Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-07-29
Prom the BotoI Transcript.
ESpy'S THEORY OF sTORMs.


Il will be recpccled that Mr. E.py visited
Enrop. last year, iol the purpose oi cxploln-
lng 10 tho scientific aud literary gentcmp
and societies ~ England and on The Conti.
, ncni, his theory at stornIs: ana The prouuc-
iion Of rain aud other meteorological aud
phllosnpLlcal observations. lis views were
received with much favor, particularly III
France, where they attracted grrai atcntiOn.
We have been favored with so'nr extracts
from tho Report of Messleurs Arago. ilou,l'
liri. ard B,binrt on his PmL"sorny OF
SroRMs. to the Academy of Science at Pars.
winch NC copy below, aud which wall, no
doubt, bo read with interest.
'Tbe loboFs of Mr.. Espy' (+ays the Rrpor')
may BE- considered under three dilirr-ul
points Of view. FIrst, the facts winch BE-
has recognized aud subslaniIa,ed. and III"
PROOFS which support !hem second, ihe phy
steal theory by which he explains them, and
The conclusions whic!, he drduces from tha,
theory; third, the observations which are yei
10 he made according To this theory based
upon facis and the practical rules whIch Tia"
mariner, the farmer, aud tie m"tcOiOI0gisi,
will obtain from II; the two former for Their
own sake', The latter, Tor sc:ence which !"
useful To all.'
The committee then go oa to cnum"ra'e
some OF the principal facts, and conclude the
frs, head with the following paragraph:
Such then are the principal points, Which
Mr.. Espy has obtained from numerous ohser.
valions. The G,olon of the air towards the
centre 81 the meteor, stotml the depression
nf thc barometer IN toe centre, the central
ascending current, the formation uf cloud at
certain L,Isli, and lis clrc,9ar expansion
after this cloud has attained n prodigiou,
elevation, an expansion accompanied with
hsI and rain, and finally the motion Of the
whole meteor ,n dSSs,--thcse ARE the points
which tie extensive labors of Mr. E,py, his
OWE observations md the documents which
he has collected. and which he intends pub
llshing wiihoat delay IN u special work, have
placed bcyend doubt, aud which socnls even
10 have ulumplied over every objection and
to have rallied all opinions to his OWE
The committee then pass to the eSanIina.
,lon Of the theory by which Mr.. Espy accounts
for all the phenomena, and aGcr recognizing
It's power in explaining The phcnomena, and
affirming that Mr.. EsPy's calculations ore
quite Sufficiently exact [rRts sufrIsAMMfNr
ExAcTl aud show without The slightest doubt
that the column of damp air regainng in
temperature, by the condcnsing of the vspor,
a part Of the hea, lost by expansion, This col.
umn always remains warmer than the air,
which is nt the same height with each Of its
parts they add:-
'Fnally, Mr. Erpy furnishes the exact Data,
which hre still wanting "a science, by ex-
perlmen,s made upon the temperature which
the air preserves. by the effect of condcnsa.
ton Of lhe vapor in q closed vessel, which hc
calls n mphet,scops, in which ht compares
the lhcrmomcticnl fall produced in the air,
the air by dImlnnton of supnrlrcumben,
pressure To what takes place in nature wheth.
er operating on dry, or employing humid air.
Notwithstanding The in1ccnce of The sides of
the vessel, every Time q hight cloud Is formed
IN The nppara' is, the Temperatures nndcrgoes
a much less reduction than that which takes
place, when the point of precipitation Of va
ppr has not been attained, or " hen the cx.
pertinent Is tried on dry air.
The committee then, after showing how
the theory accounts for many curious phe-
nonienn, such as the formation and shape Of
The tornado cloud, It's motions along the sur.
face Of The earth, from the cost at the equa
tor, aud from the west, in middle latUudcs
md the influence which volcanoes aud great
fires exert in producing rain under the fa-
vorable circumstances Of n mols', warm, and
tranquil air below, and cold. dry dir above,
co I'D thor in tIo fnll,vpin,, d..
In conclusion, Mr.. Espy's communication
contains n great number Of well observed, !,
and well described facts. lis theory. in the
present state Of science, atone accounts for
the phenomena, and when completed as Mr.
Espy intends. by the study of the action of
electricity when it intcrvcnrs, will leave
nothing to bc desired. IL u word, for physl
cal geography, agriculture, navigation, and
mcteOrology, II gives US new explanations,
indications, useful for ulterior researches, ana
:edrcsses many accredited errors.
The committee expresses, then. the wish
that Mr.. Espy should be placed by th. 60
yernment of the United States in postum
To continue his important Investigations, aud
TO complete his theory already so remarkable,
by means Of ak the observations, aud all the
experiments winch the dedurtons even of
his theory muy suggest to him, in vast
country, where enlightened men arc uo,
wanting to science, nnd which is besides, as
1t were the home Of those fearful me,eors.
'rhc work Of Mr.. Espy causes MS to feel
the necessity of undertaking. u retrospective
examination Of the numerous documents al
ready collected in Europe, to arrange them,
and draw from them deductions which they
can furnish, and more especially q, The pres
cnt period when The dlluval rains, which
have ravsged the southeast Of France, have
directed attention To all tn" possible causes
of similar phenomena. Consequently, the
committee proposes TO the Academy to give
It's appreciation to the labors of Mr.. ESpy, and
to solicit him TO coutlnue his researches, and
especially To try 10 ascertain the influence
which electricity exert, in these great phc
mona Of which II complete theory will be
one OF the most precious acquisitions OF mod
ern science
The conclusions Of this report, Gre adopted.
T.