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.
[Illustration]