on the 4th, Lat. 19 , 16' N., and Long. 57 , 
 5' W., lasting about ten minutes. During the time there was a 
 tremendous sea on the vessel, pitching her bows under. 
 
 MARTIAL EQUINOXES. 
 
 We have collected a large number of facts to demonstrate 
 the nature of the influence exerted by Mars at his equinoxes, and 
 to show the character of the phenomena he may be expected to 
 produce ; but we have concluded not to avail ourselves of them 
 at present, for the following reasons : (i) Mars is a small plan- 
 et, hence his influence must be at best feeble, even if he were 
 not disadvantaged by being placed so remote from the Sun. (2) 
 Since he is a slowly moving planet, requiring only 43 days less 
 than two years to perform one revolution around the Sun, there- 
 fore he brings so seldom only once a year his equinoctial 
 
0*8) 
 
 influence to bear upon meteorological phenomena. (3) His 
 influence not strongly marked under the most favorable con- 
 ditions extends over five or six months ; hence it becomes ob- 
 scured and is easily lost sight of in the frequent perturbations 
 of the planets circulating between him and the Sun ; and (4) 
 for the still more cogent reason, that our purpose and labor is 
 more directed to demonstrate by facts that Meteorological Cycles 
 are realities, and what are the causes of them, than to show the 
 nature and energy of the influence exerted by each planet at the 
 critical point on its orbit, and the character of the phenomena 
 we may expect them to produce. 
 
 Let the reality of Meteorological Cycles be once accepted as a 
 truth, and then we can, at our leisure, observe, examine, con- 
 sider and study their phenomena. Then, too, we will learn how 
 to observe and what to observe. 
 
 Successful scientific observation depends upon knowing what 
 we want to find.* There is now-a-days much worthless, because 
 aimless, observation. The unscientific man observes and records 
 what attracts his attention in physical phenomena, and as they 
 appear to his untrained observing faculties ; but the characteris- 
 tic facts revealing the nature, cause and laws of the phenomena, 
 being less imposing, escape his attention. The scientist ob- 
 serves minutely the character and varying energy of phenomena, 
 yet not regarding each individual fact as a letter of Nature's 
 alphabet by which she spells out her secrets to Man ; he buries 
 the facts beyond resurrection, deep and forever in the grave of 
 averages ; a grave that holds relentlessly, like all graves, what- 
 ever has been deposited in it ; though the progress of Light and 
 Knowledge would rehabilitate it with life and crown it with im- 
 mortal youth and unfading beauty. 
 
 In the Meteorology of the books, we have no established card- 
 inal points whence to start on our voyage of discovery, or 
 whither to push our explorations into the mysterious region of 
 the Unknown, because we have no fixed principle serving as a 
 polar star to direct our course on the wide sea of Investigation 
 on which we embark, and whereon we will be tempest-tossed 
 without compass or rudder, drifting with every tide, or driven 
 
 NOTE. Plato puts it in this shape : " How can we expect to find unless 
 we know what we are looking for? " 
 
(I2 9 ) 
 
 by every wind. Hence our meteorological observations, not being 
 animated by a knowing and living spirit, are aimless and lifeless ; 
 and are not so directed that they can or will ascertain and fix any 
 great principle in Physical Science. They are all very well, if 
 their purpose be to prove or disprove the phantasy that the sup- 
 ply of fuel to the Sun is varying both in quality and quantity, 
 and that his imaginary fires are dying out. In fact, so .far, me- 
 teorological observations have only tended to show, what no 
 really sane man has even doubted, that the energies of Nature 
 are physical constants, though like the heavenly bodies to whose 
 movements they are intimately related, they are subject to secu- 
 lar inequalities in their manifestations. 
 
 It is incontestable that the first step in undertaking the investi- 
 gation of any snbject whatever, is to ascertain and establish one 
 of the fundamental principles of that subject, as a basis of oper- 
 ations to be surveyed and studied, to ascertain what it sug- 
 gests, and "whatever that may be, to follow it upon all oc- 
 casions. Without an established elementary principle to sug- 
 gest new and unknown facts, and directing observations for as- 
 certaining them, no progress in scientific research, investigation 
 and discovery, is possible. When progress depends, as it en- 
 tirely does in Meteorology, upon phenomenal observations, fun- 
 damental principles already established must suggest the points 
 to which observation must be directed, because every living prin- 
 ciple adumbrates and discloses its next of kin still concealed 
 under a thin veil of mystery. 
 
 Now, for a fundamental principle in Meteorology and con- 
 sequently as a guide to point out, direct and aid in the observa- 
 tion of meteorological phenomena we offer planetary equinoxes, 
 which are permanently fixed astronomical events that have oc- 
 curred at their allotted periods as long as the Solar System has 
 existed, and will recur as long as it endures. The periods or 
 as the equinoxes mark them the half periods, of planets, we 
 present as Meteorological Cycles, at the termination or beginning 
 of which, there will be regular recurring phenomena, similar in 
 character, though varying in energy, according to the strength 
 of extraneous causes known to influence the Earth and its Atmos- 
 phere at the time. 
 
 The great Truth we are inculcating is the reality of Meteoro- 
 
(-30) 
 
 logical Cycles, and we present it as a square issue to stand or 
 fall by the crucial test of facts. Hence the more sharply defined 
 and the more distinctly marked the phenomena are, the better 
 they are adapted to our purpose. However interesting as are the 
 Martial phenomena, they are not so well adapted to prove the 
 'general principles of Meteorological Cycles, as are those of plan- 
 ets of shorter periods. 
 
 So far as my verification of the theory of planetary Meteoro- 
 logical Cycles has been presented, it has been in the order in 
 which it was developed in my own mind. That of Jupiter came 
 first, which suggested and led to the discovery of the Saturnian. 
 This gave me a new view of the Telluric equinoxes ; and instead 
 of considering them only as astronomical events, I looked upon 
 them in a new light, and recognized them as marking true 
 Meteorological Cycles. To my mind it was now incontestably 
 established that three of the planets by their passage through 
 their equinoctial points, produced physical disturbances. Might 
 not other planets do the same ? 
 
 It was ascertained that the Saturnian and Jovial equinoxes 
 produce sunspots, "earth currents/' and earthquakes, that is Solar 
 and Telluric perturbations, accompanied with intensely brilliant 
 auroras, which may be considered atmospheric^ disturbances. 
 The equinoxes of the Earth, besides producing and intensifying 
 the Saturnian and Jovial phenomena, supplement them by add- 
 ing violent atmospheric perturbations, especially tropical cy- 
 clones. When this much was ascertained, all atmospheric dis- 
 turbances loomed up as phenomena probably produced by plan- 
 etary equinoxes. Acting upon this suggestion we ascertained 
 the equinoctial points of Venus, and watched the phenomena 
 occurring while that planet was passing those points on its orbit. 
 The result was astounding, and far beyond what was anticipated, 
 fully verifying the suggestion, and moreover unmistakably indi- 
 cating that bottom had not been touched as yet by the sound- 
 ings made in that direction. Immediately similar observations 
 were commenced on the phenomena occurring at Mercury's equi- 
 noxes, and with equally satisfactory and astonishing results. 
 
 But the Mercurial phenomena did not exhaust the Catalogue ; 
 for it was soon discovered that not only many phenomena oc- 
 curred to which it was impossible to assign a place in any of the 
 
(130 
 
 known cycles, but which, under certain conditions, were so ter- 
 rifically energetic that they must have a sufficient though unknown 
 cause. All such phenomena were noted, and the first sugges- 
 tion that they must be referable to Vulcan, the gigantic planet near- 
 est the Sun, soon became a firm conviction. Of this we shall 
 speak presently. This must suffice as an outline of my mental 
 history during the years I sat as an humble pupil at the feet of 
 Nature, learning her alphabet, whilst the subject of planetary 
 Meteorological Cycles was gradually developing, expanding and 
 unfolding itself until I was enabled to grasp it in its fullness. 
 
 It was not until the Autumn of 1874 that I turned attention to 
 the phenomena of Mars : consequently I have observed only 
 those of one equinox, that occurring April 3Oth, 1875 ; and hence 
 cannot speak so positively as to the character of his phenomena. 
 
 Applying the principle to Mars, that a planet's disturbing in- 
 fluence is felt at each of his equinoxes for a term equal to one- 
 fourth of his period of revolution around the Sun, then the dis- 
 turbing influence of Mars extends nearly through six months. 
 Of course his influence, though quite sensible, well defined, and 
 marked at and near his equinox, will scarcely be appreciable 
 $er se near the commencement or close of his disturbing period. 
 However it may be with our perceptive faculties, there can be 
 no doubt he does his part, and has his share in the cotemporane- 
 ous phenomena. 
 
 The influence exerted by a planet is entirely electric. Now, 
 there are two-fold electric states, the static and the dynamic ; and 
 the influence of the planet must be so exerted as to produce one 
 or the other, and each alternately upon the Earth. When the 
 static condition is produced on the surface of the Earth, there 
 results from it the dynamic condition on the Atmosphere. When 
 the planetary influence is to produce a static condition on the 
 Atmosphere, there consequently results a dynamic state upon 
 the surface of the Earth. A static condition on the surface of 
 the Earth, induces a dynamic on the Atmosphere ; consequently 
 there ensues a dow r n-pour of air from the surface of the aerial 
 ocean ; that is a high barometer with anticyclonal winds flowing 
 out from all sides of it on the surface of the Earth. A static 
 condition in the Atmosphere induces a dynamic state on the sur- 
 face of the Earth ; consequently an upheaval of air, that is a low 
 
barometer with cyclonal winds pouring into it on all sides. In 
 Part I this point is fully discussed, and where it is also shown 
 that in Winter a static condition prevails over continents, and in 
 Summer a dynamic. Hence in Winter high barometers over 
 continents are the rule, and low ones the exception ; while in 
 Summer the reverse is the case ; low barometers the rule, and 
 high ones the exception. Now high and low barometers, as 
 demonstrated in Part I, are electric phenomena ; hence a planet's 
 influence being electric, it infuses unwonted vigor during its 
 prevalence into both, thus producing unusually high and unus- 
 ually low barometers, not only in their proper seasons, but at all 
 seasons, and frequent oscillations and rapid fluctuations in each. 
 Hence in Winter we have those abnormally cold down-pours of 
 air out of a high barometer that smite with death both animal 
 and vegetable life ; while at all seasons, but especially in Sum- 
 mer, we have under a low barometer intense upheavals of air 
 and vapor, producing terrific Cyclones, such as hurricanes, tor- 
 nadoes, waterspouts, etc. 
 
 It is yet too early to give the general principles of the modes 
 by which the Earth is affected at a planetary equinox ; the gen- 
 eral indications, however are, that in the later as well as in the 
 earlier stages, the equinoctial perturbation of a planet affects the 
 Earth so as to produce the static condition, while at or near the 
 equinox it produces the dynamic, mediately as we have just sta- 
 ted by means of the static on the Atmosphere. These effects 
 are much more distinctly marked in Winter than in Summer, or 
 at any other season. In Winter, a week or ten days before the 
 occurrence of a planetary equinox, a high barometer makes its 
 appearance, unusually energetic and accompanied by a down- 
 pour and out-pour of intensely cold air, continuing down to with- 
 in a few days of the occurrence of the equinox. Then there is 
 a fall of the barometer and consequently a rise of temperature, 
 culminating in the sweeping of a storm centre across the conti- 
 nent on the day, or a day or so before, the equinox. This storm 
 centre, bearing rain, sleet or snow, and accompanied with more 
 or less energetic winds, is succeeded by another high barometer, 
 with intensely cold weather. The general influence of Mars, so 
 far as I have been able to determine it, seems to be, in Winter 
 and Spring, to intensify and prolong the normal static Winter 
 
condition on continents. Consequently there is a prevalence of 
 high barometers, with their down-pours of cold air from the sur- 
 face of the Atmosphere. Hence, during the prevalence of his 
 influence, rainfalls in Winter, and frequently in Spring also, are 
 below the average. During Summer and Autumn he seems to 
 intensify and protract the prevalence of the normal dynamic state 
 prevalent in Summer on continents, and hence the rainfalls then 
 generally show a large excess. I attribute the prolonged cold 
 weather of March, April, and greater part of May, and even a 
 part of June, of the present year (1875), to his influence in pro- 
 tracting the Winter static condition. After the dynamic Sum- 
 mer condition had become well established, by infusing more 
 than ordinary energy into it, he contributed his influence in pro- 
 ducing the abnormal quantities of rain that have fallen in June 
 and July, up to this writing. 
 
 In mid-winter, while calculating the planetary equinoxes for 
 the current year, the crowding of so many of them into June 
 and the early part of July, plainly showed that there would be 
 a turbulent season at this time with heavy rainfalls. A few 
 weeks later I published what I foresaw would be the consequen- 
 ces of such an extraordinary conjunction But not having taken 
 into consideration the Martial influence, my anticipations fell far 
 short of the reality. There was also another factor I had not con- 
 sidered, namely, that a Saturnian perturbation has been in pro- 
 gress since the latter part of last year, which will culminate 
 in December, 1877. 
 
 The special phenomena of Mars that have occurred near his 
 only equinox on which we have made observation, namely, that 
 of April 3oth, 1875, and which were either produced directly by 
 him, or indirectly through the intervention of other planets, are 
 Cyclones and Earthquakes ; the latter owing probably to the in- 
 fluence of Saturn. The former have not exhibited any extraor- 
 dinary degree of violence ; but some of the latter have been 
 terrific. 
 
 The storm of 2ist to 25th of April, generated by the Mercu- 
 rial equinox of 2ist, initiated a series of storms following each 
 other in regular succession, until four or five days after the Vul- 
 canian equinox of May 2d. We have already stated that the 
 storm of 2ist of April, in its way to the northeast, became, in 
 
034) 
 
 the Chesapeake Bay, the severest hurricane of the season. It 
 was followed on the 26th by another storm that was attended 
 along its whole path over Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, North 
 Carolina and Virginia, with heavy rains. On the zSth this was 
 followed by a storm from the Indian Territory to the Great 
 Lakes, thence down the Valley of the St. Lawrence, accompan- 
 ied by " steep barometric gradients," and consequently very high 
 winds, and with protracted rain and snow falls. The winds in 
 the Ohio Valley assumed a decided cyclonic character ; and at 
 Erie, Pennsylvania, many buildings were unroofed. At the close 
 of the month another storm appeared in the Northwest. It was 
 central in Illinois on May ist. It gave rise to local tornadoes 
 from the Northwest to the Lakes, thence South into the Gulf 
 States and Georgia. On the middle Atlantic coast it produced 
 destructive gales. It was immediately succeeded by another 
 storm from the West, and on the 4th followed by a severe storm 
 which on the 6th produced a remarkable hailstorm in North 
 Carolina. 
 
 The earthquakes that occurred in the early part of May in. 
 Asia and the East Indies, occurred two days after the Vulcanian 
 equinox of May 2cl ; and those in the latter part of May, three 
 days after another Vulcanian equinox. The earthquake in the 
 Ohio Valley, the Lake Region, and westward, on June iSth, oc- 
 curred the day after a Vulcanian equinox. The earthquake that 
 occurred on the I5th of May, at Milton, Massachusetts, ElMonte, 
 California, and which wrought such terrible disaster at Cacuta, 
 and other cities in South America, must be considered as a Mar- 
 tial phenomena, owing in degree to the strength that the Saturn- 
 ian perturbation has already acquired. 
 
 Every planet has yet wonderful revelations to make, and when 
 all has been revealed, those of Mars will not be the least mar- 
 velous in the catalogue. 
 
 THE VULCANIAN CYCLE. 
 
 I have now come to the only point that is vulnerable, if any 
 point is, in the Theory of Planetary Meteorological Cycles ; be- 
 cause it is the only point that is not based upon ascertained facts- 
 It takes it for granted that there is an interior planet between 
 Mercury and the Sun, whose position has enabled him to conceal 
 
('35) 
 
 himself so well that with many his existence is yet problemati- 
 cal. If the existence of Vulcan be admitted, then the deduc- 
 tions we have made, taken in connection with the facts that we 
 will adduce to demonstrate and verify them, will be irrefragable. 
 
 Astronomers are well acquainted with the fact that Mercury, 
 in his orbital movements, exhibits perturbations that cannot be 
 accounted for upon any other hypothesis than the existence of an 
 interior planet between him and the Sun, just as the orbital mo- 
 tion of Uranus betrayed the existence of an exterior planet, and 
 led to the discovery of Neptune. Astronomers for a long time 
 have been observing and studying the orbital perturbations of 
 Mercury, but as he affords only so few and such short opportu- 
 nities for observation, not much progress has been made towards 
 achieving their object, which is to ascertain the exact position of 
 this interior planet, that it may be observed at favorable oppor- 
 tunities, and its elements determined. They supposed by this 
 means they could attain sufficient knowledge at least to enable 
 them approximately to determine its transit across the Sun ; for 
 that seems to be their only reliance now for attaining a more 
 certain knowledge of its elements. Three or four years ago they 
 thought they had sufficient data to justify them in expecting a 
 transit at or near the Autumnal equinox. They made observa- 
 tions accordingly, but were disappointed. 
 
 It was discovered by M. Lescarbault, a physician, on March 
 25th, .1859. I had the good fortune of seeing it make a transit 
 a few days after the Autumnal equinox of that year, but did not 
 then know of Lescarbault's discovery. Without reflecting upon 
 it at the moment I supposed it to be Mercury, and it was several 
 weeks after before it occurred to me that a transit of Mercury at 
 that season was an impossibility. I then made a record as 
 near as I could, of the date, and its apparent size I recorded as 
 2,\ inches in diameter. As this would give it an enor- 
 mous size, I have since got those who also saw it, to give me 
 their impressions as to its size, I find they vary from mine a 
 quarter of an inch, some placing it that much more, and others 
 that much less. Probably all these apparent sizes are too great, 
 but they nevertheless clearly establish one thing, that the planet 
 is of gigantic dimensions, and hence from its size and the "en- 
 ergy of its position," so near the Sun, the unavoidable inference 
 
is, that it must exert a powerful influence at its equinoxes upon 
 the Earth and the Atmosphere. 
 
 There is no reasonable doubt as to the existence of this planet, 
 but nothing is known as to the length of its periodicity. On this 
 point there are mere guesses running from 18 days up to 55 
 days. As far as I had means of investigating, I could find no 
 foundation for these guesses. I was hence compelled to fall 
 back upon my own resources for determining this point, which I 
 had every confidence could be done at least approximately by 
 consulting facts. With this view I made a classification of 
 all individual phenomena that had occurred in five years, into 
 Jovial, Martial, Telluric, Venusian, Mercurial, and Unknown. 
 The Unknown class consisted chiefly of Cyclones, but there were 
 many auroras, some earthquakes and sunspots. I now ascer- 
 tained the number of days between the occurrence of the first 
 phenomenon in the Unknown class and that of the second ; be- 
 tween the first and the third ; the second and the third ; etc., and 
 then reduced these numbers to their prime factors. Many of them 
 came out 23, a prime number ; and, strangely too, 23 was the great- 
 est common divisor of a majority of the numbers, and those that 
 were not exactly divisible by it were only a day or two in excess, or 
 that many deficient. By comparison, I also found that if 23 be 
 taken as a phenomenal cycle, it cut in at the point and carved out 
 nine-tenths of the most violent and terrific phenomena in the Jov- 
 ial, Telluric, and Venusian classes. Hence I assumed that 23 days 
 was either the length of Vulcan's period, or half his period. 
 The truth of this deduction or if preferred, assumption we 
 will now proceed to demonstrate and verify. 
 
 In the month of December, 1784, and January, 1785, there 
 occurred in Iceland the most tremendous volcanic eruption ever 
 recorded in history. "It commenced on the i9th of December, 
 and was accompanied by violent wind and rain, and darkness in 
 the heavens. The whole island shook terribly, and it was feared 
 it would fall to pieces. Three fire-spouts broke out on Mount 
 Skapta, which, after rising to a considerable height in the 
 air, formed a torrent of red-hot lava, that flowed for six weeks, 
 and ran a distance of 60 miles to the sea, in a broken breadth of 
 nearly twelve miles ; 12 rivers were dried up ; 21 villages totally 
 overwhelmed by fire or water, and 34 others materially injured." 
 
(-37) 
 
 Jupiter's equinox had occurred a little over two years before, 
 and therefore exercised no influence in the production of this 
 terrible physical convulsion. Saturn also was out of the way ; 
 and unless Uranus or Neptune (of which I have made no exam- 
 ination) lent their influence, it was entirely the production ot 
 Venus, Mercury and Vulcan. The equinox of Venus occurred 
 on the iyth of January, 1785 ; that of Mercury on the 27th of 
 December, 1784; and that of Vulcan on the 2ist of December, 
 or two days after the eruption commenced. On the I3th of Jan- 
 uary, 1785, Vulcan, in course, added another equinox. It is 
 plain that he not only was the exciting cause, but that he infused 
 new energy into it four days before the occurrence of the Venus- 
 ian equinox. 
 
 In Part I we have demonstrated that Nature, to provide for 
 the wants of vegetable life, has contrived the admirable arrange- 
 ment of a low barometer during Summer in the centres of con- 
 tinents, to draw and suck into its upheaving vortical column, 
 moist air from the surrounding oceans, to form clouds and rain. 
 Whilst speaking of Mars, we have just stated that, during the 
 prevalence of either a static or dynamic condition, the influence 
 of the planet is to intensify it. It consequently follows that a 
 continent then acts more energetically, under one state it draws 
 down more copious supplies of air from above, and under that 
 of the other, heaves up larger volumes of it than under ordinary 
 circumstances. Hence, when the state is dynamic as it always 
 is in Summer, and sometimes in Winter more moist air than 
 ordinarily is drawn from the surrounding oceans into the heart 
 of the continent ; and consequently heavier rainfalls than usual 
 are to be expected. Vulcan's size and position near the Sun, 
 give him terrific energy which he never fails to display at his 
 allotted time. One of the consequences naturally following the 
 powerful influences he exerts at one of his equinoxes, must 
 therefore be copious rains ; a sequence that has most lamen- 
 tably been illustrated at his equinox in June, and as we are writ- 
 ing, at that of July, 1875, by the disastrous floods that have oc- 
 curred in all parts of the Globe. Vulcan, gigantic in size, and 
 fearfully strong in position, with physical laws operating such as 
 our theory postulates, must at his equinoxes produce just such 
 phenomena as the world has witnessed within the last three 
 
('38) 
 
 weeks. Acting singly, his phenomena are of a mild type, but 
 when other planets are accessory, the phenomena are fearful and 
 terrific. The following will show his influence upon rainfalls : 
 
 On the 6th of September, 1801, M. Flanguerges obtained at 
 Viviers 14^ English inches of rainwater in 18 hours. Venus 
 passed her equinox August 29th, iSoi. Vulcan and Mercury 
 both on September 2d, 1801. 
 
 The following fact we present, though not exactly in 
 point, because we want it on record, as it may lead to the 
 discovery of a new point, in the enlargement and perfec- 
 tion of the theory ; we want it upon record for another 
 reason : for on several occasions we have found similar facts. 
 The only interpretation I can at present put on these facts is, 
 that Vulcan's periodicity may be 23 days, instead of 46 ; conse- 
 quently there will be only an interval of 1 1 J days between his equi- 
 noxes. The characteristics of this class of facts is that they fall 
 midway between Vulcan's equinoxes upon the assumption that his 
 periodicity is 46 days. I have sometimes thought that, like Jupiter, 
 he may produce a major and a minor disturbance, and that so 
 far I have only recognized his major disturbance. Besides the 
 possibility of involving a new principle, the fact bears strong 
 evidence of the correctness of the general theory. It was first 
 brought to the attention of the British Association in 1840, by 
 Prof. Forbes : its authenticity being questioned, at a subsequent 
 meeting, he brought proof of the correctness of his former state- 
 ment, which was, that on October 24th and 25th, 1822, at Genoa, 
 30 inches of water fell in 24 hours. The planetary equinoxes 
 occurring near that time were Vulcan, October i^th and Novem- 
 ber 5th, consequently the rainfall was exactly intermediate. 
 Mercury October i8th, and Venus November 2oth. 
 
