THE THEORY OF THE LAW OF STORMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 187, 6 September 1878, Page 2

THE THEORY OF THE LAW OF STORMS.

The following letter appeared in the Melbourne Argus: — Sir — The loss of the barque Kedar with her cargo, and the subsequent sufferings endured by her crew, being solely attributable to a want of knowledge by her commander of the theory of the law of storms, I beg to point out, for the guidance of masters of ships who have no knowledge of it, the following simple facts, which may prevent on future occasions similar disasters. The rule for determining the centre of a slorm in the southern hemisphere is—" Look to the wind's eye and set its bearing by [compass. The eighth point to the left of the direction of the wind in the southern hemisphere will be the focus or centre of the storm." In the case of the Kedar the wind was N.E.; the centre of the storm therefore bora N.W. from her. By putting the Kedar on the starboard tack Bhe was headed for the centre of the hurricane, and consequently was sailed towards it, and suffered accordingly. Lieu-tenant-Colonel Reid iv his work distinctly points this out:—" When a ship in south latitude meets a revolving storm, "and is sailing towards the centre, she will receive the wind on the starboard side." It therefore follows that a ship kept on the port tack in south latitude will always sail away from the focus or centre of a hnrricane. These simple rules ought to be known by every master of a ship. On the present occasion, their knowledge would have saved not only great suffering, but also the pecuniary loss of the ahip and cargo to her owner or insurers. I am, &c.j August 3.