Storm Pointer Camphor

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MESSRS. EDITORS—Seeing an article in your paper of the 14th inst., on the Storm Pointer, I was reminded of one I made about eighteen years ago, under the direction of a sea captain who first saw one in use by a Frenchman, a passenger on board his vessel, and being so fully satisfied with the indications giv-"n by it, that he ever after carried one on shipboard, placing (as he said to me) more confidence in it than in the best barometer, from She fact that it had, in more than one instance, jiven earlier indications ; and once in particular he prepared his vessal for a storm, while others near him, using the common barometer, had no indications by it of its approach. It was made of a tube of glass filled nearly Full of a saturated solution of camphor in alcohol, the top oi the tube being covered with porous leather or parchment, with pin holes made in it. At the time of making the one I used, I could give the particular appearance of the camphor on the approach of wind orstorm,it has now escaped my memory, but could be easily revived, or any person can make one and try for themselves. C. LEAVITT, JR. Rockville, Conn., May 13,1853. [The objection which may be urged against the use of the above solution, is that the alcohol will soon evaporate through the porous piece of leather.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 37This article was published with the title “Storm Pointer Camphor” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 37 (), p. 291
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican05281853-291b

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