 At Geneva, May 2oth, 1827, there were six inches of rainfall 
 in three hours. It being 40 days prior to the occurrence of the 
 next Venusian equinox, we consider her influence null. The 
 equinox of Mercury occurred May i7th, and that of Vulcan May 
 I9th, 1827, the phenomenon was Mercurial and Vulcanian, fol- 
 lowing the latter's equinox within 24 hours. At Perth four-fifths 
 of an inch of rain fell in half an hour, on August 3d, 1829. 
 Vulcanian equinox August 2d ; Venusian August 25th ; Mercu- 
 rial August 3ist, 1829. In England, "at Market Laverton, &c., 
 
(139) 
 
 hail six and seven feet deep" (drifted we suppose) "fell on Sep- 
 tember 2d, 1862, doing immense damage to crops." Vulcan's 
 equinox occurred on previous day, namely, September ist. A 
 Mercurial equinox occurred five days previously, namely, Aug- 
 ust 29th. 
 
 Commander Hall, of the British Navy, thus describes a typhoon 
 that occurred at Hong Kong on July 2ist and 22d, 1841 : u For 
 days previously large black masses of clouds appeared to settle 
 on the hills on either side ; the atmosphere was extremely sultry 
 and oppressive, and the most vivid lightning shot incessantly 
 along the dense threatening clouds, and looked more brilliant, 
 because the phenomena were most remarkable at night ; while 
 during the day, the threatening appearances were moderated 
 considerably, and sometimes almost entirely disappeared. The 
 vibrations of the mercury in the barometer were constant and 
 rapid, and though it occasionally rose, still the improvement was 
 only temporary; a storm was therefore confidently predicted. 
 Between seven and eight o'clock in the morning the wind was 
 blowing very hard from the northward, or directly upon the 
 shores of Hong Kong, and continued to increase in heavy squalls 
 hour after hour. Ships were already beginning to drive, and 
 the work of destruction had commenced on every side ; the Chi- 
 nese junks and boats were-blown about in all directions, and one 
 of them was seen to founder with all hands on board. The fine 
 basin* of Hong Kong was gradually covered with scattered wrecks 
 of the war of elements ; planks, spars, broken boats, and human 
 beings clinging hopelessly for succor to every treacherous log, 
 were tossed about on every side ; the wind howled and tore every- 
 thing away before it, literally sweeping the face of the waters. 
 From half-past ten to half-past two the hurricane was at its high- 
 est, the barometer at this time having descended to 28.50. The 
 air was filled with spray and salt, so that it was impossible to 
 see anything that was not close at hand ; the wind roared and 
 howled fearfully, so that it was impossible to hear a word that 
 was said. Ships were now drifting foul of each other in all di- 
 rections, masts were being cut away, and from the strength of 
 the wind forcing the sea high upon the shore, several ships were 
 driven high and dry. The Chinese were all distracted, implor- 
 ing their gods in vain for help ; such an awful scene of destruc- 
 
(140) 
 
 tion and ruin is rarely witnessed, and almost every one was so 
 busy in thinking of his own safety, as to be unable to render 
 assistance to any one else. Hundreds of Chinese were drowned, 
 and occasionally a whole family, children and all, floated past 
 the ships, clinging in apparent apathy (perhaps under the influ- 
 ence of opium) to the last remnants of their shattered boats, 
 which soon tumbled to pieces and left them to their fate. On 
 the 26th another typhoon occurred, but not so severe as the 
 first." 
 
 As this cyclone occurred 34 days before the next Venusian 
 equinox, the latter must have exercised little if any effect upon 
 it. The same may be said of the Mercurial equinox, which 
 occurred on August 2d. It hence cannot be considered as influ- 
 enced by either. A Martial equinox however occurred about 
 the middle of June, and still must have exercised considerable 
 influence. Vulcan's equinox took place July 23d, 1841, or two 
 days after the commencement of the typhoon. 
 
 A continued gale prevailed at Charleston, South Carolina, with 
 heavy rain from the Northeast, from Monday, 9th of September, 
 1811, to 10 A. M. on Tuesday, loth, when it suddenly changed 
 to Southeast. At noon a violent tornado struck the city, passing 
 from Southeast to Northwest in a line 100 yards wide. The 
 centre of the tornado was funnel-shape, and exhibited a lurid 
 appearance, shifting its position rapidly. Many buildings were 
 destroyed and many lives lost ; destruction of property immense. 
 It was a spur of a tropical hurricane then prevailing further 
 South. This tornado occurred about eight months before the 
 Jovial equinox of 1812, and twelve days before the Autumnal 
 equinox. Vulcan's equinox occurred on September 9th, the day 
 of the commencement of the storm. 
 
 HURRICANE OF OCTOBER 20 TO 9TH, 1842. We quote this 
 storm for the double purpose of verifying our theory and illus- 
 trating points we have several times stated heretofore, namely, 
 the invariable vicinage of a high barometer to a storm centre, or 
 low barometer ; and that high and low barometers mutually repel 
 each other. This was a pure Telluric and Vulcanian phenom- 
 enon ; Vulcan's equinox occurring October 3d, the day after the 
 hurricane was first observed, which was at Tampico, Mexico, 
 on October 2d, where it seems to have originated. On the 4th 
 
(140 
 
 it was off Balize ; on the 5th it covered a large part of peninsu- 
 lar Florida, central a short distance north of Tampa Bay ; 6th, 
 at St. Augustine and Charleston ; and on the 9th at Bermuda. 
 Immense numbers of sea and land birds were killed and were 
 found floating in the sea. Mr.. L. Blodgett, whose account of 
 it we follow, states these three additional and important facts, 
 namely, the hurricane went in a more easterly direction than 
 usual ; that there was a very high barometer, 30.10 to 30.46, from 
 the 4th to the yth, at New York ; and that the progress of the 
 storm was less than ten miles per hour. These facts prove 
 three points I have repeatedly presented, namely, (i) the inva- 
 riable vicinage of a high to a low barometer to feed it, that is, 
 to supply it with the immense amount of air it is ejecting through 
 its cyclonal column towards the sky ; (2) that when either a high 
 or a low barometer is interposed in the usual route of its oppo- 
 site barometer, the latter is repelled, the effect of which is either 
 to drive it back, or to swing it around the centre of the inter- 
 posed barometer ; and (3) when such a barometer is interposed 
 the movement of the barometer whose route is foreclosed, is ex- 
 tremely slow. 
 
 The usual route of a storm from the Gulf, is northeast, either 
 by the Atlantic coast or the Gulf Stream. Both these routes 
 were closed by the New York high barometer, hence the low 
 barometer or storm centre was deflected out of its usual course, 
 more eastwardly to the Bermudas. Its progress was extremely 
 slow, because there is over the Sargasso Sea, southeast of the 
 Bermudas, a permanent high barometer, between which and the 
 New York high barometer, the storm centre was necessitated to 
 force a passage northeastwardly. 
 
 Berlandier describes a hurricane that occurred at the mouth of 
 the Rio Grande, on the 4th of August, 1844, as the most terrible 
 and destructive of any upon that coast. Not a vestige of a 
 single house remained at Brazos Santiago, or at the mouth of 
 the river. The waters of the sea were forced up three leagues 
 from the beach. Vulcan's equinox occurred on the ist of Aug- 
 ust, and Mercury's on the 4th of August the day the storm 
 struck the coast. As this storm came from the Caribbean Sea, 
 it must have existed several days before it struck the coast of 
 Texas, and is a joint phenomenon of Vulcan and Mercury. 
 
(I 4 2) 
 
 One of the most terrible and destructive tornadoes that has oc- 
 curred in the United States, occurred at Natchez, Mississippi, 
 on the 7th of May, 1840. It was a nucleus in a somewhat gen- 
 eral rain. The day began warm and cloudy, with wind south, 
 veering to east. At 2.15 P. M., the sky became a lurid yellow ; 
 the storm striking the river six or seven miles below the city, 
 did not reach it until 2 P. M. The rush of wind did not 
 last five minutes, and the destructive blast only a few seconds. 
 Houses were burst outward 5317 persons were killed in the city 
 and on the river. Sheet tin was carried 20 miles, and windows 
 30 miles. Tooley. The following equinoxes occurred about that 
 time : Venus, May 3oth, or 23 days after ; Mercury, May 29th ; and 
 Vulcan, May 8th, or the day after the tornado. The Medford 
 and Cambridge, Massachusetts, storm, described by Brooks and 
 Eustis, occurred on the 22d of August, 1851, the cloud ex- 
 hibited the form usually of an inverted cone, though at other 
 times that of an hour-glass, that is, two cones joined at their 
 apexes. The conical point let down from the cloud, moved 
 rapidly about at short distances, now pushing down to the Earth, 
 and now rising from it. Its side motions were compared to 
 those of an elephant's trunk. This action was like the descend- 
 ing tube in a nearly completed waterspout at sea. Its width 
 was from fifty to seventy rods, and its forward motion nearly fifty 
 miles per hour ; its duration not over six seconds. Its destruc- 
 tion was unusual in respect to the crushing of objects in its path ; 
 panes of glass were perforated and fused by electric discharges, 
 and other evidences of intense electric action were exhibited. 
 Vulcan's equinox occurred on August 22d, the day of the storm. 
 
 On the 1 5th of December, 1851, two enormous waterspouts, 
 accompanied by a terrific hurricane, swept over Sicilly ; they 
 were described as follows by those who witnessed them. " Two 
 immense cylindrical columns of water depended from the clouds, 
 about a quarter of a mile apart, their points nearly touching the 
 Earth, and moving with immense velocity." They passed over 
 the island near Marsala. In their progress, houses were un- 
 roofed, trees uprooted and carried away ; men, women and 
 children, horses, cattle and sheep were raised up, drawn into 
 the vortex, and borne on to destruction. During their passage 
 across the island, rain descended in cataracts, accompanied with 
 
043) 
 
 hailstones of an enormous size ; and even masses of ice. Going 
 over Castellamare, near Stabia, it destroyed half the town, and 
 washed over 200 of the inhabitants into the sea. Altogether, joo 
 persons lost their lives, and an immense amount of property was 
 destroyed ; the country being laid waste for miles. After the 
 storm, many bodies were picked up along its path where they 
 had been carried and dashed down to the Earth, frightfully 
 mangled and mashed. 
 
 From 1851 to 1874, are 23 years ; now every 23 years the equi- 
 noxes of Mercury and those of Vulcan occur on the same days of 
 the months. By reference to our table for 1874, ^ w ' 1 ^ ^ e found 
 that Mercury's equinox occurred on the loth, and Vulcan's on 
 the I5th of December, 1874 ; hence they did the same in 1851, 
 and the phenomenon occurred on the day of the Vulcanian 
 equinox. 
 
 The most destructive cyclone ever known in tropical Asia 
 occurred on the 5th of October, 1864. About ico ships were 
 lost ; and over 60,000 persons perished ; 43,000 in Calcutta alone. 
 It was accompanied by a "bore" on the Hooghly, the water ris- 
 ing 30 feet, which is 10 feet higher than the highest spring tides, 
 whole towns were nearly destroyed. It indicated its approach 
 for several days, and Capt. Watson, of the Clarence, seeing the 
 barometer falling, knew a cyclone was approaching, saved his 
 ship by steering out of its range. Vulcan's equinox occurred on 
 October ist, 1864, and that of Venus September i9th. 
 
 Earth curr ".its are a species of electric phenomena frequently 
 observed in Winter in the after part of a storm centre or low 
 barometer, or rather in the front part of the very high barometer 
 following it, which brings intensely cold weather. 
 
 The telegraph wires, in the dark, glow in all the colors of the 
 rainbow ; at other times the currents pass along in pulsations, 
 accompanied with fantastic flashes. These are found to be a 
 part of the phenomena attending planetary equinoxes ; and im- 
 portant ones they are too ; for they are the strongest kind of cor- 
 roborative proof of the theory of the electric character of phy- 
 sical phenomena which we are inculcating. It is to be sincerely 
 regretted that no accurate record of these phenomena is kept, 
 with all their attendant circumstances. They are not a single 
 letter in the alphabet by which Nature spells out her secrets to 
 
Man, but they are a full formed sentence that she vouchsafes 
 to him for study and analysis. 
 
 The following are two instances in which the phenomenon was 
 connected with a Vulcanian equinox. The facts of the first 
 were collected by Mr. W. S. Oilman. We extract only so much 
 as is appropos, from the Annual Report of the Smithsonian In- 
 stitute, 1867.* 
 
 "One of the most beautiful electric phenomena imaginable 
 was witnessed on the evening of the 9th of January, 1868, in the 
 office of the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Line, Rochester, N. 
 Y. Suddenly it was discovered that neither wire would work. 
 A continuous current of Electricity was then observed to be 
 passing over the wires and through the several instruments, and 
 this while the batteries were detached. The current seemed to 
 be of the volume of a medium sized pipe stem, and exhibited the 
 several colors of the rainbow. With the key open, the current 
 flowed in waves or undulations ; and from the surcharged wire, 
 it leaped over the insulated portions of the key and passed along 
 the wires "beyond. The gas of the office was lighted without 
 difficulty by holding the end of the wire within an inch or two 
 of the gas burner. The current was intense enough to shock 
 one holding the wires, or instruments ; indeed one of the em- 
 ployees of the office had his fingers scorched by the current. 
 With closed keys the current was continuous." 
 
 Mr. Oilman continues : From B. F. Blackall, Manager of 
 the Company at Buffalo, I learn as follows : "At 4.30 P. M., 
 trouble commenced afterwards located between Fulton and Syr- 
 acuse while I was transmitting a telegram to New York over 
 the No. i wire ; one wire being broken, rested on the 
 ground, and the western end hung across No. 2. At the same 
 instant I noticed my relay surcharged with an unusual amount 
 of Magnetism. Upon opening my key, which we usually give 
 the sixteenth of an inch play, discharges of Electricity, averag- 
 ing as high as 300 pulsations a minute from one platina point to 
 the other took place ; and the nearer I placed these points, the 
 more rapid they occurred. The current was passing from West to 
 East through the key. In addition there was a current about the 
 size of a pin flowing from the core of the helices to the soft piece 
 
 *We are not responsible for the anachronism. 
 
045) 
 
 of iron on the armature, which sounded very much like Electricity 
 produced by friction on a glass cylinder, when passing to a Ley den 
 jar. The writer informs me that he has witnessed a half 
 dozen similar displays during the past 14 years." He continues : 
 "From C. W. Dean, Manager of the same line, at Cleveland, 
 Ohio, I learn as follows : An extraneous current made it impos- 
 sible to w r ork the wire on January 9th last. It was first noticed 
 at 9 A. M ., when the current grew so strong that No. i wire was 
 opened to Painesville, 30 miles east. This did not help it in the 
 least. I judged that our wires were crossed with those of the 
 Western Union, and that we were getting the full strength of 
 their 100 cups of battery. One thing very strange was that the 
 current pulsated, and the armature of the magnet disconnected 
 from the battery and the wire open east, vibrated like a pendu- 
 lum." 
 
 He furthermore says: "From J. A. Osborne, Buffalo, New 
 York, I learn that the wires of their office were so heavily 
 charged that he thought certainly they were crossed by the West- 
 ern Union wires. They could not be touched. The current 
 passed over in waves ; and it was necessary to throw the instru- 
 ments out of circuit to prevent damage to them. Fantastic 
 streaks flashed across the wires. At one time a continuous 
 stream of fire passed off which lasted for four or five seconds. 
 At Lockport the Electricity set fire to a board to which the 
 wires were attached. The magnets became so surcharged with 
 Electricity that when the wires were disconnected the armature 
 remained drawn up to the coils for full three quarters of an 
 hour." Mr. Oilman gives the following as the state of the 
 weather at the time : " Sky clouded at Rochester, Toronto and 
 Montreal, and storming." 
 
 We have demonstrated in Part I that high and low barometers 
 are electric phenomena, and that a high barometer is a descend- 
 ing, and low barometer an ascending current of Electricity. We 
 also show there that the phenomenon of " earth currents" is 
 Electricity flowing from an area of high to an area of low 
 barometer ; and above we have stated that the phenomenon 
 makes its appearance in the after part of a low, or the fore part 
 of a high barometer, which on account of its more than ordinary 
 energy brings intensely cold weather with it. Prof. Henry's 
 
( H 6) 
 
 note to Mr. Oilman's paper says : "On the night in question an 
 aurora is noted at Independence, Iowa, and a heavy snow in 
 Michigan. A wave of low temperature was passing from West 
 to East, from the yth to the loth of January, reaching its mini- 
 mum in the State of New York on the 9th and morning of the 
 loth." Now any one who has watched and compared the read- 
 ings of the mercurial movements in the barometer and thermom- 
 eter, knows that to say that "a wave of low temperature was mov- 
 ing from West to East," or in any direction, is the same as say- 
 ing that a high barometer was moving in that direction. Our 
 proposition therefore is verified by the fact stated by Prof. Henry. 
 By referring to the table of Planetary Equinoxes at the end of this 
 volume it will be seen that Vulcan's equinox occurred on Janu- 
 ary 9th, 1867, the day of the phenomenon. 
 
 According to newspaper accounts, on the afternoon of January 
 8th, 1875, intense electric currents filled the telegraphic wires 
 from Wyoming, eastward to Iowa ; streams of fire seeming to 
 flow along them ; and when open, the keys were either surround- 
 ded by a halo of light, or discharging so rapidly as to be an almost 
 unbroken stream of sparks. In the centre of the Mississippi 
 Valley, and North, a general snowstorm prevailed, and rain in 
 the Southern States. At St. Louis, about noon, it turned in- 
 tensely cold, with a fierce and piercing gale from the northwest, 
 the front of an approaching very high barometer, ushering in an 
 intensely cold spell of weather. By reference to our table of 
 equinoxes, it will be seen that Vulcan's equinox occurred on the 
 day previous, January yth. The Weather Review of the Signal 
 Service shows the following to have been the condition of the 
 weather and cotemporaneous phenomena: On the 6th, a low 
 barometer announced itself in the South Atlantic and Gulf States 
 by rainy weather and northeasterly winds. Thunderstorms pre- 
 vailed in Georgia. It was not until the yth that its movement 
 could be definitely traced ; and on its way northeastward, along 
 the coast, it became a dangerous rain and snowstorm. On the 
 morning of the 8th, the barometer at Halifax, Nova Scotia, stood 
 29.4 inches. Rains, sleet and snow, principally the latter, fell 
 from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Lake Huron, eastward 
 over the Lower Lake Region, to the Middle States, thence 
 northeast to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 
 
047) 
 
 Storm centre, or low barometer, No. Ill, developed in Oregon 
 on the 6th. On the 7th it appeared in the Upper Mississippi, 
 and was central at St. Paul on the morning of the Sth. Its ad- 
 vance winds, those blowing into it from the ocean, became dan- 
 gerous on the coast of Maine, and northward. It was closely 
 followed by high barometer No. 3, with high and dangerous 
 winds blowing into it the low barometer from the west. In 
 Texas this caused a severe "Norther ;" velocity at Indianola 52 
 miles per hour ; on the Lakes, 40 to 45 miles ; at Cape May, 40 ; 
 Sandy Hook, 67 ; and Eastport, 42 miles per hour. Snow ac- 
 companied it in the northern sections, and light rains in the 
 Southern States. High barometer No. 3 made its appearance 
 in northwestern Manitoba, on the 7th. On the night of the Sth 
 it was at North Platte, in the extreme western part of Nebraska. 
 It will thus be seen that the electric current in wires from the 
 West, in the afternoon of the Sth, was, as we maintain, a trans- 
 mission of Electricity by an earth current from the advancing 
 high to the retreating low barometer. 
 
 As it is now over three years since in writing the chapter treat- 
 ing on this subject in the "Elements of Meteorology " we first 
 postulated this theory of electric earth-currents, we may as well, 
 since the matter is up and a new fact at hand, produce it in veri- 
 fication of the theory. In the Monthly Weather Review, of 
 January, 1875, it is stated that the observer at Santa Fe, New 
 Mexico, reports, that on the i5th of January, an extraordinary 
 electric storm on the Telegraph was noticed from 12 M. to 3 P. 
 M. The current was so strong that the line could not be worked ; 
 the key was left open and most of the time was surrounded by a 
 ring of fire. The Review states that this was during the passage 
 of low barometer No. VII* that this happened. Storm centre 
 No. VII, in consequence of high barometer No. 5 covering 
 Ohio and the region eastward, was deflected, and took the ab- 
 normal direction from the Northwest to the Southeast, and in 
 some part of its course even west of South. At noon of the 
 i5th it was nearly due east of Santa Fe, and the latter locality 
 was falling under the influence of high barometer No. 6, then 
 
 *NOTE The Review says No. VIII, which evidently is a typographical 
 error, since that low barometer did not appear until the i9th, four days 
 after, and then in Oregon. 
 
(148) 
 
 appearing in Wyoming. That this was the case I adduce the 
 facts stated by Prof. Loomis before the National Academy of 
 Science at Washington. His statement in substance is as fol- 
 lows ; "At Denver, January i4th, 1875, the thermometer, with 
 a variable northeast wind, had been below zero all day." Before 
 quoting further we will remark the cause of this cold northeast 
 wind at Denver was high barometer No. 5, then covering Ne- 
 braska, consequently sending out flows of cold air in all direc- 
 tions from its centre. Professor Loomis continues : "At 9 P. 
 M. the thermometer was one degree above zero. The wind then 
 shifted suddenly to the Southwest at 9.15, and the thermometer 
 stood at 20 ; at 9.20 P. M. at 27 ; at 9.30 at 36 ; at 9.35 at 
 40 ; after which there was little change, till near noon next day, 
 January 1 5th, when with afresh Southwest wind it rose till 11.30 
 A. M., when it stood at 52 . The ivind then suddenly backed 
 to Northeast and at 12.30 P. M. the thermometer had fallen to 
 4 above zero." 
 
 Now, what is the explanation of all these extraordinary facts? 
 A few moments examination of the relative positions, at that 
 time, of the synchronous high and low barometers, as shown 
 upon Map I, of Monthly Weather Review for January, will 
 make it so plain that, " he who runs may read." High barome- 
 ter No. 5, that had been pouring out its cold air over Colorado, 
 had, at the hour of the change of wind, passed over the Mis- 
 souri River, south of Omaha, into southern Iowa. Low barom- 
 eter No. VII, advancing from the northwest, was now in Wyo- 
 ming. An inpour of air into it was necessitated from the near- 
 est high barometer, probably situated in southern Arizona, or it 
 may be, in Mexico ; this brought about a sudden change of 
 temperature. This warm outpour of air continued to flow until 
 low barometer No. VII had passed. But it is closely followed 
 by high barometer No. 6, from the northwest, now already in 
 Wyoming. Consequently, a sudden swing of the wind takes 
 place from the warm outpour of a southern high barometer, to 
 that of the gelid outpour from a northern high one coming up 
 from the Arctic Circle and drawing its supply of air thence. 
 
 Now, mark it, at 12.30 P. M. this cold outpour of the advanc- 
 ing Arctic high barometer had, in less than one hour, lowered 
 the temperature of the Atmosphere at Denver 48 , for at 11.30 
 
A. M. it stood 52 . Now, it is precisely at 12 M. on that day 
 that the electric current in the wires is discovered at Santa Fe. 
 
 There can be no doubt that the theory we have advanced con- 
 cerning these earth currents is the true one ; for as far as we had 
 opportunity and data for investigation, the facts invariably have 
 verified it. We think this a point of the highest importance in 
 our general theory ; hence we could not pass by a fact so point- 
 edly confirming it, without availing ourselves of its testimony. 
 For be it known, that whatever proximate causes, such as high 
 and low barometers, planetary equinoxes, etc., we may assign for 
 physical phenomena, we hold the ultimate, or the cause of causes 
 to be Electricity. Hence we consider it all times in order to ad- 
 duce a fact when we have one that establishes our fundamental 
 principle, namely, that Electricity is the cause and common bond 
 of union between physical phenomena. Here was a fact that 
 not only proved this, but it did more, it showed that high and 
 low barometers are parts of an inseparable couple or pair, and 
 that Electricity is the bond of union between the parts. 
 
 We here repeat in substance what we have said in Part I on 
 this point : that Electricity is a polar force. It developes in pairs ; 
 as it cannot exist singly, so it cannot act singly. It therefore 
 follows of necessity wherever there is electric action, the phe- 
 nomena cannot be simple, but must be duple. One part of it 
 must be in one state, and the other part in the opposite state. 
 The negative state always exists on the surface of the Earth, 
 and the positive on the clouds and Atmosphere. But both of 
 these states may be alternately static and dynamic. When 
 the negative state on the Earth is static, it draws down, or rather 
 compels the dynamic on the Atmosphere to pour down upon it 
 an immense column of oppositely electrified air, creating as it 
 were in the ariel ocean an immense maelstrom. This descend- 
 ing column of air causes what is popularly called a high barom- 
 eter. When the static is on the Atmosphere, it draws up, or 
 rather compels the dynamic on the surface of the Earth to 
 throw up an immense column of negatively electrified air. This 
 produces the phenomenon commonly called a low barometer. 
 Low barometers and high barometers therefore are parts of elec- 
 tric couples in the phenomena not only of atmospheric circu- 
 lation, but in the distribution of rain and sunshine over the 
 
Globe ; and here we find in these Earth currents Electricity, as. 
 might be anticipated, flowing from the high to the low barome- 
 ter. 
 
