This plate is copied exactly from a Supplement issued with the Pilot Chart for October, 1889 (published Sept. 27th), with only the addition of the tracks of the two storms (as indicated by later data) and the tracks of a few vessels (see small charts dated Sept. 3, 4–7, 10). Considering the early date of publication, the wide expanse of ocean covered by the charts, and their essential accuracy (as indicated by later data), it must be acknowledged, I think, by anyone who is at all acquainted with the difficulties incident to this sort of work, that this supplement to the Pilot Chart hit more closely to the truth in this matter than would probably be possible under similar circumstances in one case out of ten. Had later data materially modified conclusions drawn at such an early date, it could not have been a matter of surprise, although this prompt publication would still have served a most valuable purpose in interesting navigators to contribute data likely to help us in establishing the facts. Indeed, the following quotations from the Pilot Chart and Supplement illustrate exactly what was desired, and what was actually accomplished by this publication: "This preliminary publication, issued two weeks after the storm reached our coast, well illustrates the cordial support this office receives from masters of vessels in its efforts to collect and utilize data regarding marine meteorology. It is desired to collect as complete data as possible regarding this storm, in order to publish a final report, and the present publication will be useful as a good working basis for a more complete detailed study of the hurricane." Also, "Special attention is called to the fact that this preliminary publication is only intended to give a brief outline of the facts as indicated by data received up to date of publication." Moreover, the name, nationality, and rig of every vessel whose report had been received in time to be used was published, and every statement made in the accompanying text was based on an exhaustive study of all the data.

It is interesting to note how slightly the very complete data now at hand have modified this hastily-prepared history, and all the circumstances urge similar quick work and prompt publication in every case, before other storms and other conditions have dulled public interest and directed attention elsewhere. The track of the easternmost of the two storms, as plotted on the first little chart, shows that it moved more rapidly than was anticipated, and recurved farther north: the fact is, its very existence was not even suspected till two hours before the final draft of the maps was made, and then only because the German steamship "Savona," from Baltimore for Brazil, suffered such damage from the hurricane on Sept. 5th (see chart dated Sept. 3rd for position) that she was obliged to run in to St. Thomas for repairs, and our consul, Mr. M. A. Turner, forwarded her report by the first steamer to New York. The following is a brief extract from this report, beginning at 10 P.M., Sept. 4th: "Full hurricane, ship lying in trough of sea, laboring heavily and shipping much water. Cargo shifted; jettisoned 600 barrels of flour and 60 tons of coal. Broke steam steering gear and wheel, found rudder adrift, 3 feet of water in the hold, foundations of engines seriously loose and getting worse. Bore up for St. Thomas."

It is impossible, in the space at my disposal, to refer even briefly to the reports of the few vessels whose tracks are plotted on the charts: the stanch steamship "Earnmoor," foundering in the heart of the hurricane on Sept. 5th, eleven of her crew of thirty escaping in an open boat, and of these only seven surviving that fearful drift of twenty-three days; the "Sépet," between the two storms and escaping both; the "Lassell," from the tropics to Block Island, all the way in the grasp of the hurricane, without a sight of sun, moon, or stars, to fix her position; the "Ada Bailey," rolling in the long swell off Hatteras and watching the early indications of the approaching storm for nearly a week before it struck her; the "Hernan Cortes," forced to stand off into fearful danger by the still greater danger of a lee-shore at Hatteras; and the "City of New York," "Teutonic," and "City of Rome," starting on their Titanic race from Liverpool for New York the day after this great hurricane swept past St. Thomas, and reaching their goal with it, and in spite of all its fury. I must dismiss this whole interesting history with the following abstract of the report of Capt. Simmons, of the British brigantine "Victoria," whose original report is brief and to the point, like all the rest (see track of the "Victoria," northwest from St. Thomas, on the first small chart):

I passed through the cyclone, resulting in the total loss of the spars, sails, etc., of my vessel. The SE. sea became so heavy that I was obliged to heave-to. The sky was one sheet of dark gray, at times approaching black. The lightning was excessive only during the latter part of the storm; it appeared as a continuous quivering sheet around a great part of the horizon, extending about 10° above it and lasting many seconds, unaccompanied by thunder; the compass could not be read, the card spinning so that the points were indistinguishable. The lowest barometer reading was 27.86 (aneroid, corrected by comparison at Boston shortly before and at Halifax the following month).

