Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-02-24
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.,

livered at the Smithsonian Institution by Prof
sspy' on the Law Of Storms" The lecturer
commenced by briefly noticing the crude systems
OF philosophy Of atmospheric changes extant in
hisyouth The most generally received of which
was that advanced by Hutton. subsequently
however, an English philosopher named Dalton
Promniged novel and somewhat more rational
.neory. These conflicting opinions led Prof
TO make observations OF storms and he Was soo
convinced that none Of the theories were co,,oo.
as they were all inadequate to account Tor numer
Finally, his observation led him IN IN. es,.h-
nshnlsnt OF an entirely new theory the priDci-
PIES OF s %hIsa be ,t explained as follows
every one hundred Yards of elevation Then :
II Portion OF air becomes warmer than
'n "a suIrfro,unding air, IL will become lighter
90 III becomes lighter, ii will ascend
40. when II ascends IL will come under less
pressure from the air above
Din When II comes under less pressure IL will
9Th. When it expands it will grow colder.
Un. When IL grows cold enough the yapor IL
contains will condense.
oth When the vapoi begins condensation the
latent c1loric contained in the air is dssipafed
9Th When the latent caloric Is given out. il
prevents the air from cooling during its upward
movement as rapidly as 1t would cool ii il con-
These, the lecturer said, are the Fundamental
principles of his theory Of storms and in Accord
ance with them he thought every phenomena of
atmospheric change can be explained He then
proceeded TO show that for every 900 ya,ds of
elevation above the surface Of the earth the at
mosPbere is ten degrees colder, until il attains
me temperature OF sixty degrees below zero, be-
yond which II cannot grow colder, at least so far
as has ever vet been shown by experiment IL
then the strata of air at the eaths surface is sew
eRty degrees above zero, the greatest degree of
cold will be at an elevation of some IL 900 wards
III portion Of the air I'm the lower stratum should
now become heated beyond seventy degrees that
being the temperature Of the surrounding atmos
Phere) II Will begin to ascend, because of the
Iarincaton II undergoes, aud as il ascends il will
lose ITS heat or calorc in the same proportion
the air through which it passes grows colder. If
this ascending column Of air is perfectly DIV il
VIII reach the temperature of sixty degrees be-
low zero at elevation of Is 600 wards and
then be dihused among the surrounding air.
Now, when the heated air contains vapor this
vapor contains the CaloTic and when The ascend
Ing column has reached the height of 14ND
Yards, 1t will have reached Temperature of zero,
instead OF SO degrees below. In the meantime
however, condensation of vapor will take place
and clouds will be formed LIZ the vapof is of
suniclent density rain or hail will fall the tenn
peTatnre Of which will depend meaSurabIy OH
the elevation AT which its formation takes place
hen this body of air is ascend az the surround
ing ar Will rush In to supply The vacuum and
the coInmotiOn will Cause wind the force of this
wind being derendent on the motion Of the as
cending air; and the Tapidty of the ascension Of
the air being attributable to its excess Of temper
. AZURE, and the amount OF vapor contained in the
ascending portion TIE winds will, however
SIwavs be found blowing towards the crntre of
the storm.
lecturer proceeded TO account for what he termed
" meteoric showers" or heavy deluges Of water
which have fallen with remarkable Tapidity and
had very limited extent. He also explai nc d the
use of the barometer, and endeavored 10 Convince
his auditors that his theory admits of this ex-
PLANTATION being made on rational grounds and in
conformity with we'll known natural laws
Prof ESpy will continue his lectures on tbi,
and Friday evenings, and will apply his theory
TO trade winds, hurricanes, waterspouts, &c.
and continue his illustrations of the use of the
barometer.
THE DISTRICT IN CoSGREss-In the Senate
Yesterday, a memorial was presented by Mr
Brown, from mechanics of the city of w ash
ington, asking the enactment of a law similar
IN Its provisions to the laws cmbrac; in the
Revised Code" in reference TO mechanics liens
Uh real ana PERSONAL property, and setting forth
and others payment for labor DONE &C., does
not afford that protection which was intended by
its trainers.
Mr.. Pugh moved that the Senate proceed to the
consideration Of the bill the salaries of
certain judges of the courts for the District OF CO.
Iunoia and Tor other purposes; which motion was
MIR. Pearce wished the bill postponed for a few
days, as be desired TO offer an amendment; and
IL was postponed accordingly.
The WESLEY CHAPEL CONCERT came of last
night, giving great satisfaction to a large audi
ence. Our friend Daniel, however laid himself
again liable {" scolding for the length Of his
programme. Professor ID. courteously added
some ten extra pieces in the way of solos, duets
etc, which, though we'll performed, had the
effect TO extend the regular business of the con-
cert TO a rather late hour Ii would be useless 70
particnlarize when everything was done so well;
out, what pleased us best in the whoe perform.
ance, was quartette, ''Never forget the dear
ones ;" sung with great effect by Messrs Wheel
or, Cummings, Daniel, and Stallings, and vehe-
menily eneored by the audience; and 'There's
Music IN The Air, sweet little composition by
Prof Root, and performed by the same Der sons
The efforts of Mr.. Daniel and the Wesley Chapel
Choir, to entertain the public, always meet with
SUPREME CorRr.-THssday.-E. A. Alger,
ESQ, Of Massac husetts, and r. Lyle Dickney,
Esq, of Illinois, were admitted attorneys ard
counsellors of this Court
No. % Daniel Hickod Of al o,y,e,S NJ tho
steamboat New York, appellants, rs James
Stewart ct al claimants of the brig Croton This
S Sanse was argued by Mr. Phillips for the APPEL
No. So James a. Suydam, plaintiff in error
IS VIM. III. Williams ct al The argument of
.hls cause was continued by Mr.. Filling wood for
'he plaintiff in error, by Mr. Field for the defend
anis in error, and concluded by Mr. EIIinrwood
Tor the plaintiff In error. Adjourned.
HloT AND ARREsT.-About seven O'Clock last
evening, three young men, George Mccoy, Law
renee Mcdonald, and Hugh Smith, went to the
house OF German named Anerochs on r. near
upon being ordered to leave, they began to bleak
his windows; and. on Anerochs demonstrating
they seized and beat him numerically, severely
woundIng him in the head and neck Nrssrs
EVdns and Davis Of the auxiliary guard were
sent Tor, and they succeeded in afresting the
whole party. They were taken to the guard
house, ard sent to Jail by Justice Dom We ave
glad TO say, they are not citizens of Washington
IN me CIRCUIT CoURT, the case of Edward
c Dyer re- Augustus Cook was decided yester-
day by the jury in favor of the plaintiff, In the
sum Of sl16.67
The case Of VIM Van Riswick r, John Van
Riswick, Richard Walach and Samuel Byinp-
ION was then taken up. in which action was
brought TO recover an account for money alleged
TO be due on an account. This case was pending
when the Court adjourned at the usual hour
The case of WIN. Van Riswick rs John Van
Riswick, Richard Wallach and Sam'l Byington
which was begun yesterday, was pending when
this report closed -
DEATH or WILLIAM FARRELL.-Last night,