 After this long digression, let us, like the French, say: ''Rc- 
 venons a nos moutons" which is to verify the Vulcanian Cycle- 
 On the 23d of December, 1854, a severe and destructive earth- 
 quake occurred at Jecldo, or Yeddo, the capital of Japan. On 
 the nth of November, 1855, another, and the most terrible 
 earthquake ever experienced in those Islands occurred. "During 
 it, 57 temples and 100,000 houses were destroyed, and over 30,000 
 persons lost their lives.'' {Haydn.) Since, in every 23d year, 
 Vulcan's equinoxes occur on the same day of the month, there- 
 fore the sums of 1854x23 and 1855x23 show that the Vulcanian 
 equinoxes' of the years 1854 and 1855 were on the same days of 
 the months as they will be in the years 1877 and 1878. By in- 
 spection of the table' of equinoxes in Appendix, it will be seen 
 that an equinox of Vulcan occurred on the 24th of December, 
 1854, or the day following the first earthquake, and that a Vul- 
 canian equinox occurred on the nth of November, 1855, or on 
 the very day of the terrible catastrophe. 
 
 Mr. Nicholas Pike, United States Consul at Port Louis, gives, 
 an account of a hurricane the United States steamer Monocacy 
 encountered in a passage from Simon's Bay, South Africa, to 
 Mauritius, from which we extract the following "The whole 
 of our passage, since leaving Simon's Bay, had been a succes- 
 sion of bad weather, and a few sunny days, which we in reality 
 had, were to both officers and men a veritable blessing ; sails 
 were repaired, clothes dried and mended, and the decks for the 
 first time quite dry, resounded with the joyous laughter of the 
 crew. But their joy was of short duration." This was in the 
 early part of January, 1867. If the reader will refer to our table 
 he will find that a Mercurial equinox had occurred December 
 27th, 1866, and therefore the narrative relates what took place in 
 the interval between the Mercurial equinox and a Vulcanian 
 which occurred on the 6th of January, 1867, in fact on the eve 
 of the latter. Mr. Pike continues: "On the evening of the 6th 
 of January, the sky became gloomy, dark and threatening clouds- 
 passed swiftly to the northward, the sea rose fast, and the vessel 
 commenced to roll heavily, bedding and clothes were quickly- 
 
(14*) 
 
 taken below and everything secured for bad weather again. The 
 night from the 6th to 7th of January, fully justified our anticipa- 
 tions ; heavy blasts of wind, rain and lightning, the rolling of 
 the vessel, the cracking of her timbers, and the thundering noise 
 of a wave breaking under the vessel's counter, made, I may 
 safely say, even the oldest seaman on board uncomfortable ; es- 
 pecially as the vessel being new, and her seaworthiness to all, 
 even the Captain, unknown, we had not the confidence in her 
 with which her gallant behavior afterwards during the following 
 gale inspired us all ; sails were reduced, or partly so, by the aid 
 of the storm, the flapping of the canvass, torn to ribbons by the 
 rage of the tempest, the loud thunder, the occasional flashes 
 of lightning, the rising of a tremendous wave, showing first its 
 white foaming crest far off in the horizon, and then drawing 
 nearer and nearer, till you might almost fancy it would instantly 
 engulf us, but our gallant ship rose nobly to the crest of the surge. 
 All this was a spectacle wild and fearful to behold, but in its 
 very wildness, grand and sublime. The men worked hard, 
 sending down masts and yards, repairing or bending the storm- 
 sails, or- standing at the pumps, knee-deep in water that washed 
 unceasingly over the decks. Daylight showed us at last the ex- 
 tent of damage the vessel had sustained. The paddle-boxes, the 
 round-houses were smashed in and washed away ; the rail for- 
 ward was stove in, and the heavy one inch iron plates were bent 
 double ; ring-bolts, to which the heavy pivot guns were secured, 
 started from the deck, and the guns threatened with each roll to 
 break adrift from their lashings ; a temporary lull in the gale 
 gave us time to secure them, and repair damages a little. Eve- 
 rybody hoped for good weather, as the heavy rain which fell 
 during five hours beat down the sea considerably. But on the 
 evening of the 7th the storm commenced again. A red lurid 
 light spread all over the sky, and shortly after the setting of the 
 Sun, the ocean became furious once more. A tremendous sea, 
 breaking over the starboard bow, swept everything before it, 
 tearing away the gratings of the hatches, breaking the after skv- 
 lights, and rushing down into the wardrobe and cabin, floating 
 and drenching everything and everybody. The tiller ropes hav- 
 ing been carried away, paying oft' before the wind, became un- 
 manageable ; the guys of the smokestack having broken, it was 
 
feared that the heavy mass of iron would descend upon us, smash- 
 ing everything ; the ship then coming to again filled her decks 
 with water, and leaning over to port remained so long in that 
 position that even the stoutest hearts quailed, and anxiously 
 counted the seconds, till at last the ship rose gallantly again on 
 the crest of the next wave ; luckily the sea had stove in the 
 lower ports, ,the immense quantity of water found a ready egress 
 from her decks ; and the vessel, lightened of her weight, rolled 
 less heavily ; new wheel-ropes were rove, and the storm having 
 spent its fury abated greatly. A little before six o'clock the Sun 
 rose red and gloriously in the East, in a serene and cloudless 
 sky." 
 
 In order to give as many facts in verification of the theory, we 
 will condense them as much as is compatible with intelligibility. 
 
 1866 June i3th, Vulcanian equinox; June i5th, hurricane at 
 Winona ; ryth, hurricane in New York city. 
 
 1867 Vulcanian equinox May ist ; tornado at Tuscaloosa, Ala- 
 bama, April 29th. 
 
 Waterspout in Lake Michigan July 3 1 st. Vulcanian equinox 
 August i st. 
 
 1868 March i7th, hurricane at Chatham, Illinois, and storms 
 generally in the West. Vulcan's equinox March I9th. 
 
 May 3d, tornado near Muscatine, Iowa ; 4th, a hurricane 
 passed from Mississippi, south of Columbus, eastward through 
 Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties, Alabama. Vulcan's equinox 
 May 4th. 
 
 1869 April iSth, severe hailstorm at St. Louis; tornado at 
 Dubuque and Burlington, Iowa, and Indianapolis, etc. Vul- 
 can's equinox April I4th ; equinox of Venus April 3Oth. 
 
 May 28th Tornado at Athens, Ohio ; destructive hailstorm at 
 Wheeling. West Virginia. Vulcan's equinox May 3ist. 
 
 1870 Gales on Lakes January i7th. Vulcan's equinox Jan- 
 uary 1 5th. 
 
 April 1 7th A severe rain and snowstorm from the northwest 
 into the Gulf States ; snow at St. Louis six inches deep ; ther- 
 mometer fell to 27 ; at Springfield, Missouri, to 18 ; at Ox- 
 ford, Mississippi, to 28 ; cotton and corn cut down even with 
 the ground. Vulcan's equinox April i7th. Severe gales and 
 heavy rains in Europe on the I9th of April. 
 
October i5th Tornado at Milwaukee ; terrible tornadoes in 
 Ohio and Kentucky. 2ist, tornado at Belleville, Ohio. Vul- 
 can's equinox Oct. iSth. 
 
 1871 The phenomena of February to middle of March have 
 already been given. March zSth, Vulcan's equinox. A cyclone 
 at Auckland, New Zealand, on the day of the equinox. 
 
 Vulcan's equinox April 2oth ; on the iSth violent hailstorm at 
 Leavenworth, Kansas, and at St. Joseph, Missouri, accompanied 
 with terrific winds, rain, thunder and lightning ; same day a 
 severe hailstorm at Jackson, Mississippi. I9th, a severe hail- 
 storm at St. Louis, and in Ohio ; and an earthquake at Oxford, 
 North Carolina ; 23d, a general and destructive frost over the 
 country. 
 
 Vulcan's equinox May I3th. On May I4th, destructive tor- 
 nado at Mosinee, Wisconsin, followed by a general rain of nearly 
 a week's duration. 
 
 We have heretofore given all the Vulcanian phenomena from 
 June to the end of October, 1871, in the phenomena of the other 
 planets, except the following : At Vulcan's equinox of July 
 2ist, a large sunspot seen for several days, attained its maxi- 
 mum on the 2 1 st. On the iyth, terrible thunder and lightning 
 near Burlingame, Kansas, all vegetation killed for 20 to 30 yards 
 around where it struck. 2oth, earthquake at Santiago, Chili, 
 and a general earthquake in the New England States. 
 
 At the equinox of Vulcan, Nov. I3th, 1871, the following phe- 
 nomena appear on my record : A very brilliant aurora from 
 midnight to daylight in the morning of Nov. loth, and again at 
 night. On the same day intense magnetic disturbance were ob- 
 served at the Observatory at Havana. On the same day a severe 
 snow storm from Lake St. Clair to Nova Scotia, extending south 
 over Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. On the i3th, 
 severe gales in Oregon, very destructive to shipping ; general 
 rain and snow storm in the Mississippi Valley, with violent gales 
 on the Lakes and Gulf. November 1/j.th A violent hurricane 
 in New Jersey, New York and Boston, doing much damage both 
 on sea and on land. In the Signal Office Report of 1872, there 
 is a minute description of the snow storm from the Northwest ; 
 we extract the following items : Barometer fell .36 inch at Omaha 
 from the nth to the I2th ; temperature rose 18 , and rainfall .7 
 
inch. Leavenworth barometer on nth, 30.4 inches, on the I2th r 
 29.95 inches; temperature rose 25 ; rainfall i.i inches. St. 
 Louis, on the i2th, barometer 30.38, on the i3th, 29.9 inches; 
 temperature rose 15 ; 1.94 inches of rainfall. Chicago, barom- 
 eter on the 1 2th, 30.48; on the i3th, 29.66; rain, 1.18 inches. 
 Memphis, barometer on the i2th, 30.31, fell to 29.62 ; rainfall .5 
 inch. Similar variations took place in the Ohio Valley : the fol- 
 lowing was the rainfall at the principal stations : Indianapolis, 
 1.93 inches; Louisville, 1.16, and Cincinnati, 2.21 inches. At 
 the stations along Lake Erie the barometer fell as follows : At 
 Detroit, from 30.58 to 29.48 ; at Cleveland^ from 30.58 to 29.35 ; 
 at Buffalo, from 30.62 to 29.23 ; at Rochester, from 30.63 to 
 29.25. The rainfall at these stations ranges from 1.54 to 2.70 
 inches. The paper concludes by saying that this was the sever- 
 est storm that occurred for many years on the Lakes ; and that 
 at the same time this storm was on the Lakes, another storm was 
 moving down the Atlantic coast. The intensity of this storm 
 is not entirely owing to Vulcanian influence, for Jupiter's per- 
 turbation was yet at its height, he having passed his equinox only 
 47 days before. 
 
 1872 The first Vulcanian equinox in this year occurred Jan- 
 uary 2ist, 1872. A Mercurial equinox having occurred three 
 days previous, the phenomena at this period are complicated. A 
 very large sunspot first showing itself on the I3th, attained its 
 largest size on the 2ist. At many of the physical observatories 
 in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, strong earth- 
 currents were observed during this time. Earthquakes were fre- 
 quent and violent in all parts of the world. On the i4th and 
 I5th there were severe shocks in the Himalayas, which were also 
 felt at Broosa, Asia Minor. At noon on the I5th two severe 
 shocks were felt at Quebec. On the i6th, the city of Shamaka, 
 near the Caspian Sea, was totally destroyed : and a severe shock 
 also on the same day occurred at Valparaiso, Chili. On the 22d 
 there is an earthquake recorded at Guayaquil, Ecuador. The 
 reader will bear in mind that the period at which these earth- 
 quakes occurred, was only four months after a Jovial equinox ; 
 and they not only illustrate but verify the principle we have often 
 laid down, that it is the equinoxes of the minor planets that call 
 forth the most violent physical paroxysms, during the perturba- 
 
tions of the major planets. The series that occutred, as detailed 
 at this period, were evoked by Mercury's equinox on the iSth, 
 and by Vulcan's on the 2ist. The previous equinox of Vulcan, 
 that of December 29th, 1871, brought about that terrible, or 
 rather series of terrible earthquakes in Persia, in which Khaboo- 
 shan, in the Northwestern Khorassan, was destroyed, and over 
 30,000 persons are said to have perished. 
 
 On the 1 8th there was a snowstorm in the Mississippi and 
 Ohio Valleys, with heavy rains South. On the 23d a remarkable 
 snowstorm occurred in Colorado. The fore part of the day had 
 been unusually warm and clear. An hour before sunset an arc- 
 tic snowstorm suddenly burst from the Northwest, covering the 
 ground from 15 to 18 inches. At Greeley it was accompanied 
 by a terrific gale, and intensely cold. Several persons who had 
 gone beyond the Cache La Poudre for coal, perished with their 
 teams, and large numbers of cattle and other stock perished with 
 cold. 
 
 The second equinox of Vulcan in 1872 occurred February 
 I3th, and is complicated with that of Venus, which occurred on 
 the 5th ; we may therefore as well give the general as the special 
 phenomena as entered on my phenomenal record. January 29th : 
 A hurricane, or a series of hurricanes, was started in the Indian 
 Ocean on this day, which continued to the i6th of February, 
 when last encountered and observed by a ship, but may have con- 
 tinued longer. February 2il, it snowed all day. Serene all day 
 on the 3d ; at 4.10 P. M., I observed the beams of an aurora in 
 a perfectly serene and blue sky in the magnetic North, diverging 
 from a point about 15 above the horizon. Streamers appeared 
 like sunbeams behind a cumulus cloud. I predicted a storm 
 within 24 hours. The aurora continued into the night. 
 
 On the 4th it snowed all day ; an aurora illuminated the clouds 
 all night. This aurora was extremely brilliant where the sky 
 was clear. It was seen in the Eastern States, in England, in 
 Australia, and in New Zealand, followed by heavy snows in 
 America, and rainstorms in Europe and in the Southern Hemis- 
 phere. At Manchester, England, intense magnetic disturbances 
 observed from 4 to 11.30 P. M., the deviation amounting some- 
 times to as much as 6 . At Mauritius, and at observatories in 
 Tasmania and Australia, an intense " magnetic storm" prevailed 
 
(i 56) 
 
 from 4th to 5th, and terrific hurricanes were encountered by 
 ships on both days on the Indian Ocean. On the 5th, the 
 severest snowstorm of the season at St. Louis ; and a general 
 storm over the entire continent. On the 6th, three distinct and 
 severe shocks of an earthquake felt in Michigan, and at Winona, 
 Minnesota ; a severe shock was also felt in the Herzegovina. 
 On the 7th, the Sun was covered 'with large spots. (Query : 
 Was this the effect of the Venusian equinox?) An earthquake 
 at Cairo, Illinois, at 4 A. M., on the 8th ; and general and heavy 
 rains in Oregon and California. On the i2th it was warm and 
 clear, but unmistakable indications of an approaching storm. 
 Tremendous snowstorm during the night in Minnesota, and ex- 
 tending southeast to Central Illinois. On this day hail fell 
 throughout the province of Kattywar, India ; a hitherto unknown 
 phenomena in that country. On the i3th, thunder and lightning 
 during the night in Missouri and southwest, ending during the 
 next day with a furious cold gale from the northwest. The ther- 
 mometer fell 51 in 12 hours. Heavy rains south, and a fear- 
 ful gale at Rock Island, Illinois. In the forenoon there was an 
 earthquake at Lisbon. On the I4th, very cold, with the ther- 
 mometer 2 below zero at 6 A. M. According to telegrams, it 
 was warm and raining heavily in Utah. On the I5th more mod- 
 erate at St. Louis ; clear, with wind from the southeast, with 
 every indication of an approaching storm. On the i6th it com- 
 menced raining at 4 A. M., turned to snow before day, and 
 snowed until late in the evening. 
 
 The next Vulcanian equinox in order is that of March 8th. 
 In the lake disaster list we find as follows : March yth, steamer 
 Ironsides detained by ice during a violent gale on Lake Michi- 
 gan ; schooner Challenge sprung a leak ; propeller Missouri, 
 loaded with grain, injured, leaking badly ; Manistee aground 
 and goods thrown overboard ; etc. March 6th, a severe shock 
 of an earthquake was felt at Dresden, and other parts of Ger- 
 many, between 4 and 5 P. M. loth, an earthquake destroyed 
 the seaport town Hamade, and the capital of Sekishu, Japan ; 
 over 500 lives lost. It is said that a mountain was thrown into 
 the sea, and everything subverted on land. 
 
 Another equinox of this planet occurred on the 3ist of March. 
 On the 2yth a destructive cyclone occurred in Australia. In the 
 
lake disaster list we have the items : March 3Oth the schooner 
 North Star stranded in a snowstorm at night ; schooner Two 
 Brothers driven ashore ; schooner C. JL. Johnson damaged in a 
 a gale ; tug Margaret, and scow Rough and Ready sunk. On 
 the 31 st the propeller St. Joseph had furniture injured by rough 
 weather. On the 26th the terrible earthquake at Inyo, Cali- 
 fornia, commenced, which continued to April I3th. On the 
 same day an earthquake was felt at Paducah, Kentucky. This 
 earthquake was felt all along the Pacific coast to the city of 
 Mexico, and beyond to Oaxaca, where many churches and 
 houses were levelled to the ground. On the 3d of April the 
 city of Antioch, Syria, was destroyed by an earthquake. 
 
 Vulcanian equinox No. 5, of 1872, occurred April 23d. The 
 lake list of disasters again shows damage from 2ist to 26th, but 
 we cannot quote them. In the Annual Report of Signal Service 
 for 1872, a storm of 24th of April is mentioned as one of those 
 of which timely notice was given to the shipping interest ; but 
 there are no particulars given. On my phenomenal list I find, 
 April 2ist, a cyclone in South Carolina; 62 houses destroyed in 
 Chester, and great damage done at Columbia. An earthquake 
 felt at Memphis, Tennessee, and Cairo, Illinois, on the 23d. A 
 gray haze and lurid Sun to-day, indicating the imminence of 
 earthquakes. 24th, gray haze, lurid Sun, and unseasonably high 
 temperature. This remark is appended, "I would feel alarmed 
 if I lived in an earthquake country." 25th, foreign dispatches 
 state that an earthquake occurred at Dumphries, Scotland, on the 
 23d, and that yesterday (24th) a terrible eruption of Vesuvius 
 took place. A violent series of earthquake shocks commenced 
 on the 25th, and continued to the end of the month, at St. Sal- 
 vador, Central America. An earthquake at Attok, East Indies. 
 
 Vulcan's equinox No. 6 of 1872, occurred May i6th. The 
 lake list again furnishes a list of disasters, and on the i8th it 
 says, at 1 1 o'clock A. M. a storm at Buffalo drove vessels back 
 to port. 
 
 Equinox No. 7 of 1872, occurred June 8th, 1872. This equi- 
 nox is complicated with that of Venus of May 3Oth, attendant 
 with the usual phenomena of rainy weather, frequent storms, 
 and in this instance an unusual number of water-spouts. The 
 leaves of my phenomenal record, covering the greater part of the 
 
month of May and part of June, have become detached and lost, 
 consequently I am unable to give phenomena until June i6th, 
 where I find, "Weather very showery and numerous heavy local 
 rainfalls. They seem to have been frequently of the nature of 
 water-spouts. At St. Louis the highest cirrus clouds had a de- 
 cided westward movement. The cumulus clouds were about 
 stationary, or if any movement it was towards the West. They 
 would gather suddenly into a large mass, then change rapidly 
 into nimbus and pour down a heavy local shower until exhausted ; 
 after a very short interval, another similar knot would gather to 
 the westward and pass through the same phases. These knots 
 seemed to propagate themselves in streaks from East to West, 
 and after disappearing in the western horizon, similar knots re- 
 appeared in the East. These local showers were attended with 
 thunder and lightning, hardly ever more than one discharge be- 
 fore the cloud became exhausted." This remarkable character 
 continued until after the terrific thunderstorm at St. Louis, on 
 the night of the 27th, which we have described in Part I. The 
 phenomenon was so remarkable that I made a minute and full 
 record of it at the time, because I was anxious to know what 
 it meant. I was so impressed with it, that a few days after, 
 while the dispatches were bringing in detailed accounts of extra- 
 ordinary phenomena from both East and West, I added this 
 memorandum : "Here, at St. Louis, the singular peculiarity was 
 to develope in knots or points from five to eight miles apart, and 
 on a line running from East to West ; a knot consisted of a cumu- 
 lus cloud which rapidly passed into a nimbus, and exhausted 
 itself in a short downpour of rain. Scarcely had it become ex- 
 hausted before another knot was seen forming westward. There 
 were always two lines of propagation visible, one North and the 
 other South ; but at one time when a line passed through the 
 Zenith, it was flanked by a line on each side. The lines seemed 
 to be about 20 miles apart ; and they were renewed by pulsations 
 or waves from the East, at intervals of about every three hours." 
 Judging by the phenomena afterwards reported, a similar con- 
 dition must have prevailed over the whole Continent at the time. 
 In the Eastern States a number of extraordinary local rains with 
 floods were reported as having occurred on the same day. At 
 St. Joseph, Missouri, a terrific rain, hail and wind storm oc- 
 
curred, producing a flood that did immense damage. On the 
 Western Plains there were what are popularly called cloud- 
 bursts. About a month after, in eastern Colorado, I saw the 
 track made by one of these moving columns of water over the 
 Plains. In a line almost straight, it had scooped out a row of 
 holes from three to ten feet wide, and from two to five feet 
 <leep. Near Golden, on the same day, a water-spout fell on the 
 mountain, by which a Mr. Virden and his family, returning 
 from church in a carriage, through Clear Creek Canyon, were 
 overwhelmed, and Miss Virden and Miss Blood lost their lives. 
 Their bodies were found, several hundred yards below, covered 
 with boulders, gravel and sand, horribly mangled. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Virden saved themselves by grasping a limb of a tree, and 
 holding on until the wave had passed, which was twelve to fif- 
 teen feet high and nearly perpendicular. In southeastern Cali- 
 fornia, and Nevada, on the same day, extraordinary sand-spouts 
 were seen, six and eight in number, at the same time, in a row, 
 spinning and whirling like water-spouts at sea. On the Central 
 Pacific Railroad, near Truckee, there was a water-spout, or as 
 the people of the mountains expressively call such a phenomenon, 
 " a cloud-burst." When first seen by the inhabitants, it was a 
 funnel-shaped cloud of a large size, and black as pitch. It was 
 upright in position, and had a swift whirling motion. It at first 
 descended within fifty yards of the ground ; it then lifted a little, 
 and swooped by with immense velocity for about half a mile, 
 when it struck and fell upon the railroad, washing it completely 
 away, embankment, superstructure, and all, and in many places 
 twisting the rails. In England, two days after, namely, on the 
 1 8th of June, a most terrific rain and hailstorm occurred at Bir- 
 mingham, accompanied by dreadful thunder and lightning. Large 
 masses of ice fell, and the amount of rain that fell was estimated 
 -at 250 tons to the acre. 
 
 I state these facts because they have a peculiar interest to me. 
 I recorded them at the time of their occurrence, because I 
 wanted for study and comparison a record of consecutive indi- 
 vidual facts, uncontaminated by the touch, or distorted by the 
 whims, caprices and prejudices of Man. I wanted to know 
 whether such extraordinary phenomena as these were normal ; 
 whether they had a periodicity ; and what was the length of 
 
(i6o) 
 
 their period. If they had a period of a definite length, then I 
 wished to ascertain the fixed cause that regularly brings them 
 around in their circuit. I love and venerate facts, because they 
 enabled me to penetrate the veil that hid the mysteries of the 
 seasons, and taught me to interpret the hieroglyphics written 
 upon one of the tablets in the Great Temple of Nature. 
 
