CORRESPONDENCE

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 75, 8 March 1879, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

We are always willing to give insertion to letters of explanation or interest, but we wish it to be distinctly understood thut we do not endorse the opinions expressed, er language used, by our correspondents. Our ideas of passing events will be found in our local or editorial columns. TO TIIK EDITOR OK THK SAMOA TIMES. Sin, —Probably the following observations, taken during the gale of this week, will be of interest to some of your readers who study meteorology. At intervals during the night of the 2nd inst. there were severe storms of thunder and lightning, Hying almost all round the compass, and accompanied by very heavy rain.

At 0 a.m. of Jthe 3rd March the barometer was noticed to stand at 29'70. This unusually low state of the glass, which continued throughout the day, as well ns the peculiar cam, hazy state of the atmosphere, and the dull murky look to seaward, betokened dirty weather not far off.

About •"> p.m. a strong wind from E.S.E. was observed to set down, outside the reef, but the calm still continued on land.

There seemed to he no particular occasion for alarm, and even those who had been watching their " glasses" did not apprehend much of n blow till about 1 n.m. of the 3rd March, when the wind began to increase in violence. The barometer ut the same time began to fall rapidly. From this time Up till -i a.m. the squalls, which veered from E.S.E. to NYE., increased in force until, at the time mentioned, two or three squalls approached hurricane force, strewing the ground with green cocoanut leaves which had been twisted forcibly off the trees, and eeriously trying tho stability of buildings of all descriptions. Many breadfruit and other trees were torn up by tho roots, and the nmount of damage done is not easily estimated.

At 1 a.m. of the 4th March the barometer began to full steadily, though slowly, till at 4 a.m. it stood at 2003. From 'this time it (commenced to rise, at 0 a.m. it was 2!)'70 ; at 10 a.m. 29'«: i, and at 10 p.m of tho 4th March it stood at 2i).'Jo. Notwithstanding severe squalls veering from X.X.E. to N.W., the glass kept slowly rising till on Wednesday, sth iust., at 10 a.ni. it was up to 30'. Tho direction of tho wind, when at its height, as shown by the direction in which trees, kc, have fallen, was from the eastward, veering to tho N.E. On Tuesday and Wednesday the wind kept veering from N.N.K. to N.W.; the squalls, though occasionally very severe, did not by any means approach tho force of the squalls between 4 and ."> a.m. of the 4th (Tuesday). From the direction of the wind, it is evident that we were on the S.K. edge of a cyclone, and that the brunt of it must have passed to the westward, tho cyclone travelling from N.E. to S.W. That this theory is correct would nprJear from news received from Malun (12 miles to the west), and from Atun, (10 miles to the oust). The latter district, import says, almost entirely escaped. From Malua, tho following report has been received:—

March ttrd —Much rain in the night,calm, witli occasional pull's and ■howai from EjS.E, „ i p.m. Bar, 10-80 „ 4th 2 a.m. „ 8070 „ „ 4 a.m. „ 2!MiO „ „ ft a.m. „ 2!) .M) | ti-ees.hou- „ „ .V.')oa.m.„ 2!i I", j ~.h, &c, falling. Wind from E.S.Iv A lull then oucuirud for about 30 minutos, uud about ."». t"» (li. wind cUopj"-d

round to N.N.W. and blow for a little . with great fury. The barometer then j I rose,— 11 At 0.30 a.m. it was 297*> „10 „ „ 20-80 „ U a.m. of .-)th„ 80-93 | „ 10 , :10- ;, Tho barometei-s from which the abov< [ readings are riven aro both staudaru barometers; my own is extremely sensitive, rising aud falling with about every squall. Both are Well regulated and iu comparingthe readingsof differeut glasses it would be well to remember that a great deal depends on the " set " of the glass. Oapt. Schmidt, of the Sudsee, tells me his glass (an aneroid) fell to 2!)'-W but as it is 20/100 lower set than mine the readings precisely coincide. I believe wo will hear that the centre ' of tho cyclone has passed to the west of us, through,—say Manouo, or Savaii. When further intelligence has reached us from outlying districts, more reliable dc- . tails may be forthcoming. Yours truly, j G. A. Tlrxkr, M.D. Apia, Samoa, Lat., 13° 50' 8., long. 171° 45' W., March 7,1870.