New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-04
THE Inv OF STORMS.

LIFE OF PROF. BIAsIrs-I1s HYFsTGAIo" or TIE
LAWS OF MrrEOGOLOGY-I UBLICAioN OF HIS
THEORIES AFTER MANY YEARS OF patient
WAITING.
frrou The REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oF me rRIBUyrl
PulLApELrHL., May PA book that Will
be ant e. provoke much discussion among meieorolO
gsfs vii, soon be the press Of Messrs Porter
d Coates this city It puts forth new theory o tho
law based upon the observations oil TIE aut'
who assumes that the existing theories oi The nature ana
laws Of changes Of the weather are erroneous Ahhonsh
It scientific book its history might almost DC called 10
mantle
More than quarter Of century ago, Just afer 'he
revolutionary troubles in Europe OF ls4S young Ger
man professor OF natural science, by name Wilhelm
Hlasius determined to seek home in America lie lad
held proessorshps in several GOvernDsn mt institutions OF
loarip and then occupied the chair of Natural Sciencc
IN The L,ceum Of Hanover college ~ high standing
Leusug an offer the hcadsp OF an important GOV
eminent school, he came 10 America, knowing no one
here his only credentials n letter 10 Prof AgaSeN
Aclssz ever ready ~ assist his scientific brethren M
once much interest in the stranger But basus ld
brought his 10 the American market IT bad tne
and all Agssizs influence. then great failed to en-
able him to mako that Of his scientific requirements
which they deserved The young Professors culture
WIS general; he had adopted special line Of s;uiy
and m accident gave a direction his ahcrs which Was
70 inf nee the rest OF his hfe lie had been IN Cam
bridge about year. the IuOe ~ the time assisting Prof
A>sz in lis researches When there happened to occur
i'm the lhorhood tornado causing much destruction
Blasu. had never seen 0nyng Of this Kind before and
was stnniscd and greatly interested in VI He sought
an xplanatiou Of its nature and cause, but Ineeoroogy
WIS then in its infancy scepce and the controversy
between Redheld aud Espy ut its hight, and "a
though Agassiz eNpounded the differing Views on
the subject Blasius not satisfied. lie fe't
that the true explanation had not yet been found
and lie determined ~ seek IL from nature her
self lie therefore began 80 make survey Of the tor
naio's track and perhaps naturally went first To the
middle Section where the destruction wa greatest
thinking that here the would be most Developed
and the laws governing IT mos, clearly exhibited He
however could very little evidence Of law, ard this
little rather confirm the theories OF Redeld
which he had felt unsatisfactory extended ms
survey with little better result. but finally goiug 70 tie
cul Of the tOradO's path. the astounding and pcfpcX
in. fact was exhibited that here the arrangement OF
fallen trees and other destroyed objects went TO confirm
T-pys theory. Here was a dilemma indeed Two con
Trajectory theories, both OF which he felt ~ nc usals
factory were indicated by different portions of the same
Storm AglSsiz this time making great progress
in his inv ATOMS by following the method Of EMORY
ooy and il occurred Ia ElaSiUs u apply The slir Irin
,ipl, g., t.nroluay RoIred had conc 70 tie aaiidte
~ III ddo for his yts, Espy 90 TIE c'' why should
e ui 70 to the BEGINNING with better hopes al success
than either OF the Ofhers THIS method OF beginning NJ
the beginning which certainly seems the most scientific
course take rltcdin some very Important di-c"E'
which nc believed and "a Aei~sN ana UlhcFS "l' ca
with him. led him q the truth. Eedcid who heard OF
hs In, esiieafiOBs and their results. visited MN Red
field could not be- brought ~ BlGsiuss view, hHt 1>t
that Inc middle section was typical OF the whole, and
that the beginning WiS ,'devehir iofSftuhs t'E'l ~
process 81 development the Law Is most mani
fest. Agdssz was nucl interested IN b'I''us re-
Searches had him before tine Boston Academy ri
science, and eni*lVOred 10 nave the heauehy W.u'h
the conclusions he had reached, bnt unslceessiuIly
Smcwhat pq,ed perhaps at teaet0n OF the Academy
Prof BEsus dld NOT MAKE srtuhu 1pnca.'" 70 'h'I
encouraged by Lis scientific f1enis bgan u give
lectures throughout the country STRIVING 10 cAc1io pop
ne had at this time, in lsJ2 formed theory "i The na
ture AMI origin of Storms. and their cEistncaIOn
TIE electro telegraph was then new in'enton and
Pruf Blasu feeling tine necessity of more eHtcu's! OBJ
OF organizing corps of volunteer Observers 10 commu
nici.se with another by te!egIaph and exfresident
II II If Harvard University. of lis l1"niis, al once
The practical use that might be made OF such an or
Snnliion IN signaling ne aIbFoacm " Storms. Mr.
bic that this was the origin of the present slM service
Bureau Prof Blasis found 1t lmpoespsc 10 create
popular interest in the science or meicOology; people
would not believe that atmospheric disturbances are
governed by fixed laws and can ne sclcnunc1uy pre-
means, neglected by skcpcal public, ana rcbulled
ny the Smithsonian Institution. 10 ~hch no ap,,
nearly to destulion. Just at this time there came 10
able auspices. and in despair OF piOmn.ans his DIS
covert without means, he for the lime up his idea
f life dryo,ei 10 science resolved to await patti pIy
the time when others woad corrObOrate the conclusions
to which ne had arrived Ii Was long waiting and 20
wears passed by bringing him commercial and
fortune During all This time he SIN pursued MS favor
lie study. his invest 7Ions only confirming he idea. he
bad ut first conceived At last the time has when
he es that science Is ready 10 receive his theories
Prof Bdsius's theories have the approval o several
scientific men here Among them may noutiOp Prof j.
t. Lesley. STATE GcOlOgint who In himself accom-
pisued Iueteorulcgist II would b impossible 10
here synopsis that would do the book justice. may
say however, that the Hypothesis NJ the book IL
that All storms result from tendency 10 restore an
equhIiluu In the atmosphere which ha- bcen disturbed
by change Of temperaur, AMI that this tendency Is
manifested In two directions, frst by currents er1en-
dicury the surface and secondly by currents Ia u
horizontal direction from the equator to TIC poles and
vice
The following classification OF storms and their charae
cis'c clouds illustrates Prof Blasuss theory and It's
| APPLICATION:
]. VtcaI stationary. Centrfpetal Pro
dIccl y tendency OF the atmosphere 10 sabs
direction equilibrium that has been disturbcdCAGJsc
| frrtstt (tood -Nunnl
Irogress'se LIerI SformsTTavclng Produced by
tendency the atmosphere O sbs Ia later dir etion
,tshriam thai LAS been disturbed They oi two Kinds
tal IYuaOftdi NORTH Isf SioTHsM inter storms no
dac,s y current dsIlacDg cool one to supply de
tho poles Temperature changing from Ia
warm Direction north eastern acknowledgements
| iofc CiOui- Stratus.
~ Polar or SOult Lat aad South West SOrIns-eunIner