 Vulcan's equinox No. 8, of 1872, took place on July ist. On 
 this day, Balasore, in India, was nearly destroyed by a cyclone. 
 A storm centre passed over Lake Superior on the 3<Dth of June, 
 succeeded by another that appeared in the northwest on the same 
 day, and was central in the Ohio Valley on July ist. 
 
 Vulcan's 9th equinox of 1872, took place July 24th. The lake 
 disaster list, amongst others, mentions the following casualties : 
 On the 22d, tug Harrison capsized ; barge Emmett lost part of 
 deck load in a squall ; a raft of timber broken up by heavy 
 weather. On the 23d, the schooner Couch sunk ; schooner Col' 
 Her lost main-topmast in a squall. 
 
 Vulcan's equinox No. 10 of 1872 took place August i6th. On 
 the 1 5th, schooner Day spring struck by lightning on Lake Mich- 
 igan ; one man killed, and another seriously injured. i6th, bark 
 Saginaiv, loaded with timber, sunk. August I5th, a brilliant 
 aurora to-night. One of the wires of the Western Union Tele- 
 graph Company was worked some time by the auroral current. 
 On this day a tornado swept from East Longmeadow to Wilbra- 
 ham, leveling everything in its path for the distance of five miles. 
 Stone' walls and fences were strewn in all directions. A strip 
 from five to fifteen rods in width was cut clean through a forest 
 of large trees, and several buildings thrown down. 
 
 A re-examination of my data for the purpose of culling the 
 Vulcanian phenomena, discover the following facts, overlooked 
 when I made up the Mercurial record. As they are European, 
 and also too important to be omitted, we add them here, since it 
 is too late to insert them at the proper place. By examining the 
 Table of Planetary Equinoxes, it will be seen that a Mercurial 
 equinox occurred August 26th, 1872. On the night of August 
 25th a water-spout burst above the coach road near Loch Katrina, 
 Scotland, rendering the road impassable for several days, by the 
 trees, debris, etc., swept down by the flood. The Birmingham 
 (England) Morning News says : "The people living near King's 
 
Sutton, Banbury, say that on the 25th inst. (that is August 25th, 
 1872) about one o'clock, they saw something like a haycock 
 revolving through the air, accompanied by fire and dense smoke. 
 It made a noise resembling that made by a railway train, but 
 very much louder, and travelled with great rapidity. It was 
 sometimes high in the air, and sometimes near the ground. It 
 passed over the estates of Col. North, M. P., Sir W. R. Brown, 
 Bart., and Mr. Leslie Melville Cartwright, whose park wall it 
 threw to the foundation in several places, and at one place for 
 upwards of sixty yards. A man named Adams was breaking 
 stones, and a moment before he was standing under a tree, which 
 was suddenly torn up by the roots and the branches scattered in 
 every direction. Two or three other trees near him were also 
 torn up, and one of them, the largest, a beech, on Sir William 
 Brown's estate, tore up with it 12 or 15 tons of earth. For a 
 distance of nearly two miles, hedges, rails, fences, trees, hovels 
 and ricks have been knocked down or injured. A whirlwind 
 followed the fire-meteor, and carried away everything before it. 
 Stones from the walls knocked down were carried forty yards 
 away, and the water in a pond on the passage of the phenomenon 
 was sucked up. After traveling about two miles the meteor 
 seemed to expend itself, and disappeared all at once. There 
 was a heavy fall of rain at the time and a vivid flash of lightning 
 just before." On the same day there was a destructive tornado 
 in Ireland. 
 
 The nth Vulcanian equinox of 1872 took place on the 8th of 
 September. On the 8th of September, according to Mr. Den- 
 ning, the disc of the Sun was covered with spots. On the 9th, 
 7.2 inches of rain fell at Bombay. Heavy rains continued for 
 several weeks in India and Bombay, sometimes accompanied by 
 severe cyclones and destructive floods, by which much property 
 was destroyed and many lives lost. September 9th and loth, a 
 severe hurricane at St. Kitts, Barbadoes, and other islands. The 
 observations of the Signal Service show for the Sth of Septem- 
 ber, rain at the following stations : Omaha, Keokuk, Daven- 
 port, Detroit and Burlington, Vermont ; and heavy rains at 
 Punta Rassa, Chicago, Milwaukee, Oswego, Mount Washington 
 and Quebec. 
 
 The 1 2th Vulcanian equinox of 1872, occurred on October 
 
(162) 
 
 ist. On the morning of the 28th of September, a low barometer 
 was central between Omaha and Leavenworth ; at 4 P. M. it 
 was central at St. Louis, and at midnight near the southeastern 
 point of Lake Michigan. On the morning of the 29th, the 
 centre was in Northern Michigan, northwest of Saginaw, thence 
 it passed northeastwardly over Lake Huron, during the day. 
 On the morning of the 3oth it was central over Montreal, thence 
 it passed southeast into the Atlantic on October ist. It reap- 
 peared on the coast of Maine on the 2d, and on the 3d extended 
 into the Valley of the St. Lawrence. This low barometer was 
 attended with heavy rains from Omaha to Quebec, and from Nor- 
 folk, Virginia, to Nova Scotia. 
 
 Another storm centre developed in the northwest on the 2d of 
 October, and passed over the Lake Region on the 4th, accom- 
 panied with light rain from the Rocky Mountains to Florida, 
 the Lake Region and St. Lawrence Valley. 
 
 The 1 3th Vulcanian equinox of 1872, took place on October 
 24th. The Signal Service Report of 1873, p. 981, says : " The 
 most severe storm was that which from the 2 ist to the 27th, 
 travelled from the Gulf northeastward, over the South Atlantic 
 and Middle States, thence eastward over southern New Eng- 
 land into the Atlantic, attended throughout its course by heavy 
 rains and brisk high winds, increasing at times to gales. These 
 rains were particularly heavy in northeastern Florida and south- 
 eastern Virginia, over 6 inches of water falling during the 
 storm at Jacksonville, and nearly 7^ inches at Norfolk. In the 
 record of averages at the Kew Observatory, England, I find : 
 " Rainfall during the month 6.46 inches, of which 3.9 fell during 
 the seven last days of the month. 
 
 I have heretofore stated that strongly marked phenomena fre- 
 quently occurred midway between the Vulcanian equinoxes, 
 which leads me to suspect that his periodicity really is but 23 
 days, consequently that one of his equinoxes occurs every nj 
 days. The enormous rains and destructive floods in India from 
 the 1 9th to the 23d of September is one of these phenomena. 
 To be sure it may have been caused by the Telluric equinox of 
 that date. But the general principle that phenomena are 
 composite, that is, the effect of two or more causes gives reason- 
 able ground to suspect that there was another disturbance super- 
 
imposed on the Telluric. On the I3th, I4th, and i5th of Octo- 
 ber, 1872, there is almost positive proof of the agency of an in- 
 tervening cause of disturbance, that has not yet been accounted 
 for. To be sure Mercury passed his equinox on the 9th of Oc- 
 tober, but it is unusual for him to manifest much energy at a 
 period four or five days removed from his equinox. Besides a 
 storm centre passing over the continent from the I3th to the i6th, 
 and a second one on the 1 7th, we have large numbers of sunspots 
 one so large as to be visible with the natural eye reported by 
 Mr. Denning on the I3th and I4th, with intensely strong earth 
 currents simultaneously in telegraph lines in England and on the 
 continent of Europe, so strong as to interrupt at times all com- 
 munication. These currents continued until the iSth, and were 
 only intense on lines running East and West ; lines running 
 North and South were but little affected. Prof. Sperry, of the 
 Stonehenge Physical Observatory, made particular observations 
 on them from the I4th to the iSth of the month. The oscilla- 
 tions and declinations of the magnetic needle were sudden from 
 East to West, and vice versa. The movement of the vertical 
 force was frequently too great to be recorded on the photograph 
 paper, and the magnet was frequently thrown off its balance. 
 Furthermore, while I am writing this (July 22d, 1875) tremen- 
 dous rains have fallen for the last six days in every part of the 
 American continent, and also in Europe ; and at some localities, 
 Wheeling, West Virginia, for instance, destructive tornadoes 
 have occurred. Mercury's equinox occurred on July iSth, and, 
 as expected, heavy rains fell on that day, and two days before 
 and after ; but it is unusual for this planet singly to show so much 
 and such a long persistence of energy. 
 
 The I4th Vulcanian equinox of 1872 occurred on November 
 i6th. From the I3th to the i7th a storm centre passed slowly 
 over the continent from West to East, reaching the lower St. 
 Lawrence Valley on the i7th. On the I3th, rain or snow is re- 
 ported at nineteen stations of the Signal Service ; on the i4th, at 
 thirty-five stations ; on the i5th, at twenty-six stations; on the 
 i6th, at seventeen stations; and on the i7th at twelve stations. 
 
 The i5th and last Vulcan equinox of 1872, occurred on Dec- 
 ember 8th. On the 6th, a storm centre appeared in the extreme 
 northwest ; it was central in the Lake Region on the 8th, and 
 
(,6 4 ) 
 
 reached the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the loth. Simultaneously 
 with its disappearance, three storm centres appeared, two in 
 the extreme West and Northwest, and one in Mexico. The 
 northern and central ones pursued the usual easterly course over 
 the Lakes and Ohio Valley ; the one from Mexico passed over 
 the Gulf and Florida, thence along the Atlantic coast, with the 
 Gulf Stream, towards the northeast. 
 
 Fifteen Vulcanian equinoxes occurred in the year 1872, which 
 we have presented seriatim together with the phenomena the 
 greater part of which are the observations of the Signal Service 
 proving that at every one of the periods, if not manifested 
 before, then generally on the very clay the equinox occurred, a 
 disturbance appeared, which produced marked phenomena ; 
 many of them being very violent. As we insert in the Appen- 
 dix, a table of all the Planetary Equinoxes that have occurred 
 since the ist of January, 1866, as well as those that will occur 
 until the 3ist of December, 1884, so we might safely rest the 
 case here. Every reader by observing the phenomena occurring 
 at the equinoxes that have to come, can verify the theory for 
 himself; and those who have the Annual Reports of the Signal 
 Service, for the years 1873 and 1874, can make a verification by 
 comparing the dates of the equinoxes with those of the current 
 phenomena at the period. But as these reports are not accessi- 
 ble to all, and in the hands of but few, we will have to complete 
 the verification of the Past, trusting to the interest that the read- 
 er will take in the subject to make verifications of the Future. 
 We will however pass over as rapidly as possible the review of 
 the phenomena, unless where their intrinsic importance, or ex- 
 traordinary character, demands particular attention. To avoid 
 so much repetition, we will designate them merely by numbers : 
 
 VULCANIAN EQUINOXES OF 1873. 
 
 No. i occurred on January ist. A high barometer from the 
 northwest moved from the ist to the 4th over the Lakes, south- 
 east. Storm centre No. i, coming from the Pacific coast, in the 
 rear of this high barometer, hence was deflected on the 3d, from 
 Wyoming into Arkansas, where it was on the 4th. In the mean- 
 time, the high barometer having passed into the Atlantic to join 
 the permanent Bermuda high barometer opposite the coast of 
 
North Carolina ; storm centre or low barometer No. i swept by 
 a curve through Tennessee and Kentucky, thence up the Ohio 
 Valley northeast to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 
 
 No. 2 occurred January 24th. On the morning of the 23d 
 there was a low barometer central at St. Louis ; it passed 
 diagonally through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, to the south- 
 ern shore of Lake Erie, thence eastward into the Atlantic on 
 the coast of Massachusetts, where it joined, on the 24th, another 
 low barometer from Texas, through the interior of the south 
 Atlantic States. These two storms covered the whole country 
 east of the Rocky Mountains with heavy snow and rainfalls, 
 accompanied with severe gales on the Lakes and the Atlantic 
 coast. 
 
 No. 3 occurred February i6th. A low barometer coming from 
 Mexico, was central at the mouth of the Wabash in southeastern 
 Illinois on the morning of the i6th, thence to the Atlantic coast 
 opposite New Jersey. This was followed on the lyth by another 
 low barometer, which passed northeast over Lake Superior. 
 The first was accompanied by very heavy rains and snows in the 
 North : in the South with thunderstorms. That on the I'jth was 
 followed by a high barometer and very loiv temperature. 
 
 No. 4 occurred March nth. Of the low barometer that passed 
 over the continent from the loth to the nth, the Signal Service 
 Report says : "It passed from Dakota over Minnesota and Lake 
 Superior into Canada, down the St. Lawrence Valley ; preceded 
 by brisk and high easterly and southerly winds, and followed by 
 brisk to high westerly to northwesterly winds ; accompanied by 
 rain and snow from Missouri to Minnesota, and eastward over 
 the Lakes. In the Eastern and Middle States the rains and 
 snows became general and at places very heavy." 
 
 No. 5 occurred April 3d. On the i stand 2d a storm centre 
 passed over Missouri, northeast into Canada. The Signal Ser- 
 vice say it was accompanied by brisk winds and heavy rain in 
 all the States east of the Rocky Mountains. It was felt as a 
 severe storm from Texas to the Lakes and Northwest. Of the 
 low barometer that passed over the continent from the northwest 
 from the 3d to the yth, the Signal Service say it was accompanied 
 by brisk and occasionally high winds and rain from the Missouri 
 through the Ohio Valley, thence to the East and middle Atlantic 
 
coasts, Lakes, and St. Lawrence Valley. The light-house at 
 Erie was blown dow r n during this storm. 
 
 No. 6 occurred April 26th. The phenomena of this equinox 
 are complicated with those of the Venusian equinox of April 3Oth 
 which have already been quoted, which were tremendous heavy 
 snow falls in Kansas and Nebraska, with excessive rains in the 
 South. 
 
 No. 7 occurred May I9th. A low barometer, originating on 
 the i yth on the Southwestern Plains, traveled slowly northeast- 
 ward through the Indian Territory over Lakes Michigan and 
 Huron into Canada, attended with rain and brisk winds. Sim- 
 ultaneous with its disappearance on the 2oth, a low barometer 
 appeared in the Northwest. It was central at a point about 100 
 miles Northwest of St. Paul, at 4 P. M. on the 22cl. At this 
 hour it was that on the same meridian in Washington County, 
 Southern Iowa, the terrific and destructive tornado occurred, of 
 which a full account is given in Part I. Mercury's equinox had 
 occurred on May i7th, or two days before the Vulcanian, and 
 five davs before this terrible visitation. 
 
 No. 8 occurred June nth. Of a low barometer that passed 
 slowly over the country from Dakota to the New England States, 
 from the 7th to the nth, the Monthly Weather Review says, "it 
 was accompanied with rain, generally heavy, fresh and brisk 
 winds, and occasionally severe thunderstorms." Two other 
 storm centres, one in the Southern States and the other in the 
 Northwest, appeared on the I2th, and accompanied with the 
 usual phenomena. 
 
 No. 9 occurred July 4th. Several storm centres passed over 
 the continent from the 2tl to the 5th. On the 3d there was a tor- 
 nado at Indianapolis ; and shocks of an earthquake were felt on 
 the 3d and 5th at Buffalo. 
 
 No. 10 occurred July 27th. On that day storm centre 13 of 
 the Signal Service passed from the Northwest over Lake Supe- 
 rior. Among the Lake disasters of this period, schooner Tkvo 
 Brothers lost jib-boom and foremast head by a storm. Schooner 
 Sunrise^ foremast shivered by lightning on Lake Erie. Tug 
 Ada Allen sunk, etc. 
 
 No. n occurred August i9th. We have already exhausted 
 the phenomena of this period in what we have said of the Nova 
 
('67) 
 
 Scotia cyclone, which at this date was between the Bermuda and 
 Bahama Islands, on its way to the coast of Nova Scotia, which it 
 struck five days later. 
 
 No. 12 occurred September nth. The Monthly Weather 
 Review says of low barometer No. Ill, " September nth, izth 
 and I3th was accompanied by rain at nearly all of the stations 
 east of the Rocky Mountains ; brisk and high winds over the 
 Northwest and Upper Lakes; severe "Norther" in Texas on 
 I3th ; and heavy snow on Mount Washington.'' 
 
 No. 13 occurred October 4th. There were no less than five low 
 barometers or storm centres developed between the ist and 6th 
 of October : three in the Northwest, and two in the Gulf and on 
 the coast of the southern Atlantic States. We will only speak 
 of No. I, first recognized as existing on the 3d, some distance 
 southwest of Cuba. Its influence was felt at Galveston and 
 Indianola on the 4th, from the brisk and high northerly winds 
 that were blowing into it at those points. 
 
 The steamship G. W. Clyde, Captain James Albert Cole, 
 from Galveston, September 3Oth, experienced a series of easterly 
 gales, with heavy sea, up to October 3d, when the wind, increas- 
 ing in force, changed to the southwest. The ship was then run 
 to the westward for more sea room, and during the night of 
 October 4th, the unfortunate vessel was struck by the cyclone, 
 her position then being about fifty miles westward of the Tortu- 
 gas. The steamer was tossed about in the most fearful manner. 
 At 6.40 P. M., on the $th, the sea swept the pilot-house away, 
 and Capt. Cole, together with four others of the ship's officers, 
 were washed overboard and drowned, with the exception of 
 Quartermaster Burns. The vessel was afterwards tov/ed into 
 Key West. 
 
 At this place the barometer had been steadily falling during 
 the 5th, with variable easterly to southeasterly winds. The wind 
 blew a gale at 6 A. M. of the 6th, and continued so, with occa- 
 sional lulls during the entire day. After 4 P. M. the mercury 
 fell very rapidly, reaching its m'inimum at 5 P. M., when it had 
 fallen to 29.28. After this it commenced to rise again ; but the 
 wind shifting to the southeast, increased to a hurricane at 6.30 
 P. M., the velocity twice reaching one hundred and twenty miles 
 per hour, as shown by the self-register of the anemometer. 
 
(,68) 
 
 During the passage of the storm, almost the entire island was 
 flooded, the sea rising fourteen feet above mean tide, rushing 
 through the street from two to four feet in depth ; and the salt 
 spray which filled the air, destroyed vegetation as completely as 
 a severe frost.* The damage to shipping in the harbor, although 
 prepared for the storm, was immense. On the island, houses 
 trembled and shaked to their foundations ; roofs were carried 
 away like straws, but fortunately but one life is reported lost. 
 
 At Tortugas, 65 miles west, the wind blew terrific for twelve 
 hours. Colonel Langdon, in command at Fort Jefferson, states 
 that a solid bar of iron, weighing eight hundred pounds, was 
 carried two hundred yards over the parapet of the Fort. 
 
 The cyclone, which was progressing northeastwardly at the rate 
 of about five miles an hour, struck Punta Rassa, Florida, about 
 4 P. M. on the 6th, and its very centre seems to have passed 
 over this point. The barometer here was similarly affected as 
 at Key West, during the 4th and 5th, and the morning of the 
 6th ; but after 4 P. M. it fell more rapidly. At 4 P. M. it stood 
 at 29.10 ; at 8.45 P. M. it stood at 28.40, being the lowest point 
 it reached. 
 
 The scene at this station, while the storm was at its height, is 
 said to have been most terrific. The anemometer being blown 
 away at 4.11 P. M., there was no means of ascertaining the 
 velocity of 1 the wind. The sea rose eleven feet above the mean 
 tide, all land was flooded, even the highest points, leaving the 
 inhabitants entirely without drinking water. Houses and wharves 
 were swept away, cattle were drowned, and the entire loss at 
 the place, including damage to shipping, is reported at $i 16,400 ; 
 but no lives lost. The course of this cyclone, after it had forced 
 a passage between the two opposing high barometers, was rapid 
 northeastwardly with the Gulf Stream. Of course, after the pass- 
 age was effected it lost its cyclonic character. It is supposed to 
 have been the same storm that passed over the Shetland Islands 
 on October loth. 
 
 No. 14 occurred on the 2yth of October. A general atmos- 
 pheric disturbance followed this equinox ; no less than three 
 storm centres from the 25th to the 28th, originated or passed 
 
 *NOTE. This will be considered an important fact when people once 
 get rid of their mechanical theory in Physics. 
 
(i6 9 ) 
 
 over the continent. Low barometer No. XII, of this month, 
 originated in Texas, and was central in the Indian Territory on 
 the 25th. " Snow was then falling throughout the Northwest 
 very heavily, with high winds. The precipitation became very 
 heavy on the 26th, when it passed over the Lakes ; with heavy 
 thunderstorms in the South. It was central in New Brunswick 
 on the 2yth and 28th, with southern gales in Maine ; reported 
 the heaviest storm of the season at New Haven, Wood's Hole, 
 Portland and Eastport." Low barometer No. XIII, October 
 27th, 28th and 29th. "The snow and fog that prevailed on the 
 Lakes united with the high wind, made the night of the 28th 
 and 29th one of the wildest description, and numerous disasters 
 are reported from Milwaukee." Monthly Weather Review. 
 
 No. 15 occurred November 19^1. Within three days no less 
 than four low barometers or storm centres originated and passed 
 over the Continent. We can only quote from the Monthly 
 Weather Review a condensed description of No. VII, which 
 was the most remarkable cyclone of which the Signal Service 
 observations furnish any details. It was generated about mid- 
 day of the 1 6th, in Northern Georgia, and at once assumed a 
 threatening aspect. During the night of the i6th and morning 
 of the 1 7th, it steadily advanced to the vicinity of Wilmington, 
 making about 240 miles in 12 hours. Its course thence was 
 northeastward along the inshore margin of the Gulf Stream, 
 which it tenaciously followed to latitude 43 north, whence it 
 struck off into the Bay of Fundy, and thence to the mouth of 
 the St. Lawrence River. All along its track, from Norfolk to 
 Halifax and Father Point, was marked by fierce gales, and ves- 
 sels report fearful seas off the coast. At Norfolk, chimneys and 
 fences were blown down, and shipping in the harbor dragged 
 anchors. In Chesapeake Bay it was extremely severe. At 
 Cape May the barometer fell to 28.76, with very heavy sea ; and 
 pilots from outside report it the worst gale known for years. 
 At New Haven, Wood's Hole, Boston, and Portland, Maine, it 
 fell very low, at the latter point to 28.49, ^ ne lowest observed 
 barometers since these points became signal stations. At East- 
 port, Maine, on the i8th, the cyclone attained terrific force, its 
 winds blowing 64 miles an hour. Its progress over the Canad- 
 ian districts to the northward and eastward was equally violent. 
 
No. 1 6, and last of 1873, occurred on the i2th of December. 
 The phenomena of this equinox are complicated with those of 
 the Venusian equinox of December 9^1 . This month was 
 marked with excessive rains, as is usually the case when a 
 Venusian equinox occurs. The Weather Review says, ' ' No. VI 
 (low barometer) began in New Mexico, and during the night of 
 the loth, and the forenoon of the nth, advanced eastward to the 
 central Arkansas Valley, and thence moved northeastwardly 
 over Missouri and Illinois on the I2th. It passed eastward over 
 New York, and reached the Atlantic coast on the night of the 
 1 3th, and on the morning of the I4th its centre was near Hali- 
 ifax, Nova Scotia. 
 
 We have now come to the close of another year, and in pass- 
 ing under review the dates of the sixteen equinoxes of Vulcan 
 that fell within the year, in not a solitary case have we failed to 
 find cotemporaneous physical phenomena of a very marked 
 character. Not only so, but the most extraordinary phenomena 
 that have occurred during the year, have all fallen upon these 
 Vulcanian periods. Other extrordinary phenomena falling upon 
 these periods were so far removed from any other known cause, 
 that unless they are due to Vulcan's equinoxes, no other cause 
 can be assigned for them. If the theory that all physical phe- 
 nomena result from astronomical causes, has any foundation in 
 fact which will hardly be contested while the facts we have 
 adduced stare the doubter in the face then it must be admitted 
 that unless these sporadic, and oftentimes very violent phenome- 
 na, are not attributable to the Vulcanian equinoxes, then no 
 other astronomical cause can be assigned for them. 
 
 VULCANIAN EQUINOXES OF 1874. 
 
 No. i occurred January 4th. Storm centre No. I, originating 
 on the Pacific, was central in Minnesota on the 3d, and reached 
 the Gulf of St Lawrence on the 5th. It was accompanied by 
 rain and snow, and followed by a high barometer, that, as usual, 
 brought very cold weather. Low barometer No. II appeared in 
 the Gulf on the 5th. It passed into Florida at St. Marks, thence 
 through Western Georgia and North Carolina, it crossed the 
 Allegheny Mountains and over the eastern part of Lake Erie 
 into Canada. The Weather Review says : "It was this storm 
 
070 
 
 that produced the snow and sleet in the Lake Region and Ohio 
 Valley, on the 6th and yth of the month, and severed the tele- 
 graphic communication between the East and West." 
 
