TAPPING THE CLOUDS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2794, 8 March 1882, Page 2

TAPPING THE CLOUDS.

A correspondent furnishes the Brisbane “ Observer ” with some particulars of a trial experiment by Professor Pepper in cloud-tapping. At exactly 5 a.m. on Sunday, Professor Pepper and a few friends rallied' at a signal agreed on previously, for a private experiment with his gigantic kite. The morning was slightly overcast, and a few low clouds induced the Professor to make the trial., The kite is 20 feet high, and its tail is’ 50' yards. It is flown by a steel three strand wire running off a reel, which by a novel contrivance of the Professor’s is made to _ pay out as required. After several failures in getting the kite to rise for there was little windj'an'd not until after all had agreed that the experiment had better bo given up for the day—a little Norman schoolboy, who had somehow managed to guess what was up, volunteered to raise the kite, which he succeeded in doing, and by good fortune —after paying out three coils of wire—it entered a small cloud floating rather lower than the others. Now came the excitement. W. suggested dynamite, B. caution, P. a charge of electricity, F. thunder and lightning. W. gained the trial after a few words, time being too precious to lose, and the cloud evidently rising. Bang went a charge of dynamite as a tiny spark was emitted from the electric battery, and down came the rain simultaneously, amid the hurrahs of the small party assembled. Unfortunately, this success spoilt our rainmaking for the day. Wo only had one charge of dynamite attached to the kite, and the cloud being small, a shower of very short duration cleared away the cloud altogether. Another coil of wire was attached to tho kite, and up she went until another small ‘ Cloud, apparently attracted by it, got entangled and completely surrounded tho kite. Now

the professor had his way, and sent up the electricity (thus reversing the usual practice). Our battery was capable of throwing a spark about 12in when tried on terra firma, but above the power seemed to be almost unlimited. No sooner was the circuit made than clouds were attracted fr-un all directions, with the wind or against the wind seemed to make scarce an atom of difference, and as they neared our little cloud great forks of lightning, and even sheets, darted into them, and continued to do so, with beautiful and even appalling effect, had we not known that all was generated by the little battery at our feet —until there was massed together sufficient for a deluge a black and threatening mass on which had we but reserved our power of explosion, would have evidently given many inches of rain to the thirsty land. However, the experiment was an unqualified success, and probably more was learned by our slight mistakes than had we proceeded otherwise. A subsequent experiment resulted in failure.