THE ST. THOMAS-HATTERAS HURRICANE OF SEPTEMBER 3–12, 1889.

Sept. 3.—A hurricane of great intensity is passing close to the northward of St. Thomas, moving about W. NW. Lowest barometer at St. Thomas during the day, 28.97. Steepest observed barometric gradient (between St. Thomas and Puerto Rico), .75 inch in 65 miles. The cyclone is a large one, and of terrific energy,—an enormous whirlwind more than 500 miles in diameter, with a central calm area about 16 miles in diameter. It was experienced with destructive violence amongst the Windward Islands, from Martinique to Barbuda, on the 2d, and the vortex passed over St. Christopher's about midnight, the central calm lasting from 10.15 p.m. of the 2d till 12.45 a.m. of the 3d. There are evidences of another hurricane about 1,000 miles eastward of the first, moving about W. NW.
Sept. 4.—The hurricane is central north of Puerto Rico, where strong northerly, westerly, and southerly gales are experienced, but not of full hurricane force. During the forenoon its massive, towering cloud-bank is clearly visible from Turk's island, 300 miles away, causing great alarm till it is seen to be moving well to the northward of the island. A violent storm in Santo Domingo this afternoon seems to be either an offshoot from the cyclone or the effect of another storm crossing the island to join the great hurricane—possibly a storm that was felt at Curaçao the previous day. The second hurricane has continued its motion toward W. NW. and its present position is clearly indicated about the eastern limits of the Chart.
Sept. 5.—The hurricane is moving rather slowly along a northwesterly course, toward Hatteras. The enormous seas started by the great whirlwind during its progress thus far have overspread almost the entire western half of the Atlantic: heavy northeasterly swell at Jamaica and through the Windward Channel; northeasterly and easterly, all along the Bahama Islands and northern Florida; very heavy surf at Bermuda; long rolling swell from S. SE. off Hatteras, perceptible as early as the 2d and increasing daily; long, low southerly swell off Nantucket as early as the 4th, when the storm-center was 1,300 miles away. The second hurricane is moving northwestward, and is beginning to recurve about 600 miles S. E. from Bermuda.
Sept. 6.—The concentric isobars on the Chart show that the hurricane is now central about midway between Bermuda and Eastern Cuba, with barometric pressure at the center probably below 28.40. All the characteristics of a tropical cyclone are still exhibited, and to a marked degree: storm area noticeably circular in outline; very steep gradients and enormous wind velocities near the center; sudden shifts of the wind in terrific squalls; heavy driving rain mingled with foam caught up from the crests of the waves; sky of inky blackness, with masses of flying scud so low as to touch the masts. Close by, in front, and on either side, calm, sultry, hazy weather, with a tremendous swell rolling in from the direction of the distant but massive cloud-bank of the hurricane. A long ridge of high pressure is building up to the northward of the hurricanes.
Sept. 7.—The hurricane continues its slow but steady march toward Hatteras. Yesterday morning the observer at Santiago de Cuba reported the cyclone recurving. This morning the meteorologist at Havana, 900 miles away, reports the cyclone's movements, guided by the motions of the upper clouds,—the cirrus veil that overspreads the entire sky with a thick haze, and the long feathery plumes of cirrus cloud that are faintly visible above it, radiating from the distant storm. The influence of the great hurricane begins to be felt along the outer edge of the Gulf Stream, below Hatteras. A heavy surf is rolling in on the coast all the way from Cape Florida to Block Island, and the long southerly swell has reached beyond Sable Island to Cape Breton. The second hurricane is moving NEd., and a ridge of high pressure is extending Sd. between the two.