REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 55 



and abnormal impulses of nature, will become adequately known; al- 

 though, from 1:he number of these causes, and the complexity of the 

 resultant effect, it may never be possible to deduce accurate pre- 

 dictions as to the time and particular mode of their occurrence. 



Indeed, the results which have been already derived from the series 

 of combined observations in this country, fully justify the wisdom and 

 forethought of those who were instrumental in establishing them. 

 Although their organization was imperfect, the observers, in most 

 cases, untrained, and the instruments of an inferior character, yet 

 they have furnished data which, through the labors of Redfield, Espy, 

 and Hare, whose memories are preserved in the history of science,, 

 have led to the establishment of principles of high theoretical inter- 

 est, as well as of great practical value. Among these I need here 

 mention only the fact now fully proved that all the meteorological 

 phenomena of at least the middle and more northern portions of 

 the temperate zone are transmitted from west to east. The passage 

 of storms from one part of the country to the other was noticed by Dr. 

 Franklin on the occasion of observing an eclipse of the moon. He 

 showed that our northeast storms are felt successively later and later 

 as the point of observation is further to the northeast ; that they 

 arrive last at the extreme northeastern portions of our continent. 

 We DOW know, however, that the successive appearance of the 

 storm at points further along the coast is due to the easterly move- 

 ments, sideways as it were, of an atmospheric disturbance, greatly 

 elongated north and south, and reaching sometimes from Canada to 

 the Gulf of Mexico. Hence to persons residing along the seaboard 

 the phenomenon would appear to have a northwardly progression, on 

 account of the northeasterly trend of the coast; yet the storm notun- 

 frequently reaches Bermuda simultaneously with Nova Scotia. 



Few persons can have failed to observe the continued motion of the 

 higher clouds from the west, or to have recognized.the just meteor- 

 oscopy of Shakspeare in a well-known passage: 



"The weary sun hath made a golden set, 

 And by the bright track of his fiery car 

 Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow." 



The breaking forth of the sun just before his setting shows that 

 the rear of the cloud which has obscured his beams has, in its east- 

 erly course, reached our horizon, and will soon give place to an un- 

 obscured sky. 



It must be observed, however, that all the storms which visit our 

 coast are not of this nature; those denominated cyclones, and which sel- 

 dom extend far into the interior, are probably of a rotatory character. 