 No. 2 occurred January 2/th. Low barometer No. VII, of 
 January, appeared at Yankton on the morning of the 27th, 
 passed over the Lake Region during that day, and passed into 
 the Atlantic, north of Boston, on the z8th. 
 
 No. 3 occurred February i9th. On the i9th a storm centre, 
 coming from the Pacific coast, passed over the Lake Region, 
 reaching the mouth of the St. Lawrence on the 2oth. There 
 was another storm centre that passed over Texas on the i6th to 
 Florida on the iSth ; and one on the 2oth from the South- 
 west, through Arkansas to Cairo, Illinois, thence up the Ohio 
 Valley. 
 
 No. 4 occurred on March I4th. Low barometer No. VII 
 formed in the Northwest on the I4th. Being both retarded and 
 deflected by a high barometer over the Lakes, it did not reach 
 western Missouri until the i7th. It passed St. Louis, after 
 sweeping over Southern Missouri, on the iSth, thence to Mil- 
 waukee, where it reached that evening. The Weather Review 
 says: "It was accompanied by violent lightning, thunder and 
 heavy rain. While the storm centre was in eastern Missouri, 
 and making a northward or northeastward curve in its course, 
 a severe storm or tornado was formed in the Mississippi Valley, 
 which, at 4 A. M. of the iSth, swept with great fury over Cairo, 
 Illinois." 
 
 No. 5 occurred April 6th. Low barometer No. Ill developed 
 on the 4th, in Texas. Its course was due northeastward over 
 Lake Erie, thence to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which it reached 
 on the 6th. " Very extensive rains uniformly prevailed over the 
 Southern and Atlantic States, and snow over the Lake Region 
 and Upper Mississippi Valley." 
 
 No. 6 occurred April 29th. Low barometer No. XII, origi- 
 nating in the mountains of Colorado, on the 25th and 26th, but 
 retarded by high barometers in the Lakes, passed through south- 
 ern Missouri on the 27th, thence eastward south of the Ohio, to 
 Albemarle Sound, which it reached on the 28th. The Review 
 says : " Heavy rains prevailed on the night of the 27th-28th in 
 the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and snow on the Lower Lakes. 
 
When it struck the Atlantic it turned sharply to the northeast, 
 passing over Maine on the 29th, at midnight." 
 
 Of low barometer No. XIII, the Review says : " The history 
 of this remarkable storm belongs especially to the month of May ; 
 during the first five days it moved slowly from the northwest to 
 Tennessee, thence to Cape Hatteras. The origin of this storm 
 was on the Pacific coast. It passed over Washington Ter- 
 ritory on the 28th and 29th, and over Montana on the 3oth. 
 Earth currents are reported atPembina (pronounced Pem-bin-aw) 
 on the 29th, the day of the equinox 
 
 . No. 7 occurred May 22d. Storm centre No. VI passed over 
 Lake Erie on the 2Oth ; New York, 2ist ; and Maine, 22d. Of 
 low barometer No. VII, which appeared in Dakota on the 22d, 
 the Review says : "It was accompanied on its north and east 
 sides by an unusual number of thunder and hailstorms, of which 
 a special report is in preparation." These thunderstorms, oc- 
 curring on the afternoon of the 25th, are reported from nearly 
 every station in the Gulf States, Tennessee, Virginia, middle 
 Atlantic coast, Lake Ontario and New England. 
 
 No. 8 occurred June I4th. Of low barometer No. VI, the 
 Review says. "It passed from Kansas on the i4th, northeast- 
 ward over the Upper Lakes, thence eastward and southeastward 
 over Canada and. New England. The barometric gradients of 
 this storm centre were, without exception, the steepest recorded 
 during the month." It gave rise to remarkable storms over the 
 whole country. 
 
 No. 9 occurred July 7th. Low barometers III, IV and V, the 
 first two coming from the West, the other originating in southern 
 Illinois, passed over the country from the 3d to the loth. 
 Tornadoes occurred on the evening of the 4th, in Pennsylvania, 
 Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey ; and on the 7th 
 at Three Mile Bay, New York. Earthquake on the 9th at Cairo. 
 
 No. 10 occurred July 3oth. Low barometer No. I, of August, 
 originated in Dakota on the 29th of July ; it was on the Upper 
 Lakes on the 3Oth, and the Lower on the 3ist. The phenomena 
 of this equinox are complicated with those of the equinox of 
 Venus on July 23d, and are already given while the Venusian 
 cycle was under discussion in the account of the tremendous 
 water-spouts during the last week of July, 1874. 
 
No. ii occurred August zzd. Storm centre No. VII brought 
 rainy weather to all States east of the Rocky Mountains ; it 
 orignated in the Northwest on the 2Oth ; it divided into two 
 branches, one proceeding east over the Lakes, the other by the 
 mouth of the Ohio to Cape Hatteras ; severe thunderstorms ac- 
 companied both of its branches across the Continent. 
 
 No. 12 occurred September i4th. As a Mercurial equinox 
 occurred on this same day, the cotemporaneous phenomena have 
 already been given in the discussion of the Mercurial Cycle. 
 
 No. 13 occurred October yth. Storm centre No. Ill passed 
 from southwestern Texas, through the heart of the country 
 northeastwardly to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, from the yth to 
 the 9th. It was preceded on the 6th by storm centre No. II from 
 the Northwest. The two centres formed a junction in Central 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 No. 14 occurred October ^oth. Low barometer No. IX ap- 
 peared in southern Colorado on the 27th, passing centrally over 
 the Lake Region, it reached the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the 
 3oth. This was a storm of great severity, marked with nearly 
 a straight track, and accompanied with high cyclonic winds. 
 At Duluth the sea on Lake Superior was very violent. The 
 rocks on the outside of the breakwater were thrown on the in- 
 side. Several vessels coming into port from the north shore of 
 the Lake, were disabled, and one lost. 
 
 No. 15 occurred November 22d. On the 2oth, low barometer 
 No. VIII appeared in western Wyoming. This proved to be 
 an extraordinarily violent and extensive cyclone. It passed 
 through North Missouri in the forenoon of the 22d, and reached 
 Chicago at night. It was on the 22d, the day of the equinox, 
 that a terrific tornado struck the town of Tuscumbia, Alabama, 
 destroying upwards of 100 buildings, and killing 12 persons. 
 Nearly half of the town was destroyed, and an immense amount 
 of damage done otherwise. Almost simultaneously the town of 
 Montevallo, about 60 miles north of Selma, Alabama, shared a 
 similar fate. The electric phenomena of this storm were very 
 extensive, intense and unusual, since the cold season was already 
 far advanced. 
 
 No. 16, and last Vulcanian equinox of 1874, occurred Decem- 
 ber i5th. Storm centre No. VI appeared in the Northwest on 
 
('74) 
 
 the 1 2th, and reached the Bay of Funday on the I4th. It was 
 very severe, and increased in energy as it approached the coast. 
 Several wrecks occurred on the Atlantic coast, north of Cape 
 Hatteras. A decidedly very high barometer followed immedi- 
 ately in the rear of this storm centre, accompanied by very cold 
 clear weather. 
 
 In our investigation we have traversed the circuit of another 
 year, and again we have found not only a uniform but an inva- 
 riable correspondence of dates between physical phenomena and 
 the Vulcanian equinoxes. Moreover the facts show that the 
 most extraordinary one during the year occurred on the very day 
 of one of these equinoxes, and all its strongly marked phenomena 
 crystalize around other equinoxes. Such invariable concurrence 
 is not within the range of. probabilities, and there is no way of 
 accounting for it except upon the hypothesis that it is the effect 
 of a fixed and invariable cause. 
 
 VULCANIAN EQUINOXES OF 1875. 
 
 The first occurred on January 7th. We have already given its 
 phenomena in full, while discussing the subject of earth-currents. 
 The second occurred January 3oth. Low barometer No. XI 
 passed north of the Lake Region on the 29th and 3'^th. Strong 
 gales along the Lakes, especially at Toledo on the 3oth. It was 
 accompanied with snow and brisk to high winds. Low barom- 
 eter No. XII appeared in the Northwest on the 291)1, passed cen- 
 trally over Illinois and Indiana, thence over Lukes Erie and 
 Ontario. Another low barometer developed in Georgia on the 
 3oth, which latter became a severe snowstorm in New England. 
 In Texas and the Gulf States it produced thunderstorms, north 
 of Tennessee, snow and sleet. An aurora seen on the 3ist. 
 
 The third occurred on February 22d. Low barometer No. 
 XI appeared in the Northwest on the 2ist. It passed eastward 
 to Ohio on the 22d, where it seems to have propagated its influ- 
 ence to a depression in the Indian Territory, during the night, 
 and on the 23d it moved northeastward into Iowa. It was dur- 
 ing its passage, on the 23d, through Missouri, that the town ot 
 Houstonia was destroyed by a terrible tornado. 
 
 The fourth occurred March i7th. Low barometer No. VIII 
 formed in Texas on the i7th; on the i8th and I9th it moved 
 
slowly into Louisiana ; on the 2oth it developed into the most 
 terrific tornadoes from Central Alabama, over Georgia, into 
 South Carolina. Here I cannot refrain from entering a most 
 earnest protest against the culpable neglect of what are ostensi- 
 bly scientific associations and institutions, established and en- 
 dowed to promote the increase and diffusion of knowledge 
 amongst Mankind, in not giving a thorough investigation to 
 these rare and most significant phenomena. 
 
 The economy of Nature is conducted not only upon the 
 most simple principles, but by the most efficient, because 
 omnipotent, causes, and the most stringent and effective 
 laws. The cause producing a low barometer does its work 
 efficiently, and with a power that surpasses all human cal- 
 culation. It draws to the centre of continents moist air from all 
 the surrounding oceans, though thousands of miles away, and 
 sends it to the upper regions of the atmosphere as a volcano does its 
 smoke, ashes and scoriae, or an immense fire the superincumbent 
 heated air, there to form clouds to distil and distribute the gratefu-1 
 rain as they are borne along by currents of air going to be poured 
 down again through the aerial maelstrom ove-r a high barometer. 
 Who can estimate the amount of work it performs? Look at 
 the mighty rivers that periennially flow into the sea ! What is 
 the weight of the water they annually bear back and pour into 
 the ocean? What power is it that conveys these waters from the 
 ocean to the highlands and mountains in the centre of continents 
 where rivers have their sources? To St. Louis, in the heart of 
 the Mississippi Valley, sufficient water is annually carried to 
 cover the surface of the Earth nearly four feet in depth, and in 
 some exceptional year, it has nearly touched six feet. What is 
 the weight of this immense body of water? St. Louis is fully a 
 thousand miles from the nearest ocean. What then is the force 
 that transports and the motive power that puts this immense 
 body of water in motion, and conveys it 1,000 miles into the 
 Continent? What answer has Science falsely so called to 
 give these questions ? None ; absolutely none whatever ; for the 
 hypothesis that it is Heat does not bear the least scrutiny. If it 
 be Heat, then this upheaval of air would take place over the 
 hottest portions of continents, which is never the case. In 
 America it would take place in the Gulf States ; in Africa, in the 
 
Qreat Sahara ; and in Asia, in Arabia, and India, which every 
 tyro knows is not the case. In America it is in the Rocky 
 Mountains, and especially in that part of them in western Man- 
 itoba, at the sources of the Missouri and the Sasgatchawan 
 Rivers, and north of the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude. 
 In Asia it in the Altai Range, on the southern border of Siberia, 
 where the Obi, Yenesei, Lena and Amoor have their sources; 
 and in Africa it is over the mountains of South Africa, at the 
 springs of the Nile, the Congo, the Orange and the Zambezi. 
 Then, again, if the thermal hypothesis be true, the heaviest pre- 
 cipitation would take place at the hottest season of the year, 
 which again is known not to be the case. We get the heaviest 
 rains first, and the hottest season afterwards. According to the 
 thermal hypothesis, the effect then precedes the cause. A theory 
 that ignores such positive facts, and is so oblivious of all logical 
 deductions that is, of Common Sense requires no refutation. 
 
 Here, in this transportation of such a vast amount of Matter, 
 a motive power is operating, millions of times greater than the 
 power of all the horses in the world, together with all the 
 mechanical powers Man has contrived or can command, still, 
 not yet has he discovered the nature and character of the power. 
 In fact, he virtually ignores it. He talks flippantly of indrafts 
 of dry cold air on one side, and of moist warm air on -the other, 
 and then, incoherently, of conflicts of these counter currents in 
 which hurricanes are born. These phrases are full of sound and 
 fury, but absolutely "signifying nothing." 
 
 Indrafts ! Then there must be motion. Now, what is the 
 cause of this motion? Let that which claims to be Science, 
 answer if it can. The cause of motion ! Why ; is it necessary 
 for the Stagyrite to arise from the dead and repeat the lesson he 
 taught twenty-three centuries ago : " That all that moves leads 
 us back to the cause of the motion that ive perceive" It cer- 
 tainly does seem so ; for here we have motion, but what passes 
 for Science in the Nineteenth Century, has not ascertained the 
 cause of that motion. This cause works effectively, but so 
 silently and inobtrusively that Man has not perceived and recog- 
 nized it, though it is as open as day. In the tornado it assumes 
 a visible embodiment and acts so terrifically as to inspire Man 
 with consternation and awe. There that cause stands revealed 
 
as Electricity in its utmost tension, and 'there it discloses the laws 
 by which it operates; but our institutions, who have charged 
 themselves with the task of increasing and diffusing Knowledge 
 amongst Mankind, culpably neglect and studiously avoid an ex- 
 amination of all the attendant circumstances and characteristic 
 facts of these rare, terrific, but significant phenomena. Why? 
 Because indrafts of air and conflicts of atmospheric currents 
 are too insignificant to demand attention from the high priests 
 of Science. In this we would concur, looking at the matter 
 from their stand-point, which is that these indrafts and conflicts 
 are accidental, and happen without an efficient cause. 
 
 Let us, however, be just to them. They do sometimes inves- 
 tigate them, but it is by one who has nothing to learn. He finds 
 nothing, because he is in that state contemplated by Plato, when 
 he asks : "How can we expect to find unless we know what we 
 are looking for?" Looking for indrafts, he easily finds them. 
 But he is not, nor does he make us any wiser than we were 
 before. We knew before, that where there is such an updraft 
 there must be a corresponding indraft. We know that a low 
 barometer is fed by surrounding high barometers ; and therefore 
 it is a natural inference that an arctic high barometer must pour 
 into such a low barometer a supply of dry cold air ; and that an 
 oceanic and subtropical high barometer must pour into it moist 
 warm air. The conflict amounts only to this : it is the collision 
 of warm air with warm air, as well as warm air with cold air in 
 the rush into the cyclonal vortex. But what we want to know 
 is the cause of this vortex, and the laws and modes of its action. 
 This we can only ascertain by a minute and exhaustive scrutiny 
 of the facts in all their details and integrity ; and these facts can 
 only be ascertained by an intelligent, full and discriminative in- 
 vestigation of phenomena as soon after their occurrence as possible. 
 
 The fifth Vulcanian equinox occurred April 9th. On the 8th 
 low barometer No. Ill passed through Nebraska with heavy 
 rainfall in the Missouri Valley, into Northwestern Iowa, then 
 centrally through Minnesota, northwest of Lake Superior. No. 
 IV appeared in the Southwest on the roth, passing through Ar- 
 kansas, thence up the Valley of the Ohio on the loth and nth, 
 with high winds, heavy rains and snows, and with severe thun- 
 derstorms in the Southern States. 
 
('78) 
 
 The sixth occurred May 2d. Low barometer No. I on the ist 
 and 3d, passed from the Ohio Valley northeastward over the 
 Lower Lakes, accompanied by high winds and heavy rains and 
 snows. Local tornadoes in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee 
 and Indian Territory, and destructive gales on the Lakes and 
 Atlantic coast. Storm centre No. II followed from Kansas on 
 May zd, and No. Ill on the 4th. The latter giving rise to severe 
 hailstorms. Earthquakes occurred in Asia on the 3d and 4th of 
 May. 
 
 The seventh occurred May 25th. Low barometer No. X 
 developed in the extreme Northwest on the 2ist. It moved 
 slowly into the Mississippi Valley, and covering it with a system 
 of depressions, some of which developed into tornadoes in the 
 Indian Territory. On the 26th it developed into one centre in 
 western Nebraska and Dakota, and then passed eastward over 
 the Lakes. 
 
 The eighth occurred June lyth. Low barometer No. V of the 
 Signal Office for June, passed over the Mississippi Valley on the 
 I5th and i6th. At Quincy on the i5th there was a severe tor- 
 nado and tremendous rain, causing destructive floods. The same 
 was the case at Hannibal, Missouri. Heavy rains extended 
 West into Kansas, and Northwest into Nebraska. On the i6th, 
 iyth and iSth, the rainfall was enormous, and the winds terrific. 
 The same was the case over all the country east of the Rocky 
 Mountains, but especially so in the Missouri, Central Mississippi 
 and Ohio Valleys ; destructive tornadoes occurring at many 
 places. In Indiana, Ohio, and northward, an earthquake was 
 felt on the iSth, at many points, while a violent storm was rag- 
 ing. We have information that at McConnellsburgh, Fulton 
 County, Pennsylvania, a tremendous rain, hail and wind storm 
 passed over that section of country on the iSth. The influence 
 of this equinox became complicated with that of Venus, which 
 happened eight days later. Europe felt the full force of the per- 
 turbation in the tremendous rainfalls and destructive floods in 
 France on the Garonne, and in Hungary. Heavy rains fell in 
 California on the I4th and I5th of June, unusual at that season; 
 Chili had tremendous rainfalls, and at Valparaiso a destructive 
 storm and flood. New Zealand had immense and unusual rains, 
 and a violent cyclone. China had her typhoons. All parts of 
 
('79) 
 
 the Globe in fact were involved, as necessarily must be the case 
 under the operation of a cosmical cause. The intense severity 
 of the paroxysm that followed two or three days after the Venu- 
 sian equinox makes me suspect more strongly than before, that 
 Vulcanian equinoxes occur every nj days, and that his period- 
 icity is only 23 days. The Mercurial equinox of July iSth, 1875, 
 just passed, strongly corroborates this view, as already stated, 
 by its extreme energy and prolongation. There is a phenomena 
 connected with the Mercurial equinox of July iSth, 1875, worthy 
 of a record : The i7th at St. Louis had been unusually warm. 
 At sunset a cloud appeared in the northern horizon, extending 
 from northeast to nearly west, which, as night approached, 
 proved to be an extended thunderstorm, the flashes of the light- 
 ning along its whole line, were brilliant, beautiful, and almost 
 incessant. I am informed a heavy storm raged at Normal, Illi- 
 nois, at that time. At about 10 o'clock, P. M., a heavy mass of 
 scud cloud separated from the thunder-cloud and drifted rapidly 
 clue South, accompanied by a brisk and extremely chilly wind. 
 Sergeant George Prender, in charge of the Signal Station, informs 
 me the thermometer fell seven degrees in five minutes, which is 
 almost as rapidly as it would fall if placed in ice. Such phe- 
 nomena have a revelation to make, when we once know how to 
 interrogate them. 
 
 The New Orleans Picayune of 2Oth of July, in noting the 
 phenomena of the prevailing Mercurial perturbation, and calling 
 public attention to their extraordinary character, says : " The 
 change of the iSth was of the most radical and extraordinary 
 character. The heat of the previous day had been almost un- 
 bearable a heat rare and exceptional in New Orleans. The 
 i8th dawned cold, raw and shivering; such a day as we would 
 have grumbled at in November." It gives the rainfalls at New 
 Orleans of the night of the iSth, and morning of the i9th, at 
 seven-tenths of an inch. It hence appears that what I supposed 
 at the time to be only an insignificant, local and temporary eddy, 
 was in fact a great atmospheric movement from the polar towards 
 the equatorial region, traveling with great velocity almost due 
 South. 
 
 The ninth and last Vulcanian equinox that occurred when this 
 volume was put to press, was that of July loth, 1875. A low 
 
(iSo) 
 
 barometer moved over the Northwest, the Upper Lakes and 
 Canada, on the 9th, loth and nth. On the loth cloudy and 
 rainy weather covered the country from Missouri and Arkansas 
 east to Virginia and New Jersey. Heavy rains, local floods, 
 and in some localities severe tornadoes continued to occur for 
 four and five days, when there was a short intermission. Heavy 
 rains and floods were again reported in Europe, especially in 
 France and Austria.. A series of damaging local floods also oc- 
 curred in England, which, at the Mercurial equinox of the iSth, 
 became very extensive and destructive. 
 
 The following telegram, giving a description of an awful hail- 
 storm on July 7th, 1875, is one of the attendant phenomena of 
 this Vulcanian equinox. Besides sustaining the theory, it is 
 too important an account of the facts it states to be omitted : 
 
 U A correspondent* at Geneva gives an account of the terrible 
 storm which broke over that city at midnight of Wednesday, the 
 7th inst. About eight o'clock a few heavy drops of rain began 
 to fall, and at the same time the whole circumference of the hori- 
 zon began to be fitfully illuminated by flashes of sheet lightning, 
 but there was no thunder. Once only during the entire night 
 was there one terrific clap of thunder, and that was when the 
 storm was just over. The lightning gradually increased in 
 intensity, and became indeed actually and without exaggeration 
 continuous. The entire atmosphere seemed to be an element of 
 flames, and all this time there was not the slightest movement 
 of air in the streets. At about eleven o'clock small objects lying 
 on the roofs of the houses were caught up and whirled around 
 as by a cyclone. Still there was no movement of air in the 
 street below. At midnight the tempest came mainly from the 
 Jura range and from southwest, traveling in that direction toward 
 the basin of Lake Leman. As it neared the lake it seemed to 
 spread out into a fan-like form, with a front sufficiently wide to 
 embrace the entire city ; it did not last much longer than ten 
 minutes. At the end of it Geneva was wrecked as no army of 
 besiegers could have wrecked it in the same space of time. The 
 storm came in the shape of an almost compact mass a sheet of 
 ice, driven horizontally before the tempest blast. In the first 
 
 *NOTE. T. A. Trollope, of the N. T. Tribune. 
 
(iSi) 
 
 instant every gas lamp in the streets save here and there one 
 was spared by reason of some protecting roof was smashed to 
 atoms and extinguished, but the city was not in darkness, for the 
 masses of coagulated hail reflected the blue light of the light- 
 ning in a ghastly and ominous manner. The windows of man- 
 ufactories and residences were forced from their fastenings, be- 
 sides having all the glass shivered, and bedrooms and staircases 
 and saloons were thus thrown open to the storm, and in a minute 
 or two half rilled with masses of ice far beyond the immediate 
 power of the inhabitants to remove, for the storm was marked 
 by the peculiarity that the hailstones, or ice fragments rather, 
 compacted themselves into a solid mass as soon as they fell. On 
 the slope of the left bank of the river Arne, in the suburbs of 
 the city, the tiles of many houses were absolutely beaten to pow- 
 der ; stout partitions of wooden plank were pierced by holes 
 such as might have been made by a musket ball. Three persons 
 were killed by the fall of a farm house in the immediate vicinity 
 of the city. Vast quantities of sm'all birds have been picked up, 
 killed by the storm, and the bodies of several foxes have been 
 found. Geneva is surrounded by pleasure gardens, vineyards, and 
 market gardens, and these having been destroyed as if a charge of 
 cavalry had passed over them, involves the ruin and despair of 
 poor and industrious peasants, whose all is now taken from them 
 as effectually as if it had been sunk to the bottom of the sea." 
 
 The sheet lightning, without thunder, is the same that Mr. 
 Wise and other asronauts have seen passing between the lower 
 and upper cloud discs of a thunderstorm, of which we have 
 fully spoken in Part I. The manner in which hail is formed, or 
 rather the cause and law of hail formation, we also have fully 
 discussed there ; and the consolidation of the hail after falling, is 
 evidence of the extreme low temperature prevailing where the 
 hail was formed. The facts here stated prove the cause we there 
 assigned for the low temperature, to be the true one. The blue 
 lightning ! This we also discussed. // is the characteristic 
 color of the Electricity at the negative pole. Small objects 
 lying on the roofs of houses caught up and whirled around as by 
 a cyclone, when there was not the slightest movement of air in 
 the streets ! Why, is not this the same phenomenon as the danc- 
 ing figures on an electrified disc ? This is not only a very graphic 
 
(1 82) 
 
 and interesting description of such a storm, but it presents more 
 important facts that any other we have met with before. But 
 we explained and demonstrated the cause and law of all these 
 phenomena long ago. 
 
