A MEMOIR OF ELIAS LOOMIS. 751 



The increase of our knowledge in astronomy was, from first to last, 

 an object of special interest to Professor Loomis. Before lie left New 

 York, the income from bis text books enabled him to make to Yale Col- 

 lege the generous offer of coming to New Haven and working in an 

 observatory at his own charges, provided a suitable observitory should 

 be constructed and equipped for him. Unfortunately, the college was 

 not able, although it was greatly desirous of doing it, to avail itself of 

 his generous offer. Near the same time he joined with public spirited 

 citizens of New York in an ettbrt to establish an astronomical observa- 

 tory in or near that city, and for that purpose an act of incorporation 

 was obtained from the New York State legislature. After coming to 

 New Haven, he always took the warmest interest in the plans of Mr, 

 Winchester for the establishment of an observatory in connection with 

 Yale Univ^ersity. His counsel and assistance have been instrumental, 

 more than the public could know, in producing and preserving what- 

 ever of value has been developed in that observatory. 



The science of sneteorology has however been that in which Professor 

 Loomis has made the most important contributions to human knowl- 

 edge. 



Shortly after his graduation in 1830, and before he entered upon the 

 tutorship, there appeared the first of a long series of papers by Mr. 

 Eedtield, of New York City, upon the theory of storms. In the last 

 year of his tutorship there appeared also the first of a like remarkable 

 series of papers on the same subject by Professor Espy, of Philadel- 

 l)hia. Two rival theories were advocated by these two men, and these 

 theories became the subject of no little discussion in scientific meetings, 

 and in scientific journals, for a long period of years. Professor Loomis 

 had, from their very inception, taken a Avarm interest in these discus- 

 sions, and the subject of meteorology, and in particular its central 

 problem the'theory of storms, held in his thought and work the first 

 I)lace from that time to the day of his death. 



In his visit to Europe (the year before he went to Hudson), he pur- 

 chased a set of meteorological instruments, and for several years in 

 Hudson he steadily performed the naturally irksome task of making 

 twice each day a complete set of meteorological observations. A few 

 weeks after he entered upoxi his professorship in Hudson a tornado 

 passed 5 miles from that place, and he went out immediately to exam- 

 ine the track and learn what facta he could that should bear upon the 

 theory of the tornado. The results were valuable, but he was not alto- 

 gether satisfied with them. They led him however to undertake the 

 discussion of one of the large storms that covered the whole United 

 States. 



For this purpose he selected the storm which had occurred near the 

 20th of December, 1836. Sir John Herschel had recommended thai- 

 hourly observations be taken by all meteorological observers on four 

 term days in the year, that is, observations for thirty-six successive 



