DOES GUN-FIRE CAUSE RAIN?

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 93, 8 October 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

DOES GUN-FIRE CAUSE RAIN?

Not a few people believe that it docs; but facts do not bear out the befiei. Mr. Elgie, the author and publisher of " Star and Weather Gossip," relates that in the spring of 1911 the then First Lord of the Admiralty was asked by Lord Dalryniple whether he could arrange for the Fleet to cflrry out' tfieir heavy gun practice round the coast some other period of the year than the middle of harvest time, "when the resultant heavy rains might cause serious loss 'i> the farming community." Thi First Lord replied: "There

no evidence that the firing heavy rain. The winter months are unsuited to target practice owing to the bad weather; summer is generall devoted to manoeuvres; so that the spring and autumn are the mo.st 6uit able periods for target practice." On the other hand. Mr. Elgie mentions a picture of the Fleet at Spithead linns a salute on Coronation Day, 1911, while a correspondent recently wrote to it that "the thunderous discharge had the effect of bringing down die rain, uliil a correspondent recently wrote Mr. Elgie to the effect that "in liis forty years' practical experience gun-firing, lie had never known i Icavy discharge A .o fail in bringin down the rain."

" It is, I know," savs Mr. Elgie, "of--1 i-n advanced in support of the gunbring and rain theory that torrential downpours marked the A\ atertoo scries of liattles. But I think we should rcmeniher that those engagements were fought in the middle of June, at a period when drenching rains may be expected in Belgium- battle or no battle. f have seen it seriously suggested t ven that the great storm which shattered the Spanish Armada was due to the heavy gun-firing during the engagement." I