 The verification of the Theory of Planetary Meteorological 
 Cycles must rest here as far as the Past is concerned ; not because 
 the material is exhausted, but for want of time and room ; for I 
 have not presented one tithe of the facts I have collected to test 
 and establish the truth of the Theory to my own satisfaction. 
 Besides, it is not necessary to spend my time in going back and 
 exhuming the Dead Past ; for I expect all readers to have become 
 interested enough in the subject to test it to their own satisfac- 
 tion, by the best of all tests, the coming events of the Living 
 Future. That they may do so, I supply them with all the neces- 
 sa.ry facilities, so that it is only for them to note the times 
 and make their own observations. With these remarks I leave 
 the Theory to the impartial judgment of all fair minded and 
 candid persons, and will abide by any verdict they may pro- 
 nounce upon it. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 General Principles on which all phenomena depend. Hyemal 
 phenomena. Conclusion. 
 
 Incidentally, as great questions have arisen, we have laid 
 down and explained the general principles involved ; and hence 
 it remains only to present them in a connected form, so that 
 their relation and dependence can be seen and comprehended at 
 a glance. 
 
 Electricity is the ultimate cause of all physical phenomena ; 
 hence, whether the phenomena are included in Meteorology or 
 not, as they are all produced in accordance with electric laws, 
 they are explainable, and consequently can only be explained 
 by those laws and principles. 
 
 Electricity is a polar force, that is, it consists of two opposite 
 polarities, which are idio-repulsive, but mutually attractive. 
 These properties of Electricity is the basis upon which the Uni- 
 verse is founded. When these two polarities come into direct 
 communication, they instantly obliterate each other. It is the 
 struggle of each to free itself, and rush and embrace the other, 
 and the resistance interposed by the law of conservation and 
 compensation, to prevent such a union, that causes the perpetual 
 motion of the Universe. The labor of one is the,, rolling stone 
 of Sisyphus ; of the other, the whirling wheel of Ixion. The 
 achievement of the task is an impossibility ; hence the labor 
 towards its attainment is perpetual. 
 
 In general terms, our theory of Cosmology may be stated as 
 follows : All bodies in Space are negatively electrified ; hence 
 they mutually repel each other, as well as mutually attract each 
 other. There are points in Space where the mutual attraction 
 and repulsion between two, three or any other number of bodies, 
 are in equilibrio. These points within limits are the spaces oc- 
 
(iS 4 ) 
 
 cupied by each planet or sun and the paths they pursue around 
 a central body, or around a point far oft' in the depths of Space. 
 Space itself is Positive, hence, since all bodies are Negative, 
 Space attracts them. A solar system occupying definite dimen- 
 sions in Space, will, to a limited extent, neutralize its positive 
 charge, hence render it quasi Negative to the Positive in unoccu- 
 pied Space. The Positive in exterior, or unoccupied Space, will 
 hence attract the solar system ; and the quasi Negative in occu- 
 pied Space, and that which has been occupied, upon the same 
 principle, will repel the solar system in the direction of attrac- 
 tion, since it is the line of least resistance. Hence, from the 
 depths of Space untraversed by a solar system comes omnipotent 
 attraction, and from that portion traversed, omnipotent repulsion. 
 This is the cause of the perpetual motion of all solar systems 
 through Space ; and a mere modification of it gives us planetary 
 motion around the Sun. But this is forbidden ground for me to 
 traverse in the present discussion ; still I have deemed it perti- 
 nent to state the general principles, because the perpetual motion 
 of the Atmosphere involves the same motive power in kind, but 
 not in degree. 
 
 Electricity being a duple force is duple in its action, that is, 
 all electric action is by couples, one part of the couple being Posi- 
 tive, the other Negative. Not only does static Electricity, that 
 is, Electricity at rest, by Induction evoke its counterpart, the 
 dynamic, that is, Electricity in motion, but the dynamic flowing 
 in any direction by Induction, evokes a counter current to flow 
 in the opposite direction. If the first current be Positive, then 
 the induced or second current will be Negative, and vice versa. 
 The second current will induce a third also of opposite Electric- 
 ity to itself, and flowing in an opposite direction ; and so on 
 alternately and indefinitely, each successive current however 
 diminishing in energy. 
 
 In Part I we have demonstrated that high and low barometers 
 are parallel electric currents flowing in opposite directions. 
 According to electric laws a low barometer therefore must in- 
 duce a high barometer, and vice versa. Hence it is invariably 
 found that no low barometer ever exists without a high barome- 
 ter in its vicinage ; especially is this the case with low barome- 
 ters carrying a tropical hurricane. 
 
In that case there is not only in the vicinage of the cyclone a 
 high barometer, but generally a very high one ; for the cyclone 
 requires an immense amount of air to supply its upheaving col- 
 umn. By vicinage we mean a radius between, say, from 400 to 
 600 miles ; for in Nature the Cosmical Forces exert their influ- 
 ences through distances so immeasurably great, that distance as 
 measured by Man is too insignificant to be taken into account. 
 Hence we speak of Mercury as being in the vicinage of the Sun, 
 though over thirty millions of miles distant from it ; and hence 
 with propriety we can speak of a high barometer as being in the 
 vicinage of a low one, though 500 miles distant. It is hardly 
 necessary to state, because it is self-evident, the closer the 
 proximity of the high barometer, the more terrific is the energy 
 of the cyclone. 
 
 A high barometer is a descending, and a low barometer an 
 ascending current of Electricity, each composed of electrified 
 air that gives convection to Electricity ; one from the surface of 
 the Earth upward, and the other from the surface of the aerial 
 ocean downward. Now since we have shown that the air poured 
 down and out of the anticyclonal column of a high barometer, 
 flows on the surface of the Earth into the nearest cyclonal col- 
 umn of a low one, to be upheaved again, hence this surface cur- 
 rent is virtually an electric current, and consequently, according 
 to the law of Induction, it must evoke a counter current in or on 
 the surface of the Atmosphere, flowing from the up-pour of the 
 low barometer to the down-pour of the high barometer. This 
 is not a mere deduction of Reason, but it is a fact established by 
 the observations of the Signal Service. Faint cirrus clouds, 
 the remnants of exhausted storms that had been generated over 
 the upheaving column of a low barometer, are seen drift- 
 ing into the down-pouring vortex of a high barometer. An 
 elongated parallelogram therefore graphically represents the 
 electric couple composing a high and a low barometer, two 
 sides, the down-pouring column and that on the surface of the 
 Earth are Positive ; and two sides that of the uprising column 
 and that flowing on the surface of the aerial ocean are Negative. 
 Two points on this parallelogram are static, namely, the base of 
 the down-pouring column under a high barometer and the apex 
 of the uprising column under a low one ; and two points are 
 
(iS6) 
 
 dynamic, namely, the base of the upheaving column under a low 
 barometer, and the summit of the down-pouring column of a 
 high barometer. Each of these points again, if scrutinized, is 
 found to be an electric couple, that is, its action is duple. It has 
 a current flowing to it as well as from it, therefore it must attract 
 one current and repel the other. Hence it is static to the current 
 it attracts, and dynamic to the current it repels. If this parallel- 
 ogram is still further examined, one half of it, namely, that part 
 within the low barometer, is found to be under a clouded sky ; 
 and the other half, that under the high barometer, is under a 
 clear or clearing sky. 
 
 High and low barometers are continuous phenomena. We 
 here speak not of the permanent high barometers covering the 
 Oceans on the polar sides of the Tropics ; nor of the permanent 
 low barometers of Iceland, of the Aluetian Archipelago, or of 
 that covering the polar regions, but of the transient high and 
 low barometers, the agents that Nature has appointed to distrib- 
 ute in due proportion rain and sunshine over the land so that the 
 Earth will teem with its fruits in their seasons for the sustenance 
 of Man and the lower animals. These are continuous phenom- 
 ena, that alternately roll from West to East over all parts of the 
 Globe. The duration of their transits vary in length according 
 to circumstances, or according to the electric condition of the 
 Earth and the Atmosphere. In Winter, when the static condi- 
 tion prevails over continents, the tendency for some time, is to 
 form an unbroken series of high barometers in rapid succession. 
 In such case there is a protracted spell of a cold weather. In 
 Summer, when the dynamic state prevails, the tendency is to 
 produce a series of pulsations of low barometers, during whose 
 continuance, there is an influx of a vast amount of moist air from 
 the surrounding Ocean, and consequently of excessive rains. 
 With these exceptional cases, high and low barometers are reg- 
 ular phenomena, following each other in rapid succession at all 
 seasons of the year, but with varying energy. When the Earth 
 and the Atmosphere are free from extraneous influences in 
 consequences of planetary equinoxes, the phenomena attending 
 these respective barometers, such as change of temperature, rain 
 and winds, are mild in form, moderate in quantity, and not extra- 
 ordinary in energy. But when the electric condition of the 
 
(i8 7 ) 
 
 Earth and the Atmosphere is exacerbated by the occurrence of 
 a planetary equinox, then the oscillations of the barometer not 
 only become more frequent, but have greater range. Conse- 
 quently the phenomena attending them, also become more fre- 
 quent and manifest greater energy. The Summer phenomena 
 in consequence of the dynamic State prevalent over continents 
 being energized, there is a stronger and more persistent indraft 
 of air demanded, and consequently there is a larger influx of 
 moist air from the surrounding Ocean. The result is a heavier 
 rainfall always takes place in Summer than in Winter ; and in 
 cases of intense and persistent energy, the rainfall becomes 
 excessive. When at any period, either in Summer or Winter, 
 the dynamic state has an undue predominance, precipitation is 
 abnormally in excess. Observations in all parts of the Globe 
 confirm this deduction. 
 
 The dynamic state heaves up the superincumbent air over a 
 continent, hence necessitates the influx of air from the Ocean. 
 On the contrary, the static condition brings down a maelstrom 
 of air from the surface of the serial ocean that covers the Earth 
 to an unknown depth. Hence during its prevalence there is an 
 outflow of air upon the ocean ; and in Winter not only cold but 
 often intensely cold weather prevails during its continuance. 
 
 Now, since planetary equinoxes intensify the electric state, 
 whether it be static or dynamic, consequently it intensifies the 
 phenomena that are offsprings of the given state. In Winter, 
 under such conditions, the downpouring current being energized, 
 the temperature ranges unusually low, especially if the down- 
 pouring column advances, as it does nine times in ten, from the 
 circumpolar regions. When, however, the dynamic is unseason- 
 ably protracted during any time in Winter, the weather is mild 
 and very wet. But if the energy of a planetary perturbation is 
 mostly expended, as it generally is in Winter, in producing, in- 
 tensifying and protracting the static condition, then excessive 
 cold prevails during its continuance. Our task now will be to 
 substantiate the truth of this latter proposition by facts ascer- 
 tained in investigating as far as we had the opportunity and 
 means, the hyemal phenomena attending planetary equinoxes. 
 
 In our verification of planetary cycles, it was found that, in 
 America, where the low barometers generally originate on the 
 
(i88) 
 
 Rocky Mountains in the West, they coincide within very narrow 
 limits with the periods of the equinoxes. Consequently, as a 
 low barometer is only one part of an electric couple, its 
 fellow, the other part, must either precede or succeed it in close 
 proximity ; or it must do both. In Summer, when the dynamic 
 prevails on continents, and consequently low barometers ; the 
 term of the static for producing high barometers is of short du- 
 ration. Though it brings the refreshing, exhilarating and often 
 bracing west wind so grateful after the sweltering heat that ac- 
 companies a low barometer, yet we take so little note of it that 
 we have never inquired into its cause. But the Winter phenom- 
 ena of the static affect us so disagreeably as to compel attention. 
 The intensely cold weather they bring not only makes us un- 
 comfortable, but exerts a deleterious effect upon domestic ani- 
 mals and upon our fields, orchards and vineyards. These phe- 
 nomena are fierce snowstorms in the afterpart and rear of the 
 retreating low barometer, followed by arctic cold weather. 
 
 The first point necessary to be established is that, intensely 
 cold weather is an accompaniment of planetary disturbances in 
 Winter ; and after that, to determine as near as possible the ap- 
 proximate time relatively to the date of the equinox that these 
 cold spells make their appearance, and the order in which the 
 phenomena follow each other. The general order as far as I 
 am able to determine appears to be : (i) Five or six days, and 
 even more, before the occurrence of the equinox, an energetic 
 high barometer, and consequently very cold weather ; (2) A low 
 barometer on, or a day or two before and sometimes after the equi- 
 nox, accompanied with moderate, often warm weather, and rain 
 and snow ; and, (3) a high barometer with fierce wind and snow 
 storm from the Northwest or West, culminating in intensely cold 
 weather. The cold weather of January ist, 1864 the most ter- 
 rible frost ever experienced in the Mississippi Valley affords a 
 general illustration of the principle here stated. 
 
 In St. Louis County the lowest temperature observed was 
 between 3 and 4 o'clock on the morning of the ist of January, 
 when the thermometer stood 28 below zero. At my residence 
 at 5 o'clock A. M., it stood 26 below. Dr. Englemann's ob- 
 servation in the heart of the city, at 7 A. M., was 22 .5. The 
 following were the astronomical condition at the time : Mer- 
 
(,S 9 ) 
 
 cury's equinox, December 23d, 1863 ; Vulcan's, December 28th, 
 1863, and January 2Oth 1864; Mars, January 2Oth, same day as 
 Vulcan ; and Venus, February 6th. The weather from Christ- 
 mas to the forenoon of December 31 st, 1863, had been mild, 
 some days quite so, with rain and snow. About the middle of 
 the forenoon of that day, the wind veered to the West, and a 
 furious snowstorm set in, with rapidly falling thermometer ; at 
 4 o'clock the thermometer stood at 12 below zero, with a ter- 
 rible arctic snowstorm raging that no human being could face. 
 Many persons out hunting, and even on the highway, became 
 bewildered, lost, and perished with the cold. The next morn- 
 ing and day was the coldest ever experienced in the centre of the 
 Mississippi Valley. It extended to the Gulf States. The armies 
 suffered terribly ; many soldiers were frost-bitten, and in the 
 Union Army sentinels froze at their posts, in the States of Mis- 
 sissippi, Alabama and Georgia. 
 
 \Ve wish we had the daily observations, so as to trace both 
 the range of the barometer and thermometer during this period ; 
 but we have only averages, which tell nothing we want to know. 
 Mr. Huron Burt, of Williamsburg, Missouri, in his fragmentary 
 journal, before us, stops at the I9th of December, 1863, and it 
 is not resumed until the ist of January, 1864. His journal shows 
 rain sleet and snow, up to the iSth. On the i9th he says : 
 "Thermometer at zero, with a terribly fierce wind from the 
 West." This was in consequence of a high barometer follow- 
 ing the low barometer that had scattered rain, sleet and snow on 
 the previous days ; and this high barometer preceded the Mer- 
 curial equinox by four days; What the phenomena were at the 
 equinox, I cannot say, because I can find no data that show ; and 
 for the same reason I cannot say what they were between that 
 and the Vulcanian equinox five days later. Generally speaking, 
 the weather was mild, with rain, sleet and some snow at the 
 Vulcanian equinox. The high barometer that succeeded the 
 low which had passed two or three days before, brought with it 
 that exceptionally and terribly fierce, cold weather that prevailed 
 for two weeks afterwards, with temperature at zero to 26 below r . 
 If the history of this high barometer could be written, it would 
 be found to have originated in the Arctic Circle, somewhere 
 near the mouth of Mackenzie's River on the Polar Sea, and that 
 
(190) 
 
 its path was southeast, passing slowly and centrally over Dakota, 
 Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, thence through Georgia, into 
 the Atlantic, where it joined the Sargasso permanent high 
 barometer. 
 
 As the Martial and Vulcanian equinoxes were approaching, 
 both taking place on the 2oth of January, the weather moderated, 
 which is the same as saying the barometer fell and the thermom- 
 eter rose, for the mercurial columns in the two instruments, ex- 
 cept in very rare and exceptional cases, always move in opposite 
 directions. 
 
 On the 23d of January, Mr. Burt has this entry upon his jour- 
 nal : "For the last ten days the barometer has ranged from 
 8 to 30 at sunrise, and from 30 to 52 in the warmest 
 part of the day." On the 29th he makes this record : " For the 
 last week the thermometer has ranged at sunrise from 40 to 
 60 , and in the warmest part of the day from 69 to 72 . It 
 rained last night." 
 
 Dr. Englemann, in the remarks appended to his table of aver- 
 ages for the month of January, 1864, speaking of temperature, 
 says, " the highest was in the afternoon of January 27th ; and we 
 had two thunderstorms in one day, on the 29th." 
 
 An equinox of Mercury occurred on the 5th of February, one 
 of Venus on the 6th, and another of Vulcan on the 1 2th of Feb- 
 ruary. We have been unable to find any daily record of the 
 condition of the weather at this time. Mr. Burt gives a sum- 
 mary as follows : "February i6th, after two weeks of unusually 
 mild winter weather, it turned suddenly cold, thermometer at 
 zero. February iSth, thermometer r below zero ; ground dry 
 and dusty." Dr. Englemann's averages show an unusually small 
 amount of precipitation ; atmospheric pressure a small fraction 
 above the general average ; the mean temperature nearly 2 high- 
 er than the general average ; and the principal winds from the 
 West. Wind from the West indicates a high barometer nearly 
 Southwest, that is, south of a line drawn from St. Louis to 
 Santa Fe. A high barometer always draws its supply of air, 
 which it pours out upon the surface of the Earth, from the direc- 
 tion whence it comes. If a high barometer therefore approaches 
 the parallel of latitude of any locality from the South, then it 
 draws its supply of air from the South, and consequently the 
 
(190 
 
 weather is warm. In Part I we have shown that the high 
 barometer that pours down the simooms felt in Colorado, Kansas, 
 Nebraska, and often in Iowa and Missouri, is a high barometer 
 that has come from the South, and draws its supply of air from 
 the heated plains of the Oronoco and Apure, in South America. 
 Likewise have we there shown that the Arctic cold that over- 
 flows the country east of the Rocky Mountains, is the downpour 
 and outpour of a high barometer that has come from within the 
 Arctic Circle, and draws its supply of air thence. The direction 
 that these high barometers coming from the North move, is 
 Southeast, to join the permanent high barometer in the Atlantic, 
 near the Bermudas. The southern barometers I do not consider 
 as detached barometers ; but the one that appears on our South- 
 western Plains is either the Atlantic permanent high barometer, 
 on an extreme western oscillation, or the Pacific high barometer 
 located west of the Gulf of California, on an extreme eastern 
 oscillation. It is a well established fact that these barometers 
 not only frequently join hands across a continent, but meet and 
 embrace. The Atlantic high barometer, in its eastern swing, 
 frequently covers the whole of Northern Africa. 
 
 In America the transient, or wandering high barometers, have 
 three well-defined points, whence they issue from the Arctic 
 Circle ; the first is near the mouth of the Mackenzie River ; the 
 second near the mouth of the Coppermine ; the third about the 
 mouth of Big Fish River. Those originating at the first point, 
 unless deflected by low barometers in their front, ascend the 
 Valley of the Mackenzie into the Missouri Valley, thence to the 
 coast of Georgia and South Carolina ; those of the second point 
 ascend westward of Hudson's Bay, over the Great Lakes to the 
 coast of the Middle Atlantic States, they cause the North and 
 Northeast cold winds of the Mississippi Valley, and the North- 
 west and West cold winds of the New England States ; those of 
 the third point ascend east of Hudson's Bay over Labrador, and 
 pour over the New England States those intensely cold north and 
 northeast winds. In Europe they issue from the Polar Ocean, 
 east of the White Sea, and pour those destructive cold north and 
 northeact winds over that continent. 
 
 Our inference then is that a high barometer prevailed during 
 the latter half of January and early part of February, 1864, with 
 
(I 9 2) 
 
 the exception of about the 28th and 2961 of January, when there 
 must have been a low barometer, but that this high barometer 
 was a Southern and not a Northern high barometer. Hence its 
 extreme mildness and dryness ; that about the time of the Vul- 
 canian equinox a low barometer passed over the continent, and 
 that an Arctic high barometer followed in its rear, bringing on 
 the sudden change recorded by Mr. Burt on the i6th. 
 
 Since energetic high as well as low barometers are character- 
 istic phenomena of planetary disturbances, therefore they must 
 also characterize the Jovial perturbation. Hence we know that, 
 a priori, that intensely cold weather is liable to occur during the 
 prevalence of a Jovial perturbation. We wish it distinctly noted 
 that what we say does not imply that such weather is inevitable, 
 but only that it is liable to occur. We have already explained 
 the reason for this, by the statement that the temperature of the 
 weather depends upon the locality where the prevailing high 
 barometers during Winter originate. If they originate near or 
 within the Tropics, then their downpouring and outpouring col- 
 umn of air is supplied by the equatorial permanently low barom- 
 eter, and during the prevalence of such a barometer the weather 
 will be unusually mild. But if they originate within the Arctic 
 Circle, they will draw their supply of air from the upheaving 
 column of the polar permanently low barometer, and the weather 
 consequently will be intensely cold. Hence the winter temper- 
 ature at all times depends upon the locality where the high 
 barometer originated that for the time being is traversing a Tem- 
 perate Zone. As during a Jovial perturbation the barometer is 
 liable to act with extraordinary energy, abnormally cold weather 
 is then likely to occur. Such are the deductions justified by the 
 principles of the general theory of planetary perturbations ; and 
 hence we made an investigation to ascertain whether the facts 
 of history verified the deductions. The following is the result 
 of our investigation, and the correspondence or otherwise of all 
 the facts we were able to find. It must be borne in mind that in. 
 history only the year is recorded ; and as they arc winter phe- 
 nomena, we are unable to say whether the events occurred at the 
 beginning or the end of the year. Of course this prevented us 
 from comparing them with any other equinoxes than those of 
 Jupiter and Saturn. 
 
093) 
 
 In the year 401 the Euxine was frozen over 20 days. Jupiter's 
 major equinox occurred in January, 401. 
 
 From October, 763, to February, 764, the weather was so in- 
 tensely cold at Constantinople that the two seas were frozen 100 
 miles from shore. A Jovial equinox in 763. 
 
 In 1035 a frost occurred in England in Midsummer-day, "that 
 destroyed the fruits of the Earth." A Jovial equinox in July, 1035. 
 
 In 1063 the Thames was frozen over for 14 weeks. Jovial 
 equinox, 1064. 
 
 In the year 1076, dreadful frosts in England from November 
 to April. A Jovial equinox occurred in December, 1076. 
 
 In the year 1294, the Cattegat was entirely frozen over. This 
 frost does not fall within the limits of either a Jovial or Saturnian 
 period. 
 
 In the year 1323, the Baltic was passable for travelers for six 
 weeks. If this was at the close of the year, it comes within 17 
 months of a Jovial equinox. 
 
 In the year 1402, the Baltic was frozen from Pomerania to 
 Denmark. Jupiter's equinox 1403.3. 
 
 In 1407, all the small birds perished with cold in England. 
 Jovial equinox 1409.13. If, therefore, this frost occurred at the 
 close of the year 1407, it was within 13 months of a Jovial equi- 
 nox, and hence within the period of perturbation. 
 
 In the year 1426, horsemen rode on the ice upon the Baltic, from 
 Lubec to Pomerania. A Jovial equinox in 1427. 
 
 In 1433, the frost in Germany was so intense, "that all the 
 fowls of the air sought shelter in the towns." A Jovial equinox 
 occurred in 1432.92. In England the Thames was frozen over 
 below London Bridge to Gravesend, from November 24th, 1433, 
 to February loth, 1434. This event falls within the perturba- 
 tion of 1432.92. 
 
 In the year 1460, the Baltic was frozen over, and horsemen 
 rode across from Denmark to Sweden. A Jovial equinox 
 occurred 1462.56. Unless this frost occurred at the close of the 
 year 1460, it does not fall within the limits of the Jovial pertur- 
 bation. 
 
 In the year 1468, the winter was so intensely cold in Flanders 
 that the wine distributed was cut by hatchets. A Jovial equinox 
 occurred in May, 1468. 
 
094) 
 
 In 1515, carriages passed on the Thames from Lambeth to 
 Westminster. A Jovial equinox occurred in December, 1515. 
 
 In 1544, wine froze solid in Flanders. A Jovial equinox oc- 
 curred in July, 1545. 
 
