Meteorology 649 



During the decade in which the Smithsonian Institution 

 came into formal existence three distinguished American 

 meteorologists — perhaps the three most distinguished that 

 this country has ever known — were actively studying the 

 phenomena of storms. These men were Redfield, Espy, and 

 Loomis. It was Redfield who advanced the circular theory 

 of storms, and it was Espy who accounted for their existence 

 by convectional indrafts, while the patient Loomis gathered 

 the essential truths from both and formulated them in his 

 " Contributions to Meteorology," which he later gave to 

 the world through the medium of the " American Journal of 

 Science." Redfield was occupied with many interests, and 

 Loomis was professor of mathematics in the University of 

 the City of New York. Espy, on the other hand, was a 

 professional meteorologist, and of the three he concerns 

 us the most. 



The publication of his papers had gained for Espy a high 

 reputation, extending across the ocean, and in 1840 he was 

 invited to explain his theory of storms before the British As- 

 sociation. From England he crossed to the Continent, and in 

 Paris he spoke so acceptably before the French Academy of 

 Sciences that the great Arago exclaimed: " England has its 

 Newton, France its Cuvier, and America its Espy." ^ 



On his return to the United States he settled in Washing- 

 ton, and from 1840 till within a few years of his death he was 

 continuously engaged by the government in meteorological 

 work.^ In 1841 he published his "Philosophy of Storms." 

 and he was familiarly known as the " Storm King." Accord- 



1 " A Few Incidents in the Life of Profes- Secretary of War under act of Congress, 

 sor James P. Espy, " by his niece, Mrs. L. August 23, 1842. The records of the Na\y 

 M. Morehead. Cincinnati, 1888. Page 17. Department show that he was appointed Pro- 

 s'' The records of the War Department fessor of Mathematics in the United States 

 show that James P. Espy was appointed Navy on May 7, 1842, which place he held 

 clerk August 26, 1842, and resigned June 30, until July 5, 1845. ^^ ^'so served the Na\-y 

 1847." He was employed to perform meteor- Department as Meteorologist from August 

 ological work, and was appointed by the 10, 1848, until the close of the year 1857. 



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