t five
o'clock a violent storm visited us, which lasted half an hour,
although a clear sky was visible at the south the whole time. On
Monday morning I learned, from the telegraph office at Chicago, that
early on Saturday afternoon communication with Milwaukie had been
interrupted by atmospheric electricity, and that the line had been
broken by a storm."

NEW YORK STORM.

After this was written, the author discovered that the vortex was
equally violent the day before at New York, July 1st, 1853. An account
of this storm follows. The calculation has not been made, but it is easy
to perceive that the latitude of the vortex, on July 1st, must be very
nearly that of New York--being in latitude 43d next day and ascending.

"At a meeting of the American Association, convened at Cleveland,
Professor Loomis presented a long notice of the terrible hail storm in
New York on the 1st of July. He traced its course, and minutely examined
all the phenomena relating to it, from a mile and a half south-east of
Paterson, N.J., to the east side of Long Island, where it appeared
nearly to have spent its force. It passed over the village of Aqueenac,
striking the Island of New York in the vicinity of the Crystal Palace.
It was not much more than half a mile wide. The size of the hail-stones
was almost incredibly large, many of them being as large as a hen's egg,
and the Professor saw several which he thought as large as his fist.
Some of them weighed nearly half a pound. The principal facts in
relation to this storm were published at the time, and need not be
repeated. The discussions arising among the members as to the origin and
the size of these hail-stones, and the phenomena of the storm, were
exceedingly interesting. They were participated in by Professors Heustus
and Hosford, of Cambridge University, Professor Loomis, and Professors
Bache and Redfield. The latter two gentlemen differ somewhat, we should
suppose radically, in their meteorological theories, and had some very
sharp but very pleasant "shooting" between them."[13]

CENTRAL VORTEX DESCENDING.

We will now make the calculation for the central vortex _descending_,
for longitude 88d 50' west, August 7, 1853,--putting down the necessary
elements for the time of the meridian passage in order:

Meridian passage in local time at 2h. 25m. P.M.
" " in Greenwich time 7d. 8h. 18m.
Mass of the moon 1/12.3 M.