Natural Law in Terrestrial Phenomena

Abstract

THIS book deals with the theory, revived and amplified by Mr. Hugh Clements, which seeks the cause of all meteorological and of most volcanic phenomena in luni-solar attractions. The evidence which Mr. Digby adduces in support of Mr. Clements's theory is not convincing. In the early chapters, he shows how a number of gales and eruptions, more particularly the recent catastrophes in the West Indies, have occurred at times when the astronomical conditions were favourable to the production of high tides, but the important question of how often either of these two sets of phenomena-may have occurred independently of the other is not discussed. The chapters on forecasting will probably attract most attention. Mr. Clements tells us that the earth, moon and sun occupy the same relative positions every 186 years, and that, therefore, identical weather conditions will prevail. Given trustworthy records extending over 186 years, forecasting becomes a mere matter of looking up records for corresponding days. Failing such records, we must compare days on which the astronomical conditions are as nearly alike as possible. In appendix iii., rules are given for allowing for the effect of small differences in the parallax, declination and times of transit of the sun and moon, on the height of the barometer, the determining factor in the weather at any place. The unfailing agreement shown by these calculations arouses suspicion. On closer examination, we find that the signs of the corrections vary quite arbitrarily, while at least five different methods of correcting for declination occur in the text. Results based on such foundations cannot inspire much confidence, even though a fair agreement between predictions and Greenwich records is claimed. The more obvious method of exhibiting the similarity of meteorological conditions under similar astronomical conditions by comparing the corresponding isobaric charts does not appear to have occurred to Mr. Clements. We commend this method to the attention of those who have leisure to devote to a detailed examination of a mode of dealing with meteorology that recurs from time to time.