IV.--STORMS, HURRICANES, AND TYPHOONS.

The solution of the question--How far and in what manner are storms
connected with atmospheric waves?--must be extremely interesting to
every one engaged in either the naval or merchant service. As we have in
the former chapters directed attention to their connexion, our great
object here will be to endeavour to mark out such a line of observation
as appears most capable of throwing light, not only on the most
important desiderata as connected with storms, but also their connexion
or non-connexion with atmospheric waves. We shall accordingly
arrange this portion of the instructions under the following
heads:--_Desiderata_; _Localities_; _Margins_; _Preceding and Succeeding
Accumulations of Pressure._

_Desiderata._--The most important desiderata appertaining to the subject
of storms, are certainly their origin and termination. Of these initial
and terminal points in the course of great storms we absolutely know
nothing, unless _the white appearance of a round form_ observed by Mr.
Seymour on board the Judith and Esther, in lat. 17° 19' north and long.
52° 10' west (see Col. Reid's 'Law of Storms,' 1st edit. p. 65), may be
regarded as the commencement of the Antigua hurricane of August 2, 1837.
This vessel was the most eastern of those from which observations had
been obtained; and it is the absence of contemporaneous observations to
the eastward of the 50th meridian that leaves the question as to the
origin of the West Indian revolving storms unsolved. Not one of Mr.
Redfield's storm routes extends eastward of the 50th meridian; this at
once marks out, so far as storms are concerned, the entire space
included between the 20th and 50th meridians, the equator and the 60th
parallel, as a most suitable area for observations, under particular
circumstances hereafter to be noticed, with especial reference either to