The Observatory Volume 23 Author:Books Group This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 Excerpt: ...prevail, be visible. The Meeting then adjourned. EOYAL METEOEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Tre first afternoon Meeting of the present Session was held... more » on Wednesday, May 16, at the Society's rooms, 70 Victoria Street, Westminster, Dr. C. 'Theodore Williams, President, in the Chair. A most interesting paper was read on "The Wiltshire Whirlwind of October 1st, 1899," which had been prepared by the late Mr. Q. J. Symons, F.R.S., a few days before he was stricken down VOL. XXIII. X with paralysis. This whirlwind occurred between 2 and 3 P.m., commencing near Middle Winterslow and travelling in a northnorth-easterly direction. The length of the damage was nearly 20 miles, but the average breadth was only about 100 yards; in this narrow track, however, buildings were blown down, trees were uprooted, and objects were lifted and carried by the wind a considerable distance before they were deposited on the ground. Fortunately the greater part of the district over which the whirlwind passed was open down, otherwise the damage, and perhaps loss of life, would have been considerable. At Old Lodge, Salisbury, the lifting-power of the whirlwind was strikingly shown by several wooden buildings being lifted up and dropped down several feet north-west of their original position. At a place 18 miles from its origin the whirlwind came upon a rick of oats, a considerable portion of which it carried right over the village of Ham and deposited in a field more than a mile and a half away. A paper by Br. Nils Ekholm, of Stockholm, was also read, on " The Variations of the Climate, of the Geological and Historical Past, and their Causes." In this the author attempts to apply the results of physical, astronomical, and meteorological research in order to explain the secular ch...« less