 In 1548, sledges were drawn by oxen on the Baltic, from Ros- 
 tock to Denmark. This event does not fall with a perturbation 
 of either Jupiter or Saturn. 
 
 December 2ist, 1564, diversions on the Thames commenced. 
 In January, 1565, loaded wagons crossed the Scheldt. A Jovial 
 equinox in June, 1563. These events took place from 18 to 19 
 months after, and therefore can hardly be included amongst the 
 phenomena of the perturbation. 
 
 In the year 1594, the Rhine and the Scheldt were frozen over. 
 A Jovial equinox in 1593. 
 
 In 1607, diversions and bonfires on the Thames. The nearest 
 Jovial equinox occurred in November, 1604, therefore this event 
 has no relation to a Jovial perturbation. 
 
 In 1622, the rivers of Europe and the Zuyder Zee were frozen 
 over, and the Hellespont covered with ice. A Jovial equinox oc- 
 curred in August, 1622. 
 
 In 1658, Charles X of Sweden crossed the Little-Belt over the 
 ice from Holstein to Denmark with his whole army, horse and 
 foot, with large trains of artillery and baggage. A Jovial equi- 
 nox occurred in May, 1658. 
 
 In 1683-84, a terrible frost occurred in England. It began at 
 the beginning of December, 1683, and lasted until the 4th of 
 February, 1684. The Thames was covered with ice eleven 
 inches thick ; nearly all the birds perished ; the forest trees, even 
 the oaks, were split by the frost, and most of the hollies were 
 killed. The nearest Jovial equinox to this event occurred in 
 August, 1681, consequently the event did not occur within the 
 period of a Jovial perturbation. A Saturnian perturbation how- 
 ever was prevailing at the time. 
 
 In the winter of 1691-92, the severity of the winter and the 
 intense cold drove the wolves into Vienna, where they attacked 
 cattle, and even men. A Jovial equinox occurred in May, 1693. 
 
 Three months frost and heavy snow occurred' from December 
 to March, 1709. This event does not fall within a Jovial per- 
 turbation. 
 
(i95) 
 
 A fair was held on the Thames, commencing on the 24th of 
 November, 1715, and continued to February 9th, 1716. This 
 event hardly falls within the Jovial perturbation, -which culmi- 
 nated in July, 1717. A Saturnian equinox however took place 
 early in January, 1716. The reader will remember that in Feb- 
 ruary, 1716, those extraordinary auroras took place that were 
 called ''Lord Derwentwater's Lights," from the fact that one 
 occurred on the day of his execution. 
 
 In 1740 a protracted frost occurred in England, that lasted 
 nine weeks. Coaches plied upon the Thames, and all kinds of 
 festivities and diversions took place upon the ice. This was 
 called the "Hard Winter." A Jovial equinox occurred in 
 April, 1741. 
 
 From December 25th, 1765, to January i6th, 1766, and from 
 January iSth to 2zd, a frost with the most terrible effects pre- 
 vailed in England and Europe. A Jovial equinox occurred in 
 January, 1765. This is the first instance where we have specific 
 dates that enable us to test the accuracy of the deduction by 
 comparing the dates of specific phenomena with those of the 
 equinoxes of the inferior planets. Venus passed her equinox 
 December 22d, 1765, being most probably accompanied by a low 
 barometer with mild weather and a storm of more or less energy. 
 This low barometer was followed by an Arctic high barometer, 
 that with persistent pertinacity maintained itself until it was dis- 
 placed by a low barometer evoked by the Mercurial equinox of 
 the 1 6th of January. Two days after, another Arctic high 
 barometer supervened, enduring only four days, when it was dis- 
 placed by the low barometer attending the Vulcanian equinox 
 of January 25th. 
 
 A generally severe frost prevailed over Europe in the Winter 
 of 1788-89. The Thames was passable on the ice opposite the 
 Custom House, from November to January. A Jovial equinox 
 occurred about the ist of October, 1788. As neither specific 
 facts nor dates are given, we cannot apply the test of the pertur- 
 bations of the interior planets. A Mercurial equinox, however, 
 it may be stated, occurred on November 4th, and another on 
 December i8th, 1788, and one of Venus on the lyth of Janu- 
 uary, 1789. 
 
 In England, an intense frost prevailed from the 24th of De- 
 
(i 9 6) 
 
 cember, 1794, to the I4th of February, 1795, with but one day's 
 thaw, January 23d. The Jovial equinox occurred on September 
 ist, 1794 ; Venusian equinox, November 25th ; Mercurv, Decem- 
 ber 23d; Vulcan, December 24th, 1794, and January iSth, and 
 February 8th, 1795 ; Mercury, February 5th. 
 
 Intense frosts all through December, 1796; the 25th is said to 
 have been the coldest day ever felt in London. Mercury's equi- 
 nox occurred November 24th ; Vulcan's, December 2d and 25th. 
 
 The cold in Russia in 1812, surpassed in intensity that of any 
 winter for many years. It was very fatal to the French army 
 in its retreat from Moscow. Napoleon commenced his retreat 
 on the 9th of November, when the frost covered the ground, and 
 the men perished in battalions ; the horses falling by hundreds 
 along the roads. With the loss in battle, and the loss of this 
 terrible and calamitous frost, France, in the campaign of this year, 
 lost 400,000 men. Jupiter passed his equinox on the 8th of 
 June, 1812. The days of intense cold are not specifically 
 named, only that the weather was intensely cold, from Novem- 
 ber, 1812, to February, 1813. The following were the planetary 
 equinoxes about this time : Venus, February 1 2th, 1813; Mer- 
 cury, October 22d, December 5th, 1812, and January iSth, 
 1813 ; Vulcan, November 2oth, December i.3th, 1812, and Janu- 
 ary 5th and 28th, 1813. 
 
 On January I3th, 1810, quicksilver froze hard at Moscow. 
 The equinox of Venus occurred December i7th, 1809 ; that of 
 Mercury, January nth, 1810. It seems to have been an Arctic 
 high barometer following the low barometer of the Mercurial 
 equinox. In Norway, on January 2d, 1849, quicksilver froze. 
 Jupiter's equinox had occurred just about a year before ; Vul- 
 can's, December 29th, 1848; Venus, January roth, 1849. It 
 seems to have been an Arctic high barometer following the Vul- 
 canian equinox that probably had been accompanied with alow 
 barometer and storm. 
 
 On the morning of the 3d, 4th and 5th of February, 1856, 
 the thermometer in St. Louis County stood respectively 17 
 22 and 8 below zero ; the weather then moderated some- 
 what, but it snowed nearly every day for the balance of the 
 month. The equinox of Venus occurred February 7th- On 
 the last days of January it had thawed and rained a little, wind- 
 
ing up with a snowstorm on the ist of February. The low tem- 
 perature unquestionably was brought by an Arctic high barom- 
 eter following the low barometer that had prevailed a few days 
 before. It will be observed the cold high barometer preceded 
 the Venusian equinox several clays. This I find is almost invar- 
 iably the case with all the planetary equinoxes. All that is ex- 
 ceptional in this case, is that the greatest intensity of cold came 
 before, instead of after the equinox which is generally the case. 
 The alternation seems to be first a high barometer then a low 
 one, generally a day or so previous to the equinox, then almost 
 invariably an Arctic high barometer follows with intensely cold 
 weather during its presence. 
 
 From the 23d to the 3oth of December, 1860, the cold was ex- 
 cessive in England. On the 25th of December, in some parts the 
 thermometer fell as low as 20 below zero. Jupiter's equinox 
 had occurred about thirteen months before ; Mercury's occurred 
 2ist of December, or two days before the excessive cold com- 
 menced ; and that of Venus was about to occur, namely, on 
 the 9th of January, 1861. This seems to have been an Arctic 
 high barometer following the low barometer that attended the 
 Mercurial equinox. 
 
 The Venusian equinox of January 9th, -1857, was immediately 
 followed by an intensely cold spell of weather that lasted about 
 two weeks, in which the thermometer marked at sunrise from 
 8 to 20 below zero. 
 
 Again I find the material collected too vast to be handled. 
 Pursuing a line of thought that seems never to have occurred to 
 any before, I had to feel my way cautiously, and at every step 
 to assure myself that I stood upon firm and impregnable ground. 
 This was a difficult task, since for this purpose I must have indi- 
 vidual facts ; and but few individual facts they are, however, of 
 the strongest marked characteristics have escaped being 
 swamped in the Dead Sea of averages. But the few, the very 
 few that have escaped this fate are fragmentary ; that is, they are 
 not consecutive, or a concatenation of facts, showing what 
 events preceded or followed them. For example : our theory 
 postulates that at planetary disturbances, the following to be the 
 order in which phenomena succeed each other: (i) a high 
 barometer, and in Winter accompanied by severelv cold weather, 
 
(193) 
 
 precedes the equinox. (2) Alow barometer at the equinox, con- 
 sequently moderate weather, accompanied by a rain or snow 
 storm ; and (3) A high barometer following the low, generally 
 accompanied by extremely cold weather. To verify and demon- 
 strate these assumptions we want all the phenomena, and in the 
 order of their occurrence. Instead of having the whole order, 
 we have fragmentary parts of it. If the phenomena of the first 
 high barometer have been exceptionally severe, we have them 
 alone, and consequently disconnected. If the phenomena of the 
 low barometer have been extraordinary, they are noted, but no 
 statement of the events that either preceded nor followed them. 
 If the phenomena of the second and last high barometer have 
 been remarkable, we find them recorded, but nothing is said of 
 the attending conditions nor circumstances. Moreover, the facts 
 stated are mere skeletons of the events that have taken place. 
 For instance, if intensely cold weather has prevailed, the mate- 
 rial fact is not stated that it was the concomitant of a high barom- 
 eter, for a few full statements would soon suggest the inference 
 that the two phenomena stand to each other in the relation of 
 cause and effect. Hence the omission is vital. This is precisely 
 the defective condition facts are found to be in, by every investi- 
 gator who makes original researches, and who attempts to trace 
 through consecutive phenomena the operations of a physical law. 
 
 We have any number of extraordinary hyemal phenomena, 
 such as excessive snow falls, and intensely fierce frosts ; but all 
 we can do towards a verification of the theory is to produce the 
 astronomical testimony that one kind have occurred at a plane- 
 tary equinox and the other kind has immediately preceded or fol- 
 lowed such an equinox. This is very strong circumstantial evi- 
 dence, but not positive proof. We will present a few of these 
 phenomena in verification of the theory, where we have the con- 
 tinuous observations, or where we have been able to exhume the 
 missing facts ; and then we will close with the hope that the 
 mode of recording and preserving observations of physical phe- 
 nomena may be changed in the Future, so that when any physi- 
 cal law is discovered, it can be traced out, demonstrated and 
 verified by the records of facts ; for no physical law can now be 
 specifically established by observations in the Past. 
 
 The first phenomena we will adduce are those whereof we 
 
( J 99) 
 
 have the consecutive facts as observed by Sergeant Charles P. 
 Fish, at the station, Island of Saint Paul. Behring Sea. A Vul- 
 canian equinox occurred on the 24th of January, 1873. Mr. 
 Fish's observations are, that from January i7th to I9th, a high 
 barometer, 30.19 at times prevailed, and for the first time dur- 
 ing the season the thermometer was below zero ; on the iSth it 
 was 10 below. Under a falling barometer, descending as low 
 as 29.33 on the 25th, the thermometer rose to 20 above zero. 
 Under a rising barometer attaining to 30.40, the thermometer 
 again fell to 8 below zero, on the 27th. The facts in order are 
 (i) High or rising barometer from i6th to i9th, with temper- 
 ature below zero. (2) Falling or low barometer from 2oth to 
 25th, (the equinox on the 24th) temperature above zero ; and 
 (3) Rising or high barometer from 26th to 28th, with tempera- 
 ture again below zero. 
 
 The next phenomena are in all respects similar, only modified 
 by the fact that Vulcan's equinox of February i6th, 1873, was 
 complicated with a Mercurial equinox of February iSth. The 
 barometer at the same station, on the 8th day of February, stood 
 at 28.82. It then commenced rising, and on the loth the ther- 
 mometer stood 12 below zero ; it remained below zero all the 
 time from the afternoon of the 9th until noon of the I3th. With 
 a falling and low barometer (28.44) on the day of the equinox, 
 the thermometer had risen to 34 , with rain and snow from the 
 1 3th. The Mercurial equinox on the iSth was accompanied 
 with a low barometer, (28.32), mild temperature, and rain and 
 snow every day until March ist, when a high barometer (30.31) 
 sent the thermometer down to 5 below zero again. At the 
 Vulcanian equinox on the nth of March, the observations at 
 the same station show a repetition of the same phenomena, 
 namely, March 9th and loth, thermometer below zero ; March 
 nth and I2th, time of equinox, above zero; March I3th to 
 i7th, thermometer below zero. These three are the only instan- 
 ces we were able to find in which there are consecutive observa- 
 tions. It will be seen they indicate the order of the appearance 
 of the phenomena to be as we have stated it. 
 
 The following instances, though the facts are incomplete, we 
 present as a further illustration of the principle : 
 
 A condensed statement of the observations at the station at 
 
(200) 
 
 Breckenridge, Minnesota, for December, 1873, is as follows: 
 December 2d to 6th, from 2 to 25 below zero. 7th and Sth, 
 from 8 to n above, (Venusian equinox on the 9th.) 9th to 
 i4th, 8 to 10 below. Vulcanian equinox on the I2th. i5th, 
 i above. i6th, o. i7th to 25th, . from 9 to 29 below. 
 Mercurial equinox on the 23d. 26th to 3ist, S above to 9 
 below. January ist and 2d, 1874, from 15 to 20 above. 
 From the 3d to the 6th, from 8 to 29 below. Vulcanian 
 equinox on the 4th. The order of the phenomena were, high 
 barometer and cold appeared seven days, and low barometer 
 and rise of temperature two days before the Venusian equinox ; 
 followed on the day of the equinox by a high barometer, which 
 extended to the I4th, retarding the Vulcanian low barometer 
 three days ; which only made itself felt for two days ; then fol- 
 lowed the severe cold of a high barometer, that retarded the 
 Mercurial low barometer three days. After this low barometer 
 followed a high barometer, that for two days sent the mercury 
 below zero ; on January ist and 2d the Vulcanian low barom- 
 eter appeared, being accelerated two days by the Mercurial and 
 Venusian influence yet prevailing. Then came a high barom- 
 eter on the 3d to the 5th, with thermometer from 8 to 23 be- 
 low zero ; followed by a second Vulcanian low barometer, with 
 temperature from 3 to 12 above from the 6th to the 9th. 
 To this succeeded on the loth a high barometer that continued 
 to the 1 6th, with a temperature from o to 23 below. Another 
 Vulcanian equinox occurred January 27th. The high barometer 
 that preceded it on the 24th, sent the mercury 33 below zero 
 at Breckenridge. The low barometer at the equinox brought 
 the mercury up only to o , and on the 29th it fell again to 16 
 below, under the high barometer, the highest of the month- 
 being at Pembina,3o.98 inches. 
 
 A Vulcanian equinox occurred on the I9th of February, 1874. 
 At Breckenridge, from the nth to the i7th, the temperature 
 ranged from 3 to 25 below zero. With the Vulcanian low 
 barometer it rose to 23 above on the iSth. Under the high 
 barometer that followed, it sank to 29 below on the 25th. On 
 the 24th the thermometer stood at 24 at Cheyenne ; 17 at 
 Colorado Springs ; 9 at Denver ; and at zero at Santa Fe. 
 
 A Vulcanian equinox occurred on the 7th of January, 1875. Of 
 
(201) 
 
 the low barometer succeeded by the high barometer on the 8th, 
 we have already spoken ; and also of the accompanying earth 
 currents. The temperature on the 8th and 9th, at the following 
 stations, was : Breckenridge, 8th, 31 , 9th, 33 ; Cheyenne, 
 23, 38 ; St. Louis, 21 on 8th, 15 on the 9th; 
 Denver, 29 on the 9th the lowest temperature ever ob- 
 served there. Mercury's equinox occurred January 23d. The 
 high barometer that preceded it on the I3th, i/fth and i5th, 
 sent the mercury down to 30 at Pembina ; 34 at Breck- 
 enridge ; 17 at Omaha ; 8 at Chicago ; and 2 at St. 
 Louis. Then followed the low barometer of the Mercurial 
 equinox, whose accompanying storms have already been pre- 
 sented. This low barometer was followed by high barom- 
 eters IX and X of the Signal Service, producing, on the 
 2yth at Mount Washington, the extraordinary low temper- 
 erature of 45 below zero. The Vulcanian equinox on the 
 3Oth was accompanied by a low barometer on the date of 
 its occurrence, which was succeeded on the 2d and 3d of Feb- 
 ruary by another extremely low barometer, 29.10 inches, followed 
 on the 6th by the extraordinary high barometer of 30.98 inches. 
 The Weather Review does not give the temperature of this high 
 barometer, though it gives a list of the low temperatures report- 
 ed -some as low as 48 ; yet as it does not give the dates of 
 their occurrence, we cannot verify so much of the theory as pos- 
 tulates that of two high barometers coming from the Arctic 
 region, the one showing the greater pressure, being the more en- 
 ergetic, will hence effect the greater change in temperature. 
 This, like many other points raised, has to be determined by 
 future observations. 
 
 It is almost impossible to state a general principle so fully that 
 a captious critic cannot find facts that he supposes contradicts it. 
 The earnest, impartial and candid investigator too, is sometimes 
 startled and perplexed by meeting with facts that he is unable to 
 reconcile with general principles that he has verified to be true. 
 In regard to that part of the theory relating to hyemal phenom- 
 ena, we have endeavored and will endeavor to enable any one 
 who candidly wishes to attain the truth, to overcome all perplex- 
 ities that may occur. In the journals in which I first called 
 public attention to planetary cycles, I stated in general terms the 
 
(202) 
 
 principles of the theory, and the manner the Atmosphere is affect- 
 ed, both in.Summer and in Winter. Amongst the facts stated 
 were, that generally the effect in Summer was excessive precipi- 
 tation ; and in Winter a deficiency. Captious critics immedi- 
 ately called upon me to reconcile this as they styled it contra- 
 diction. In the simplicity of their hearts they had never risen to 
 the conception of the idea that the economy of Nature is con- 
 ducted upon the principle of alternation, though in heat and 
 cold, in Summer and Winter, in sunshine and rain, in day and 
 night, the lesson is inscribed upon the Earth and Sky. They 
 hence failed to conceive that the moving force of the Universe, 
 Electricity, must have alternate states also, that is, it must be 
 alternately static as well as dynamic. 
 
 Their error was in conceiving it to be continuously dynamic. 
 We think that enough has been said to enable every one capable 
 of perceiving the difference between a static and a dynamic con- 
 dition, not only to see how these apparently contradictory results 
 harmonize with the theory, but the principles by which these re- 
 sults are effected and the absolute necessity for them. 
 
 An apparent contradiction will also frequently, and we may 
 say always, be observed when the energy and temperature of 
 high barometers are compared, without regard to their sources. 
 A comparatively feeble Arctic high barometer will pour out air 
 of far lower temperature than the highest barometer coming from 
 towards the Equator. The principle will only hold when the 
 temperature of one Arctic high barometer is compared with that 
 of another ; and the principle is mainly stated for the purpose of 
 drawing attention to the fact that, it is the Arctic high barome- 
 ters that pour the intensely cold air over and upon continents. 
 The same principle obtains in the southern high barometer that 
 pours out in Summer the hot and desiccating simoom on the 
 southwestern Plains, as we have already stated. On the Plains 
 in southeastern Colorado, by personal observation, I ascertained 
 that this simoom had a temperature of 105 Fahrenheit. 
 
 In comparing the temperature of one continent with that of 
 another, at the same season, frequently opposite conditions are 
 found to prevail. For instance, in America the Winter may be 
 mild, and in Europe unusually severe. Muller, in his Kos- 
 mischen Physik, shows that the temperature at Berlin, in De- 
 
cember, 1829, was 16 .6 Fahrenheit below the December aver- 
 age for that locality. In Petersburg, during the same time, 
 though the temperature was below the average, yet it was much 
 less so than at Berlin and Paris. In Irkutsk, Siberia, it was con- 
 siderably above the average of December for that locality. The 
 same was the case in Iceland and in America. Upon what prin- 
 ciple, consistent with the theory, can these seemingly contradic- 
 tory facts be explained? It is evident that during that time an 
 Arctic high barometer was pouring down upon Western Europe 
 a constant stream of cold air, probably supplied by the polar 
 low barometer, or probably the one in Siberia ; for since the tem- 
 perature of Siberia was above the average, it either had a low 
 barometer, or else a high barometer from a more southern lati- 
 tude had swung so far North as to cover Siberia, which is not 
 probable ; for then the Asiatic and European high barometers, 
 mutually attracting each other, as all similar barometers do, 
 would coalesce, and one would be obliterated. In Iceland, a 
 dynamic condition prevailed, because it is normal there in all 
 seasons of the year. During this season it probably drew its 
 supply of air from southern latitudes. In America the con- 
 dition was like in Siberia, either dynamic or static. If the lat- 
 ter, then the prevailing high barometers came from the South. 
 But it is not probable that a static condition, that is, a down- 
 pour of air prevailed for so long a time simultaneously over 
 three continents in the same zone. That there was a high 
 barometer or down-pour of cold air on the continent of Europe 
 during the period, is incontestable. But as we have said before, 
 whenever there is a down-pour, there must also, somewhere in 
 the vicinage, be an up-pour to carry off this down-pour. The 
 probability therefore is that, either Asia or America, or both, 
 were pouring up their superincumbent air ; while Europe was 
 drawing it down. The only thing extraordinary about this phe- 
 nomena is the continuance and protraction of these states, with- 
 out material change for so long a term, in the same localities. 
 These however are questions of minor importance, and are only 
 mentioned because they may be stumbling blocks to those not 
 yet confirmed in the faith "that maketh wise unto intellectual 
 salvation." Other questions of weightier import loom up that 
 deserve our earnest attention, and that will for several genera- 
 
(20 4 ) 
 
 tions tax to the utmost our mental resources and all of our fund 
 of Knowledge for their solution. 
 
 We have spoken of the perturbations of the Earth and the 
 Atmosphere in consequence of having their electric condition 
 intensified by a periodical augmentation of the electric tension 
 of one or more other planets ; and we have demonstrated that 
 the consequences resulting from this augmentation are physical 
 paroxysms in both the Earth and Atmosphere. What purpose 
 does a paroxysm answer? Or is it without a purpose? Does it 
 relieve the Earth and the Atmosphere from an abnormal electric 
 tension ; or does it leave them in the same condition they were 
 in before ? If it does, then it is superfluous ; and Nature is at 
 fault and defective ; for here she has incorporated in the struc- 
 ture and government of the Universe an element of discord that, 
 instead of being a means of conservation, is not only one of de- 
 struction, but of purposeless destruction. Who can believe that 
 Nature is guilty of such an absurdity, not to say, folly? 
 
 These periodical flows of Electricity and consequent paroxysms 
 were ordained for somewise and beneficent purpose. They not 
 only quicken the Earth from its centre to its circumference, but 
 they eventuate in spasms that throw off the now effete force. 
 
 But the Earth is not the only planet in the Solar System ; it 
 is only one of a group. Now, as a member of a group, what- 
 ever affects it, affects all the rest ; and whatever affects any other 
 member, affects it ; for in a group of electrified bodies the elec- 
 tric tension on anyone can neither be augmented nor diminished 
 without affecting a corresponding modification of the electric 
 condition of all. If the Earth relieves itself by a paroxysm, 
 then instantly every other planet must do the same, or else the 
 equilibrium of the Solar System would become unbalanced, 
 which would be attended with most direful consequences, ending 
 in a general catastrophe. Hence if it be the Earth that is first 
 seized with a paroxysm, all the other planets must follow suit ; 
 or if the paroxysmal crisis first supervenes on another planet, 
 the Earth instantly catches the infection. Each planet is, as it 
 were, distended with an effete element, that is with Electricity 
 exhausted of all its ministering and nourishing properties, and 
 with the usual spasmodic attack imminent, that brings relief. Now 
 it may be the Earth or some other planet that is first attacked, 
 
(205) 
 
 but the infection almost instantly spreads to the whole group. It 
 may take several days, or even a week or more, for it to run its 
 course ; hence several paroxysms generally follow each other at 
 short intervals during the crisis imposed by a planetary equinox. 
 Suppose the Earth throws off first, and no other planet responds 
 immediately, then the paroxysm on the Earth will not run its 
 full course, but will be checked up and temporarily stopped by 
 the controling influence the unmoved charges on the other plan- 
 ets exert upon it. But as one planet after another throws off, 
 the last planets or pla-net that does so, will exhaust its charge to 
 the extreme limits permitted by the charges on the other planets. 
 By this time the Earth is far more out of electric equilibrium 
 than before, and another and a more violent paroxysm ensues 
 than the first. Other planets follow, and so on indefinitely until 
 equilibrium in the system is once more established. This is the 
 true cause why, when there is extraordinary high electric ten- 
 sion, as there always is during the prevalence of a Jovial per- 
 turbation, the paroxysms are so protracted, for they must con- 
 tinue until the cause of them is exhausted. 
 
