| | PAGE |
| [CHAPTER I.] |
| Heat and moisture are indispensable to the fertillity of theearth—Arrangements exist for their diffusion and distribution,and all the phenomena of the weather result from theiroperation—Heat furnished or produced mainly by the directaction of the sun’s rays—Manner in which it is diffused overthe earth—Other causes operate besides the sun’s rays—Theearth intensely heated in its interior—Heat derived from thegreat Oceanic currents, and the aerial currents which flowfrom the tropics to the poles, and from magnetism and electricity—Waterdistributed by an atmospheric machinery as extensiveas the globe—Evidences of this—Its distribution overthe continents of North America—Explanation of it—Sourcefrom whence our supply of water is derived, and from which our rivers return | [1] |
| |
| [CHAPTER II.] |
| Our rivers return in the form of clouds, and in storms andshowers—Definition and character of storms—Differences inthe character of the clouds which constitute them—Nomenclatureof Howard—Its imperfections—New order of description—Lowfog—High fog—Storm fog—Storm scud—N. W. scud—Cumulus—Stratus—Cirrus—Compoundsof the two latter—recapitulation in tabular form | [24] |
| |
| [CHAPTER III.] |
| Our rivers do not return from the North Atlantic—All stormsand showersmove from the westward to the eastward—Seeming clouds seen moving from the eastward to the westwardare scud—They are incidents of the storm, and not a necessarypart of it—The storm clouds are above them, moving tothe eastward—Occasions when this may be seen—Admittedfacts prove it—Investigations prove it—May be known fromanalogy—From the fact that there is an aerial current pursuingthe same course in which the storms originate—Character ofthis current—Its influence upon our country—Importanceof a knowledge of its origin, cause, and the reciprocal actionbetween it and the earth—To this end necessary to go down“to the chambers of the South” | [43] |
| |
| [CHAPTER IV.] |
| The trade wind region—Its extent and arrangements—Its beltof daily rains and movable character—The trade winds—Theextra tropical belt of rains—Connection between themand their annual movements—The counter-trades—Their originand situation—One of them constitutes our aerial current—Itoriginates in the South Atlantic as a surface-trade—Anomaliesof the trade wind region—Dry seasons—Humboldt’s descriptionof them—Exist where the surface trades are situated—Therainless countries—Concentrated counter-trade—Monsoons—Receivedtheory in relation to them a fallacy—Causeof the great central phenomena—Calorific theory a fallacy—Landnot hotter under the belt of rains, nor sea materiallyso—Theory should be abandoned | [52] |
| |
| [CHAPTER V.] |
| The agent, magnetism—Its character and currents—Oxygenmagnetic—Precipitation at the belt of rains occasioned by depolarization—Stormsoriginate in this central belt, and move toward the poles | [82] |
| |
| [CHAPTER VI.] |
| Course and functions of the counter-trade—Ours come from theSouth Atlantic—Reason why it can not come from thePacific—Mistake of Mr. Redfield and Lieutenant Maury inregard to it—All our storms originate in it—Proofs of this—Stateof the weather, whether hot or cold affected by it—Proofsof this—All our surface winds are incidents of it, anddue to its conditions and attractions—Proofs of this—Characterof the different winds—Anomalies of Mr. Blodgett accountedfor—Received theory in regard to sea and landbreezes a mistaken one—Proofs of this—Peculiar characterof the N. W. wind—Identity with the winter Mexican northers—Characterof the West India hurricanes—Of the thunder-gust—Ofthe tornado—Sundry particulars in relation to thelatter—Due to currents of electricity—Proportions of windsin different localities—Examination of the work of ProfessorCoffin upon that subject—Examination of Lieutenant Maury’s theory of the monsoons | [92] |
| |
| [CHAPTER VII.] |
| Height of the counter-trade in different latitudes—Cause of theCalms of Cancer—Influence of mountains upon the counter-trade—Reportsof Herndon and Gibbon—Focus of precipitationin the extra-tropical belt north of its southern line—Evidencesof this—The elevation of the counter-trade above theearth varies in the same latitude with the variations in the phenomenaof the weather—Temperature of the counter-trade—Raindust, its origin and indications—Volcanic ashes—Howfar they indicate its course of progression—Question whetherthere is an eastern progression of the body of the atmosphere above the machinery of distribution | [179] |
| |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] |
| Important to understand the precise character of the reciprocalaction between the earth and the counter-trade—Connectionbetween the width and movements of the belt of inter-tropicalrains and the volume of the trades—Its peculiaritiesover Africa, the Atlantic, and South America—The magneticequator—Character of the storms which originate in the inter-tropicalbelt indicate local magnetic action—Supposed influenceof volcanic action—Gulf Stream changes its position—Thisthe result of magnetic action—Alternating contrasts ofheat and cold, and rain and drought—Dr. Webster’s history ofthe weather—Spots upon the sun—Their character and influence—Coldor warm periods during the same decade, andduring different decades—Connection between the spots andmagnetic disturbances and variations—Influence of the moonupon the weather—No decisive inference to be drawn fromthese facts, and a more critical examination necessary | [204] |
| |
| [CHAPTER IX.] |
| Examination of existing theories—Calorific theory the prevailingone—Lateral overflow of Professor Dove—Absurdity of hisviews in relation to them—His theory of hurricanes—Its absurdity—Anew theory by Mr. Dobson—Three theories advancedby meteorologists of this country—Professor Espy’stheory—Mr. Bassnett’s theory—Mr. Redfield’s theory—Extendedexamination of the latter—His theory in relation tothe fall of the barometer contradictory in its character—Philosophyof the barometric change—No aid to be derived from these theories | [232] |
| |
| [CHAPTER X.] |
| Further inquiry in relation to the reciprocal action between theearth and the counter-trade—Terrestrial magnetism, and whatwe know of it—Its elements, and their variations—Their connectionwith the variations of atmospheric condition—Magnetismacts through its connection with electricity—Characterof the latter and its variations—Their connection with atmosphericconditions—Electricity as well as magnetism in excessover this country—Effects of it upon our climate—Closer considerationof the atmospheric phenomena—Their diurnalchanges and connections compared with those of magnetismand electricity—Grouping of all the diurnal variations—Particularand separate examination of them—Classification ofstorms—Examination in detail of the several classes and theprimary influence of the earth or counter-trade in relation to each | [285] |
| |
| [CHAPTER XI.] |
| Prognostics | [340] |