207 [ 23 ] 



Finally, to give to this system its greatest efficicnry, the co operation of 

 the British government and of the Hudson's Bay Company is absohucly 

 indispensable. The greater part of our severe storms extend far beyond 

 the limits of the United States on the north. Observations confined to the 

 United States will therefore seldom give us the entire area of a storm, and 

 frequently only half of it. The remaining half must then be supplied by 

 conjecture. This would leave all our investigations in an unfinished and 

 unsatisfactory state. We want a line of stations through Canada, along 

 the shores of Hudson's bay, to the farthest outpost of civilization. At 

 eveiy government station a meteorological journal might doubtless be kept; 

 and it is confidently believed that if the Smithsonian Institution would 

 embark in earnest in a grand meteorological crusade, the British govern- 

 ment would cheerfully contribute its efficient co operation. 



A system of observations like that here contemplated, if faithfully pros- 

 ecuted for one year, would well nigh exhaust the subject. The storms of 

 each year are probably but a repetition of those of the preceding. Never- 

 theless, it would be unsafe to calculate upon concluding the war after a 

 single year's campaign. Experience in similar cases has shown that it 

 requires considerable time to organize so large a plan of operations, and 

 the system would not., probably, attain its greatest efficiency the first year. 

 It would be unwise, therefore, to calculate upon a less period of operations 

 than three years. But it is believed that in this period, results would 

 be developed which would more than repay all the expense of time and 

 money incurred; while, upon the existing scale of operations, the progress 

 of discovery must be slow and uncertain. In order to enable us to inves- 

 tigate advantageously the phenomena of a single storm, we must have 

 simultaneous observations from a vast number of stations. Observations 

 from a few stations, though continued to the end of time, will not accom- 

 plish the same object. How, then, can the Regents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution more faithfully carry out the views of its benevolent founder, 

 than by vigorously prosecuting these researches to their completion? How 

 can they contribute more directly and powerfully to the prosperity of our 

 commerce; and, through commerce, add to the wealth and happiness of 

 the whole country? 



I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



ELIAS LOOMIS. 



Joseph Henry, LL. D., 



Secretai'ij Smithsonian Institution. 



APPENDIX No. 3. 



Extract from a communication from Professor Espy on the subject of 



Meteorology. 



My dear sir: I am much pleased to learn from your letter that the Re- 

 gents of the Smithsonian Institution would probably make an appropria- 

 tion for the purpose of establishing a series of observations " to solve, if 

 possible, the problem of American storms." I am of opinion that no sub- 

 ject of science is more worthy of the attention of the institution; and in 

 answer to your request that I should furnish you with suggestions on the 

 subject, I refer you, in the first place, to my work entitled '' 1 liilosophy 

 of Storms/' from page 77 to page 172; for a full development of the plaa 