 In the Earth and in the Atmosphere, all phenomena are insep- 
 arably connected with high and low barometers. Even earth- 
 quakes are not an exception. Down-pours and up-pours, or an 
 interchange of air between the surface and the bottom of the 
 asrial ocean, are the means by which -a planet receives and gives 
 off energy. Analogy leads us to suspect the same to be the case 
 with the Sun. Sunspots and vast protuberances are phenomena 
 synchronous with planetary equinoxes. Secchi observed and 
 drew a sunspot on the 5th of May, 1857, ^ na ^ exactly represents 
 a gigantic whirlpool, or funnel, into the interior of which the 
 photosphere appears to be rushing with an eddying motion. 
 Photographic pictures of sunspots, taken by De la Rue, when 
 placed side by side, and looked at through a stereoscope, 
 exhibit exactly the form of a funnel. The inevitable inference 
 therefore is, that sunspots are of the nature and character of the 
 down-pouring vortexes of high barometers in our Atmosphere. 
 While the drawings made by Young, Zollner, and others, of pro- 
 tuberances, so exactly resemble the up-pours of the cyclonal vor- 
 tex under a low barometer, as to leave no doubt of their identi- 
 cal character. But we have fully discussed this subject in Part 
 
(206) 
 
 I. We only call attention here to the fact that the Sun suffers 
 similar paroxysms as the planets do at these equinoctial disturb- 
 ances. 
 
 Truth is always prolific. The higher our standpoint on scien- 
 tific truth, the more enlarged and comprehensive is our view of 
 the Universe. Many objects though being upon higher ground, 
 yet hidden before of the highest interest and importance, now 
 loom up and beckon us to come up higher. Complying with 
 their invitation, we soon find ourselves on an immeasurably 
 higher elevation, with views proportionally enlarged, yet dis- 
 closing still higher ground. Such upward progress can be pur- 
 sued indefinitely, for as the mysteries and resources of Nature 
 are our subject matter, we can never exhaust it. Hence it is 
 impossible for us to set bounds to Human Progress in Science in 
 the Great Future that is before us. But this progress is condi- 
 tioned, that we lay every step in it upon the immovable bed-rock 
 of Truth. 
 
 In these paroxysms of planets we have seen they receive, 
 through the down-pouring column of air, energy from Space, 
 which they return through the upheaving column, as soon as it has 
 performed its functions in the economy of the planet. All electri- 
 cians know that Electricity can only pass from one point to 
 another by one of two ways, namely, Conduction where Matter 
 is continuous, and Convection when it is discontinuous. The 
 problem, therefore, confronting us is : If it be Electricity that 
 comes from Space and returns thither, what gives it Convection? 
 We direct attention to this problem, not with a view of discuss- 
 ing it, that we have already done elsewhere,* but to point out" 
 that the line of thought we are pursuing, must ultimately embrace 
 in its scope the condition of Space, and settle the mooted point 
 whether it is a vacuum or a plenum. It will do more. It will 
 show the interaction and relation between Space and the orbs 
 which are sparsely disseminated throughout its boundless realms. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 When starting to explore the immense field traversed by us, 
 
 *NOTE. In Part I, and more especially in a work in preparation, giv- 
 ing the cause of Meteoric Showers; and an astronomical demonstration 
 of that cause and a verification of it by historical facts. 
 
(20 7 ) 
 
 we took for our sole guides the known laws and causes operat- 
 ing in and upon our own Globe, as far as we could apprehend 
 them by contemplating physical facts inscribed upon the Earth 
 and upon the Sky. At no time, either by day or night, and at 
 no point on our route, however indistinct and obscure, have they 
 failed us ; although we were surveying unknown fields, travers- 
 ing unexplored regions, and were surrounded by strange scenes and 
 unfamiliar objects while pushing a reconnoissance to the verge 
 of the Universe, where abysms gaped wide, whose depths no 
 mortal ken can pierce, nor human reason fathom. The greatest 
 and most imposing castle erected by Error in the Past, we have 
 seen crumble and disappear like a dissolving view in a phantas- 
 magoria. We have discovered that neither the Solar System 
 nor the Universe is a Mechanism, passively obeying commen- 
 .surable and mechanical laws ; but that both are symmetrically con- 
 stituted, and most delicately adjusted systems of worlds, affected by 
 polar forces operating with omnipotent energy, yet each member 
 inherently contributing to the preservation and highest welfare of 
 all, while securing the stability and permanency of the whole. 
 We have seen that taking either the Solar System, or the Uni- 
 verse, though its members are distributed over immense distan- 
 ces in Space, yet it is an indissoluble Unity, bound together by 
 such intimate ties and sympathies, that whatever affects one 
 member, sends a thrill that vibrates through the whole system. 
 We have pointed out this mysterious bond of union and sympa- 
 thy ; and in the eclaircissement of physical phenomena, from the 
 most obscure, indistinct and inobtrusive, to the most conspicuous, 
 wonderful and imposing, we have unfolded its laws so plainly and 
 clearly that "he who runs may read," and understand, and com- 
 prehend the most amazing, beautiful and complicated problems 
 proposed, in the structure of the Universe, for Man's admiration, 
 solution and inspiration. 
 
 While we claim to have done this, yet we have by no means 
 exhausted the mysteries surrounding us on every side, that stare 
 us in the face in every direction we glance, and are discovered 
 at all points to which we fix attention. Nay, we have hardly 
 trenched upon their borders. At most the investigation has 
 revealed only what was partially concealed before ; and directed 
 attention and inquiry to points hitherto passed by and neglected. 
 
(20S) 
 
 New orders of facts, new causes and relations, extending into 
 the illimitable depths of Space, have been disclosed, and we 
 have endeavored to give their most obvious interpretation. 
 
 As we advanced, wider fields for observation and exploration 
 opened before us, tempting us to enter and possess them, but we 
 had to exercise self-denial and leave them to future generations 
 to appropriate, survey, occupy and cultivate. We have con- 
 tented ourselves with the mundane sphere ; and have imposed 
 upon ourselves the humble task of ascertaining and making a 
 full inventory of all the facts occurring therein, with their varia- 
 tions and modifications, according to circumstances and condi- 
 tions. Such a task is the prose of Science, but at the end of it, 
 comes inspiration and poetry. We have indulged Fancy but 
 sparingly ; at most only to try her unfledged wings in short flights, 
 not much above the level of the common place, because in our 
 enthusiasm we could not help it; but we have rigorously not 
 permitted her to pass the boundary of clear intuition, circum- 
 scribed by the logical deductions of Reason. Whenever our 
 inventory of facts relating to a given point were full enough to 
 justify it, we have made deductions of all the laws and causes 
 warranted by the facts, of the physical phenomena in question. 
 Nor did we leave the matter here, but we proceeded and demon- 
 strated the truth of the deductions thus made by incontestable 
 facts. We have literally and rigidly obeyed the injunction of 
 Locke, "In Science write demonstratively," and have endeav- 
 ored to lay the foundation of the Temple of Science upon the 
 immovable bed-rock of facts. The walls of the edifice will rise 
 dazzling with beauty and resplendent with Light, as fast as com- 
 pact and cemented facts, the necessary material for its erection 
 can be collected. In the day of its triumphant completion, we 
 hope our humble labors will be worthy of so much recognition 
 as to be estimated as a handful of sand gathered on the shores of 
 the Ocean of Time, and contributed to the great end. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
APPENDIX I. 
 
 PLANETARY EQUINOXES FROM THE YEAR 1866 TO 1884. 
 
 Vulcan (o). Mercury (O). V^nus (0). Terrestrial (not given). 
 
 Months 
 
 $ 
 
 oo 
 
 t^ 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 $ 
 
 a 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 t>. 
 
 O? 
 
 f5 
 t> 
 
 CO 
 
 I-N. 
 
 CO 
 
 0? 
 
 | 
 
 !>. 
 !>. 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 '< 
 
 
 
 $ 
 
 CO 
 
 oc 
 
 f 
 
 C^ 
 
 00 
 
 Jan. 
 
 9 
 26 
 
 6 
 29 
 
 c 
 27 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 18 
 
 15 
 
 'is 
 81 
 
 18 
 
 21 
 
 
 # 
 
 4 
 
 2J 
 
 10 
 
 IO 
 
 ___ 
 
 8 
 
 1^ 
 
 16 
 
 27 
 
 14 
 
 19 
 
 1 
 
 22 
 
 S 
 
 1* 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 II 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 4 
 
 27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * i 
 
 ~ 
 
 3 1 
 
 " * * 
 
 Feb. 
 
 18 
 22 
 
 9 
 
 21 
 
 i 
 5 
 24 
 
 2^ 
 
 27 
 
 l 
 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 18 
 
 5 
 
 19 
 
 o u 
 
 22 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 *>*> 
 
 9 
 
 c 
 
 ii 
 
 27 
 
 5 
 
 14 
 
 > J. 
 
 
 
 is' 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 -3 
 
 5 
 
 
 I? 
 
 /> 
 
 1tf 
 
 
 2 
 
 r 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 /; 
 
 *5 
 
 
 
 K 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2O 
 
 TVTV 
 
 
 16 
 
 19 
 
 22 
 
 2 5 
 
 j 
 
 8 
 
 ii 
 
 14. 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 & 
 
 f. 
 
 ? 
 
 
 3 
 
 > 
 
 T o 
 
 2O 
 
 iTicn. - 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 29 
 
 3f> 
 
 
 
 ^1 
 
 1*7 
 
 20 
 
 23 
 
 26 
 
 
 
 1 i\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28 
 
 ^i 
 
 
 
 
 
 OK 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Apr. - 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 ii 
 25 
 
 11 
 
 H 
 .90 
 
 2 
 
 i7 
 
 20 
 
 <?9 
 
 16 
 
 2 3 
 
 J 
 
 ^r> 
 
 ^ 
 
 6 
 
 'i 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 T 5 
 
 2 
 
 18 
 *>5 
 
 12 
 
 21 
 
 i 
 2 4 
 
 4 
 "9 
 
 2 
 1 ft 
 
 3 
 
 IO 
 
 13 
 
 (. 
 
 ?8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ,'io 
 
 *y 
 
 
 
 O/J 
 
 
 * * * 
 
 
 
 o/ 
 
 
 
 
 May. \ 
 
 2X 
 
 21 
 
 i 
 8 
 
 24 
 
 4 
 
 Z 
 
 *l 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 28 
 3O 
 
 17 
 
 19 
 
 4 
 
 22 
 
 2 
 25 
 
 21 
 
 28 
 28 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 3 1 
 
 ii 
 
 H 
 26 
 
 2 
 
 *3 
 
 >f/ 
 
 20 
 
 3 
 3^ 
 
 i^ 
 
 26 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 27 
 
 June -I 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 21 
 
 ?/ 
 
 8 
 19 
 
 22 
 
 2 
 2 5 
 
 25 
 
 i 
 
 *>^ 
 
 8 
 
 1 1 
 30 
 
 l? 
 
 4 
 
 !7 
 
 x?^> 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 23 
 
 8 
 
 lf\ 
 
 6 
 25 
 
 2 I 
 
 2 
 
 15 
 
 'is 
 
 o^r 
 
 29 
 16 
 
 21 
 
 ( 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 29 
 
 .... 
 
 . 
 
 
 / 1 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 >j 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Q 
 
 511 
 
 
 July { 
 
 6 
 2,? 
 
 
 22 
 
 15 
 
 18 
 ,9 
 
 21 
 ^6 
 
 13 
 
 24 
 
 27 
 
 23 
 
 5Q 
 
 18 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 
 *y 
 22 
 ^5 
 
 22 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 ->Q 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 II 
 
 H 
 
 ( 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 71 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 >/x 
 
 Aug. j 
 
 17 
 
 21 
 
 i 
 4 
 
 24 
 
 4 
 
 27 
 
 2O 
 21 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 J 3 
 
 16 
 26 
 
 3 
 *? 
 
 22 
 
 2 
 
 2 5 
 31 
 
 1 
 
 28 
 
 8 
 ^f> 
 
 -?! 
 
 ii 
 
 '4 
 22 
 
 8 
 i? 
 
 2O 
 
 20 
 
 3 1 
 
 >i 
 
 J 
 
 26 
 
 >(l 
 
 6 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 9 
 
 
 17 
 
 16 
 
 4 
 
 
 2 
 
 C 
 
 8 
 
 
 14. 
 
 17 
 
 s 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1> 
 
 
 30 
 
 17 
 
 1* 
 
 IQ 
 
 2 "* 
 
 21 
 
 8 
 
 28 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 
 20 
 /> 
 
 23 
 
 4 
 
 -,<? 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 
 ... 
 
 
 
 // 
 
 
 
 
 1 y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ... 
 
 
 2 9 
 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 lo 
 
 2 I 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 
 /> 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 IO 
 
 I 
 
 16 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 29 
 
 {1 
 
 8 
 
 15 
 
 18 
 
 21 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 27 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 K 
 
 
 j-g 
 
 J 9 
 
 5 
 
 
 5 
 
 A 
 
 9 
 
 11 
 
 ft* 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 *T 
 
 */ 
 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 
 2 5 
 
 
 
 
 . . . 
 
 
 3 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 r 
 
 s 
 
 
 
 
 
 j; 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 4 
 
 21 
 
 24 
 
 27 
 
 7 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 
 *^ 
 
 9 
 
 q 
 
 4 
 
 2 C 
 
 J 
 
 8 
 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 J 3 > 
 
 6 
 
 36 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 J 9 
 
 Dec. j 
 
 '1 
 
 4 
 
 "7 
 
 i 
 20 
 
 .9 
 
 2 i 3 
 
 4 
 
 26 
 
 5 
 6 
 29 
 
 9 
 
 .9 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 O 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 i 
 
 7 
 
 r 
 .9 
 4 
 
 24 
 
 1 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 o 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 .9 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
APPENDIX I CONTINUED. 
 
 The TERRESTRIAL EQUINOXES occur on the 22cl of March 
 and September in each year. 
 
 MARTIAL EQUINOXES have occurred and will occur in the 
 years embraced in the following table : 
 
 November i9th, 1866. April i2th, 1876. 
 
 October 27th, 1867. March 2ist, 1877. 
 
 October 5th, 1868. February 28th, 1878. 
 
 September i4th, 1869. February 6th, 1879. 
 
 August 23d, 1870. January i5th, 1880. 
 
 August 6th, 1871. December 24th, 1880. 
 
 July 9th, 1872. December 3d, 1881. 
 
 June i7th, 1873. November nth, 1882. 
 
 May 27th, 1874. October 2Oth, 1883. 
 
 May 4th, 1875. September 29th, 1884. 
 
 JOVIAL EQUINOXES, September 25th, 1871; August i, 1877; 
 and July 6th, 1883. 
 
 SATURNIAN EQUINOX November i2th, 1877. 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOR FINDING THE DATES OF EQUINOXES. 
 
 To find whether a given physical phenomenon occurred at or 
 about a Jovial equinox, reduce the clays and number of months 
 to the decimal of a year ; subtract the date thus reduced from 
 1871.74, or any of the Jovial periods given, and divide the re- 
 mainder, n.86, the length of the Jovial year. If there be a re- 
 mainder, then reduce the decimal part to months and days, and 
 it is the exact time the equinox occurred, after the event. If it 
 be short a small fraction, then the equinox occurred that much 
 before the event. 
 
 To FIND THE DATE OF A VENUSIAN EQUINOX. Suppose you 
 
 wish to find whether a Venusian equinox had anything to do 
 with the hurricane that destroyed Surat in India, April 22d, 1782, 
 subtract 1782 from 1874, 1878 or from any other year given in the 
 table that will give a remainder divisible by 4, then multiply 1.2 
 day by the number of tens in the remainder, and add the pro- 
 duct to the date of the equinox in the year in the table taken, 
 and it will give approximately the date of the equinoxes for the 
 year sought. Thus, if the year 1874 be taken, then the remain- 
 der is 92 years, which is divisible by 4, and 9.2 times 1.2 day is 
 
H.04 days, which added to April 3d, the day of the equi- 
 nox in 1874, gives April i3th, 1782, as the date of the Vcn- 
 usian equinox. Hence it occurred 9 days before the hurri- 
 cane. Exact calculation would bring it still closer. 
 
 To FIND THE DAY OF A MERCURIAL EojJINOX FOR ANY PAST 
 
 EVENT. Suppose it is desired to find whether a Mercurial 
 equinox had occurred near the time the ship Earl of Moir was 
 wrecked, August 8th, 1821. Now, since on every 23 years, or 
 on any multiple of 23, the Mercurial equinoxes occur on the 
 same days: therefore add 23 to 1821 until it comes within the 
 limits of the years in the table, 46 added to 1821 gives 1867, and 
 Mercury's equinoxes occurred in 1821 on the same days they did 
 in 1867. The table therefore shows Mercury's equinox occurred 
 on the 4th of August, 1821, or four days before the disaster. The 
 following table will assist in making calculations : 
 
 For i year add 13 days. For 33 years add 2 days. 
 
 For 6 years subtract 8 days. For 46 years subtract 7 hours. 
 For 7 years add 6 days. For 105 years subtract 3 days. 
 
 For 10 years add 2 days. For 125 years add i day. 
 
 For 13 years subtract 2 days. For 217 years add day. 
 For 20 years add 4 days. For 309 years subtract ^ hours. 
 
 For 23 years subtract 3 hours. For 572 years subtract 2 hours. 
 The equinoxes of Vulcan are only approximations. As now 
 provisionally fixed in every 23 years, they occur on the same 
 days. .By. inspection of the table it is seen they advance three 
 days every year going forward, and recede three days going 
 backward. Hence, in counting backward, we multiply the 
 years by 3, and subtract the remainder from the date taken, thus 
 in ten years the equinoxes will all have receded 10 times 3 days, 
 or 30 ; dividing which by 23 leaves a remainder of 7 days, which 
 subtract from the date of the equinoxes in 1876, gives the equi- 
 noxes in 1866, and so on with any of the years taken in the table. 
 This it will be seen is for calculating his equinoxes in the Past. 
 To find those of the Future, we must reverse the order, that is, 
 add where we subtract, and subtract where we add. 
 
 The Table to find Mercury's equinoxes also has reference to 
 the Past ; to find those in the Future, reverse the process de- 
 scribed in the table, that is, add where the table says subtract, 
 and vice versa. 
 
APPENDIX II. 
 
 FORMS OF CLOUDS. 
 
 Meteorology takes precedence of all Physical Sciences in its 
 constant and direct application to immediate use. It affects all 
 conditions in life, and all employments and industrial pursuits. 
 Hence all are interested in it and concerned about it, and must 
 feel more or less desire to know what will be the character of 
 the impending meteorological changes ; and at what time they 
 are likely to appear. We may know the astronomical epochs 
 when these changes will recur, the causes that bring them about, 
 the modes by which they are effected, and the laws that govern 
 them ; yet these do not fix the time with sufficient precision to 
 make it at all times available for practical purposes. The rea- 
 son why this is so is because there are so many adventitious 
 causes constantly occurring, not yet subordinated to known and 
 fixed laws, that accellerate or retard the development of phe- 
 nomena. Additional knowledge is therefore necessary, which 
 will enable us to determine the presence or absence of these ad- 
 ventitious causes, and to detect the incipient stages, and watch 
 the progress of the development of the coming phenomenon. 
 
 One item in this additional knowledge is to be able to inter- 
 pret the movements of the mercurial column in the barometer. 
 This point is fully discussed in Part I. But above all it is neces- 
 sary to be able to read and understand what is written on the 
 clouds and sky, in the color of the latter and in the form and 
 shapes of the former. 
 
 The formation of clouds can be studied most advantageously 
 in elevated mountain regions, where they are daily produced 
 under the eye of the observer. During several summers, while 
 sojourning in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, I had ample 
 opportunities to watch and observe the whole process, from its 
 incipiency, in the attenuated mist that in the early part of the 
 
(vi) 
 
 day appears over every towering pinnacle of the Snowy Range, 
 until it culminated in the thunder storm, and then its gradual 
 wasting away until it finally sunk back and disappeared in the 
 same pinnacle from which it sprung. As in Part I the whole 
 process is described, step by step, and the laws and causes in 
 which the phenomenon originates and is controlled, further 
 remarks on this point would be out of place here. 
 
 Cloud formation has many modifications, but are generally 
 classed into the following five primary divisions: (i) Stratus-, 
 (2) Cirrus; (3) Cumulus; (4) Cirro-cumulus; and, (5) 
 Nimbus. All these species are represented in the engraving 
 fronting the title page. There are other intermediate forms, 
 representing the transition state between the five primary forms, 
 which in a short time, by daily observation, are readily recog- 
 nized and distinguished. A few remarks may be necessary to 
 enable the reader to recognize and perceive the differences in 
 these forms and to interpret their meaning. 
 
 The classification is that of Luke Howard, presented in 1802 
 Prof. Andre Poey has presented another classification, but which 
 is too complicated for the general reader. 
 
 (1) The stratus is the bed or covering cloud, which, at all 
 seasons, but more especially in Autumn, appears near sunset 
 and rests all night, till after sunrise next morning, along the 
 edge of the horizon. It is most frequent on the evening of a day 
 when cumulus clouds have prevailed but vanished towards sun- 
 set. It seems to be formed of a kind of a mist or fog thrown up 
 by the Earth, or that has settled down from the dissolved cumu- 
 lus, and is positively electrified. Hence on the night it prevails 
 little if any dew falls. It must be distinguished from what has 
 been called the cirro-stratus. The former is a whitish grey, the 
 latter is of a lead color, and when it prevails heavy dews fall. 
 The prevalence of stratus clouds indicate approaching rain. 
 
 (2) The cirrus or curled cloud is so-called because it is fre- 
 quently seen with recurved tufts or wisps. It is the highest of 
 all clouds, and is either the outflow over the upheaving column 
 of a low barometer, or the remnant or skeleton of a storm cen- 
 tre, after the latter has become exhausted. They generally pre- 
 cede rains, and when they enlarge and become dense they indi- 
 cate copious rainfalls. When their edges are sharply defined 
 
(vii) 
 
 upon an intensely deep blue sky, they indicate heavy thunder 
 storms. 
 
 (3) The cumulus cloud is readily recognized by its heaped or 
 piled appearance, which is the meaning of the word cumulus. 
 When detached cumulus clouds gather together they form what 
 are called stack en-clouds, which is the transition state between 
 the cumulus and the nimbus. The stacken-cloud rapidly 
 passes into the nimbus. When stacken-clouds become capped 
 with a hood-cloud, like mountains often are, or when the cirrus 
 above them enlarges and increases in density, then heavy storms 
 are near at hand. 
 
 (4) The cirro-cumulus cloud is intermediate between the 
 cirrus and the cumulus. The sky when flecked with cirro-cum- 
 ulus clouds, has received the common name k ' mackerel-backed." 
 It always indicates an electric change as going on, and the near 
 approach of a low barometer ; consequently a rise in temperature. 
 In Winter it indicates the breaking up of frosts and the coming 
 on of rainy weather. 
 
 (5) The nimbus is the storm or rain cloud. It is the last 
 stage of cloud formation, and passes away in the rain it pours 
 down upon the Earth. It is intensely electric, in consequence 
 of which in daytime has an orange hue by which it is easily 
 recognized ; and at night it is more or less luminous. 
 
 No rain ever falls, nor need be apprehended when a grey sky 
 prevails. But the deeper the serenity and the more intensely 
 blue the sky is, the more certain not only the occurrence of 
 rain immediately, but of its copiousness. In such a state of the 
 weather, not only is the margin of the cloud sharply defined 
 upon the sky, but the involutions and convolutions of cloud 
 upon cloud is equally well defined, and the clouds themselves 
 seem smooth, as though composed of ice. Signs like these are 
 unmistakable evidence not only of the imminence of storms, but 
 of their energy. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
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