Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-09-12
NV No. 474'
EsPN'S THEORY.


ing the Lectures of Professor EsPr, de-
livorod in this place, will have the whole
subject brought fresh and distinctly to
their rccollcciions by perusipg The !6lIow'
ing very ineligible statement OF T" tile
laws OF storms" uggcsied by that phi
!osopher, which we copy from the Now
Haven Herald. Mr.. 4 has recently
delivered II course Of lectures in that
place, aud The following synopsis ~ his
theory, was undout,cdl, prepared under
his own inspection.
ist. The atmosphere is about deg
colder for every 100 yards above tho
surface Of the earth.
3D. II column Of air ascends above
Tho surface Of tho earth, II cOols by lite
expansion from the diminished pressure,
one degree and quarter for every 100
yards ol upward motion.
! Sd. The quantity Of vaPor in the air
may be known from Da!ton's discovery
oi tile Dewpoint.
attn The Dewpoint falls one quarter
of degree every 100 yards which
column OF uir ascends into the atmos-
phere.
1 9Th. When a column Of air ascends
as many hundred yards as the temprra-
ture OF the ali at the time is above tho
Dcwpoint, the vapor in the air ascending
will begin TO condcnse into water or
cloud, and the height of the basis Of all
clouds forming rem ascending columns,
will thus be knows.
9th. The vapOr thus condensing into
water or cloud, will give out its caIor'c
of elasticity, and will expand the air IN
which the cloud is formed about 6O0O
cubic feet for every cubic foot Of water
generated in the cloud, after allowances
Is made for the condensation Of vspor in
TO water.
7th. When the column rises 10 n
great height, a very lofty cloud Of great
perpendicular diameter will be formed,
and the great leVity Of that cloud will
cause the barometer to sink in sOmo ca
scs two inches below the mean, under
tho cloud and also to rise on the out
SIDE of the cloud something above tile
mean, by the great expansion Of tho air
in the cloud, which will cause il to spread
out above in all directions 10 an annulus.
9Th. The fall OF the barometer under
/ tho cloud will Cause the air to press IN
towards the centre Of the cloud below
on all sides, and on approaching the cen-
tire to rise, aud in rising it will become
colder by the expansion due to diminish
cd pressure, and so the process VI cloud
forming will DO continued.
4 9th. IL the column rises nearly per-
pendicularly, and the Dew wpoint is very
hight that is, if tho steam power in the
air is very great, the action may be so
violent as to carry up large drops OF rain
far above the region Of congelatiOn, and
throw them Off at the sides in two veius
Of hail-or, if the column leans, 1t may
all fall on one side.
10Th. AS the cloud rises and acquires
great perpendicular depth, the air under
the cloud expands from diminished pres
sure, and becomes colder by that expan-
sion, and OF course will not rise so high
before its vapor begins to condense into
cloud +; thus the base Of the cloud will
be iower,n proportion as the top beton'cs
higher, and if the barometer sinks one
inch under the base Of the cloud, the
cloud in the ascending column will be-
gin TO form about 500 yards lower than
at first and if the Dewpoint at first Is
not more than degrees Below the tenn
peraturc Of the air, then will the cloud
begin to form at the very surface OF the
ground, as soon as air from afound
comes in under the cloud, and this cloud
will maniiesily be in the shape Of all iii-
vcricd cone below, spreading out at the
very top of the cloud, like the rim Of d
mushroom.
llth. This cloud will rise to a great
height and penetrate the upper current
OF the air, which is known to be alwaysi
or generally, moving, in this part Of OUT
country, from tho west or southwest to-
wards the cast or northeast this current
will drive by its impulse the upper part
OF the cloud in its own direc,lor, which
will cause the apex OF the cone on tho
surface Of the earth to move in the same
directions.
| l2lh. AS the meteor moves eastward:
! ly, the trees on the extreme borders will
DC thrown down with their tops inward,
that is, those OH tile northern border.
will be tlirown towards the south, aiiJ
those on the extreme southern bordefi
will bo thrown tow ards the north sD5
if any should be lying across, ihosS
watch arc thrown backwards and inwafds
will be under those which are forwards
aud inv ards but none on tho eAtrem6
borders will bo thrown with their tops
outwarJs.
18Th. Near tho central line Of tho
path, the trees will be thrown reatIy
backwards or nearly forwards bun thosd
which are thrown backwards will bS> >dhi
derncath, and some with large tops, uder
the centre of the path, will be, lifted Up
and carried towards the east, because Il
is only near the centre Of tue path the
opposite currents can me OF and thcic-
iolc it is only near the centre Of the patti
the current Of tho air can be pcrpendicu-
lar 10 the surface VI the earth, or nearly
so.
- Ii,h. If any whirl should take place