Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1901. CLOUD SHOOTING FOR RAIN.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 8 October 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1901. CLOUD SHOOTING FOR RAIN.

The practice of “ cloud-shooting ” for the purpose of averting hailstorms, which Mr. Clement Wragge has adopted in Australia, was in force in Austria as far back as the middle of the eighteenth century, but the use of cannon for this purpose was expressly forbidden by the Empress Maria Theresa. It was not until 1896 that the method now in vogue became generally known. Burgo-master Stiger of Windish-Feistritz, in Styria, devised a fearsome weapon for cloud-shooting —a funnel-shaped barrel, 6|ft long, 7in wide at the breech, and 26in at the muzzle. This sheet-iron blunderbuss was discharged at the threatening cloud, and whatever the scientific reason may be, the discharge had the desired effect. The firing of a shot from the “cannon ” produces a sort of whirlwind, which can be easily seen in the reflected sunshine. The whirling column of air rushes up with a whistling sound, which lasts about thirteen seconds in the day, and twenty seconds at night. During one of the Burgo-master’s experiments a swallow caught in the vortex dropped dead. The object of the cloud-shooting is, of course, to dissipate the clouds in which the storm is brewing. It is stated by meteorological experts that the air circulating round the huge bell-mouth is hurled forth in a ball by the explosion, and then expands and violently revolves, carrying for an extreme range of 1000 to 2000 yards. The “ cloud-shooting ” is said to have effectually prevented'hailstorms in the districts where it has been practised. Mr. Wragge’s experiments are on the same lines as the Austrian methods, which he took the opportunity of studying during his visit to Europe some months ago.