Paul Frederick Henry Baddeley to Faraday   5 November 1850

Lahore | 5, Nov 1850

Dear Sir

I have had the honor of receiving your letter of 23 July last¹; and it gives me great satisfaction to learn, that my observations on “Dust Storms,” met with your approval.

If permitted to remain at Lahore, I hope to be enabled to continue my observations on the same subject, during next hot season; at which period of the year, Dust Storms are of frequent occurrence. My attention will be chiefly directed to discover if possible, some rule for determining their course, should they be under any fixed law.

Mr. Piddington² of Calcutta, who has for many years past, been engaged in collecting and investigating facts which bear on the law of Storms, and has I understand, written valuable memoirs on this important subject - expressed himself much gratified with the published account of D.S’s he had just perused in the Philos: Magazine for August - particularly so, with his own ideas as to the probable Electric origin of these Phenomena, seem likely to be confirmed³.

He says - “In 1848, I published in my Sailors Horn Book⁴ the Hypothesis that the Cyclone, is an Electric Meteor composed of one or many close and nearly horizontal, but yet slightly spiral streams of Electric fluid, descending thus from the higher regions, and in its (or their) descent, giving rise to currents in all the air it necessarily passes through, but not carrying that same air along with it”[.]

I have not had the pleasure of seeing this work - but in April & May 1847 while at Lahore, I discovered the Electl nature of Dust Storms or whirlwinds, and reported the same in my Annual return for that year - and again more fully, in 1848/49 - and from the first arrived at almost precisely the same conclusions as Mr. P. respecting the Elecl. Nature of the Cyclone.

Concluding that all like phenomena whether by sea or land, were to be ascribed to one and the same cause.

Should I in the course of inquiries meet with any thing worth of your notice, I will communicate it to you without delay, since you have kindly given me encouragement to do so - and need scarcely add, that any suggestions you may be pleased to offer, to guide me in the proper method of investigating these Phenomena, will be most acceptable.

I have pleasure to enclose 2 rough sketches of approaching Dust Storms - that occurred at Lahore this year⁵.

I am | my dear Sir | Yours Faithfully | P. Baddeley | Surgeon Asst

M. Faraday Esq, F.R.S. &c &c | Royal Institution | London.

Address: M. Faraday Esq, F.R.S. | Royal Institution | London.