Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-06-27

IIo'essor ESPf b Ah6ory OF Storms so
much ridiculed and laughed at by the self
esteemed wise ones OF the day, IS beginning
to receive at the hands of rejecting men the
consideration which II justly merits. With
out pretending 10 comprehend fully the do.
tails OF his system, or to be able to follow
him out in all the processes Of his reasoning,
we are free to COO Tess. that ever since tho
idea IVES first started, il has seemed to US 10
bear the impress Of great and comprehen-
'iye mind, operating perhaps somewhat 10
the dark, and consequently liable 10 err, bu,
nevertheless governed 10 ito action by gen.
eral principles. the truth OF which caonol be
denied.
The professor 10 at present in New York
and in The Evening Post NO end the follow.
ing notice OF bis End. lecture.-Ba!t. Amer.
10 the lecture which Prof Espy delivered
last evening, after recapitulating the prin>
ciples advanced in the former part of his
course, he proceeded TO tho statement of
certain facts in meteorology which could be
accounted for by nc other theory than bis
own. Among these he noticed the peculiar
property OF the barometer by which il fell
during The prevalence of certain storms
when according TO tho received opinions il
should rise, The effect OF CROSS winds in the
upper regions Of the air in mutually modi,
lying The influence OF each other the absence
OF rain from Egypt and Peru, and the i'm.
msnse quantities of Rain which sometimes
fall upon small tract OF country in a very
short time. These were phenomena that
had been long known, which meteurologists
had sndeavored 10 explain without success
An application Of The principles Of the new
theory places them OF once in the clearest
light.
The professor then stated the grounds up.
ON which he rested his firm belefthat il was
possible to produce rain by artificial means.
Ii Ii Could be shown that men could in any
way cause an immense column OF air to ass
cend, his position he though. was demonsirs-
ted beyond doubt. Large quantities of
combustible materials collected 10 one place,
under favorable state OF the atmosphere,
air, the heated column would rise, the latent
csloric be evolved, the moisture Of the atmos-
pbere condensed, and the process of the for
nation OF clouds and the production of rain
be gone through with success. II has been
known since the days OF Humboldt, who
mentions the fact in one OF his works, that
volcanic eruptioDs are succeeded by copious
showers Of ram. The same result has been
observed 10 follow prolrscled battles. An
officer OF the British army, 10 The East In =.
Ola service, coDverssnt with meteorological
inquiries, has remarked that rain invariably
follows the continued discharge of O great
many pieces of cannon The missionaries
OF Paraguay describe The floods OF rain
which always succeed the burning Of the
dry grass OF The plains, and intelligent per
sons IN the western parts OF the United
states have made similar observations in re-
gard 10 The fires on the praries. These facts,
SAID The Professor, taken in connection with
what almost every body has observed, the
drenching showers which come down sooA
alter conhagration 10 large city, render
u probable that il by any means sufficient
heat could be generated, there would be no
difficulty in forming clouds, that would soon
condense into rain, and thus water large
extent OF country, as they were carried
eastward by the perpetual west wind Of this
climate. He was anxious that an experi-
ment should be tried. In certain conditions
OF the atmosphere it was possible that be
might fail, but yet, If allowed TO select a
suitable time and place, he would risk bis
.eputs''on upon the success Of the expert