MARCH WINDS.
The Meteorological Society held their great meeting on Waterloo Bridge, to watch the nature of the March winds, and several very interesting phenomena were made manifest. A member having placed himself in one of the recesses, waited the coming of a gust from the north, and was presently in a position to relate the following particulars.
His first sensation was that of a severe blow in the face, which drew moisture from both his eyes, and sent out his hair into a number of almost horizontal lines, some of them forming right angles with his forehead. On turning his back, for the purpose of further experiments, his hat underwent such rapid rarefaction, that, becoming considerably lighter than the air, it was carried, in a slanting direction, a few inches from his head, when the expansive power of the atmosphere having ceased to take full effect, the gossamer fell by its own specific gravity to the earth, and revolved on its own axis as far as the toll-gate.
A most interesting experiment was then tried with an ordinary umbrella, upon which, in its closed state, the March wind was found to have no particular power, though it was ascertained that there was an equal atmospheric pressure on every part of the gingham. On putting the umbrella up, and presenting it to the wind, the holder of the machine was carried gently backwards, but on his turning round, the sight became very animating to the bystanders. The umbrella was completely turned inside out, and, at length, the whole concern collapsed with a frightful crash—the points to which the gingham was fastened being compressed together in a reverse position to that which they were intended to occupy. The iron rods attached to the whalebone immediately fell into angular figures, and it was not thought advisable to proceed further with the experiment.
It was proved, beyond the possibility of doubt, that if the human eye be kept wide open in a March wind, the dust will be carried upwards until it reaches the organ of vision. This was experienced in two or three cases; and an enthusiast in the cause repeated the experiment several times, when it was found to fail in no single instance.
