William Stevenson to Faraday   8 April 1853

M. Faraday Esq | &c &c &c

Dunse, 8th April 1853

Dear Sir,

I am favoured with your letters of the 30th ult & 6th inst.

It is very gratifying to me to learn that such eminent judges as Colonel Sabine & yourself have considered my observations to be of such Scientific importance as to render their publication, in some form, desirable.

I have not the slightest objection to the publication of my observations, wholly or partially, in any journal or in any form, so that they may be made accessible to those who take an interest in the Subject. I have as yet published nothing on Meteorological Subjects except in the shapes of newspaper paragraphs, slips for circulation among my friends, & the like. Perhaps as you suggest the Philosophical Magazine would be a suitable vehicle for the publication of the observations contained in the abstract which I sent you. They would however of course require to be put into a proper form, for I need scarcely say that in making up the abstract I did not think it necessary to attend to anything like literary arrangement. I am quite willing to entrust the Editors of the Phil.Mag. to put the paper into proper shape for their journal. In this case I should like to see what alterations they make upon the M.S. before it is in the hands of the Printer, or, at least, to have an opportunity of looking over the proofs, that any clerical or other errors may be rectified. Or, I could alter the form myself in accordance with any suggestions which you might make, in conjunction (perhaps) with the Editor of the Phil.Mag. I should however rather prefer the former method, for, among other reasons, I have not hitherto been a reader of that journal, and am therefore not a proper judge of style &c suitable to its readers. All I wish is that whatever is of value in my observations should be made available to the Scientific public. The paper could be much shortened by striking out many of the less important notes¹.

I may perhaps at some future time, publish a small book upon the Subject, but as I am not yet prepared for this, I think it much better not to detain from the public what may be of use in the meantime.

The results of your investigations respecting the effect of low temperatures & rarefaction upon the magnetism of oxygen, will be looked for with great interest².

If I recollect right I stated somewhere in the “Abstract” sent you, that I had been led to the opinion that the directions of the progressive motions of cyclones compared, at least approximately, with those of the upper atmospheric currents as indicated by the motions of cirri. Within the last two months I have observed some very striking instances confirmatory of this opinion, and I should like much that the attention of meteorologists was directed to the Subject, as any addition to our knowledge of the laws & indications of the approach of these destructive visitants, must be of great value to humanity, as well as of much Scientific importance. The following is a Short abstract of some of my notes regarding the cases referred to:

On the 18th Febry the cirri moved from N to S, their bands ranging NNE to SSW, wind light from about WNW & barometer declining. I noted in my journal “this seems to indicate the passage of a cyclone from N to S. Perhaps a storm from NNE may be expected with a rise of the barometer”. Next day we had Severe Storm of snow & hail from NNE with a rapid rise of the barometer.

On the 21st Feby. at 3 P.M. cirri extended from NE to SW, moving from about NW. In the evening the barom. began to decline & the wind changed from N to W. I noted in my journal “a cyclone appears to be coming over from NW, the centre passing to Eastward”. This cyclone proceeded according to the “law of Storms” during the 22nd & 23rd. On the 24th before its course was fully completed, it was interfered with by a Second cyclone, which in its turn, was (on the 25th) interfered with by a third,- the progressive motion of all the 3 Storms being from NW. On the 25th about noon, cerri & cirro-cumuli were seen moving from NW, wind then N, and the barom. at its culminating point. About 3 P.M. the wind backed to W, and during the evening the barom. fell rapidly. At 12 PM. the wind was SW, gusty, with Snow. I noted in my journal “a third cyclone has come on before the Second was completed & moving in the Same direction (from about NW). From its commencing at SW, we may expect a heavy Storm from NE as this cyclone appears to be central here”. Next day we had a very Severe Storm from NNE with a rising barom. & on the 27th the storm was finished by the wind Sinking at NE, the barom. having risen to fully its average height.

On the 30th March the wind was Easterly, weather fine & barometer which had been high, gradually declining. On the 31st at 8 A.M. I observed numerous cirri moving very rapidly from SE, wind then E & barom. still slowly declining. I inferred a cyclone moving from SE, the centre passing to Westward of this place. This was fully confirmed, for at 1 AM. of the 1st inst a high wind Sprung up from E, the barom. falling very much. During the day the wind veered round to SW, the barom having fallen until the wind passed the SSW point, when it began to rise. On the 2nd at 2 PM. I observed irregular cirri at a lower elevation than usual & passing into cirro-cumuli, moving rapidly from SW, wind then SW. 9 PM. barom still rising, wind high from WSW. The cyclonic movement on this occasion would thus seem to have affected to a certain extent the higher regions of the atmosphere. It would be important to ascertain the exact nature of the disturbances of the meteorological elements in the upper regions during, as well as before & after the passage of cyclones. The Subject tho’ difficult, would, I have no doubt yield good results to careful & long continued observation.

Now that we really know Something about Storms, and now that we have the electric telegraph ready to convey intelligence almost instantaneously to and from remote parts of the islands of Britain & Ireland, it is, I think, high time that our Government should establish meteorological observatories at several important & distant stations now connected by telegraph, so that the indications of approaching storms, as well as observations made during their progress should be “flashed“ over the country, especially to the principal Sea ports, without loss of time. If this were done, with the addition of a system of Storm Signals at prominent points round our coasts, I need scarcely say, that in all probability, a vast number of lives would be saved yearly, as well as an amount of property, compared with which the cost of the proposed establishments would be a mere trifle.

This is Surely a Subject well worthy of being seriously considered by the Government of a country so eminently maritime as our own, and from the highly liberal & Scientific character of Several members of the present Government, I have little doubt that an application to them, urging the great importance of the proposal both as regards the interests of humanity & of Science, would not be made in vain.

I Remain | My Dear Sir | With the greatest Respect | Your’s Ever Faithfully | Wm Stevenson