"If you stand with your back to the wind the pressure decreases toward your left, and increases toward your right."
For navigators, this law is more generally expressed in the words of the Hydrographic Office on "Cyclonic Storms."
"Since the wind circulates counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere, the rule in that hemisphere is to face the wind, and the storm centre will be at the right hand. If the wind traveled in exact circles, the centre would be eight points (90 degrees) to the right when looking directly in the wind's eye. But the wind follows a more or less spiral path inward which brings the centre from eight to twelve points (90 to 135 degrees), to the right of the wind. The centre will bear more nearly eight points from the direction of the lower clouds than from the surface wind."
[Illustration: FIG. 11. SKIRON--THE NORTHWEST WIND]
The law given on the preceding page is named after C. H. D. Buys Ballott, a Dutch meteorologist. It was announced in a paper published in the _Comptes rendus_ in 1857. Two American writers on the Winds, J. H. Coffin and William Ferrell, had however earlier found the law to hold.
While most of us study storms from a window at home and are not called upon to handle a ship in a storm, yet it may not be out of place to include here the diagram of the winds in an ideal storm and give the rules for maneuvering. See Figure 12. The Winds in an Idealized Storm. The rules apply only to storms in the northern hemisphere.
"_Right or dangerous semicircle_,--Steamers: Bring the wind on the starboard bow, make as much way as possible, and if obliged to heave-to, do so head to sea. Sailing vessels: Keep close-hauled on the starboard tack, make as much way as possible, and if obliged to heave-to, do so on the starboard tack.
_Left or navigable semicircle_,--Steam and sailing vessels: Bring the wind on the starboard quarter, note the course and hold it. If obliged to heave-to, steamers may do so stern to sea; sailing vessels on the port tack.
_On the storm track in front of center_,--Steam and sailing vessels: Bring the wind two points on the starboard quarter, note the course and hold it, and run for the left semicircle, and when in that semicircle manoeuvre as above.