RULES FOR TRIMMING THE SHIP IN A HURRICANE.

Piddington long ago said: “That all positive rules tend to mislead.” Every ship must have its own peculiar management depending on the four great elements of the problem, which are—

While, on the part of the commander, caution and watchfulness are essentially requisite, still all the circumstances being favorable, rules may be given in a very brief compass for trimming a vessel to the hurricane winds. These are embodied in the following tables. Where the directions of the wind vane, as set down in the first column are tangents to the whirlwind in its course, these indicate the quarter from which the storm sets in. The points of the compass in the second column show the position of the storm’s center as regards the vessel. The fourth column gives the direction in which to steer when the wind shifts as indicated in the third column; but if it shifts as indicated in the fifth column, then bear away as told in the sixth column.

I.—FOR THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE.

Direction
of wind at
commencem’t
of storm		If the
center
(or vortex)
Bears		 And the wind
shifts from		  Steer  But if the
wind shifts
from
North. East. N to W South. N to E
N by E E by S N by E to N S by W N by E to E
N N E E S E NNE to N S S W NNE to E
NE by N SE by E NE by N to N SW by S NE by N to E
N E S E N E to N S W N E to E
NE by E SE by S NE by E to N SW by W NE by E to E †
E N E S S E ENE to N W S W ENE to E
E by N S by E E by N to N W by S E by N to E †
East. South. E to N West. E to S
E by S S by W E by S to E W by N E by S to S †
E S E S S W ESE to E W N W E S E to S
SE by E SW by S SE by E to E NW by W SE by E to S †
S E S W SE to E N W SE to S
SE by S SW by W SE by S to E NW by N SE by S to S †
S S E W S W SSE to E N N W SSE to S
S by E W by S S by E to E N by W S by E to S
South. West. S to E North. S to W
S by W W by N S by W to S N by E S by W to W
S S W W N W SSW to S N N E SSW to W
SW by S NW by W SW by S to S NE by N SW by S to W
S W N W SW to S N E SW to W

Transcriber’s Note:
† † † † † stands for:
“Put the ship on the Starboard Tack.”
Printed vertically in 6th col. (no column header)

II.—FOR THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.

Direction
of wind at
commencem’t
of storm		If the
center
(or vortex)
Bears		 And the wind
shifts from		  Steer  But if the
wind shifts
from
South. East. S to W North. S to E
S by E E by N S by E to S N by W S by E to E
S S E E N E SSE to S N N W SSE to E
SE by S NE by E SE by S to S NW by N SE by S to E
S E N E SE to S N W SE to E
SE by E NE by N SE by E to S NW by W SE by E to E †
E S E N N E ESE by S W N W ESE to E
E by S N by E E by S to S W by N E by S to E †
East. North. E to S West. E to N
E by N N by W E by N to E W by S E by N to N †
E N E N N W ENE to E W S W ENE to N
NE by E NW by N NE by E to E SW by W NE by E to N †
N E N W NE to E S W NE to N
NE by N NW by W NE by N to E SW bt S NE by N to N †
N N E W N W NNE to E S S W NNE to N
N by E W by N N by E to E S by W N by E to N
North. West. N to E South. N to W
N by W W by S N by W to N S by E N by W to W
N N W W S W NNW to N S S E NNW to W
NW by N SW by W NW by N to N SE by S NW by N to W
N W S W NW to N S E NW to W

Transcriber’s Note:
† † † † † stands for:
“Put the ship on the Starboard Tack.”
Printed vertically in 6th col. (no column header)

ADMIRAL FITZROY’S INSTRUCTIONS ON THE USE
OF THE BAROMETER IN NORTH LATITUDE.