EXAMINATION OF REID'S STORMS. 189 



From all the facts collected by Mr. Redfield, by the Joint 

 Committee of the American Philosphical Society and the 

 Franklin Institute, and by Col. Reid, it would seem that 

 these storms constantly become wider and wider, from their 

 place of commencement, and perhaps elongated in their 

 N. E. and S. W. diameter after they reach a lat. as high as 

 40 or 45. 



Col. Reid agrees with Col. Capper and Mr. Redfield, that 

 these storms are in the form of great whirlwinds ; and Sir 

 John Herschel, who is of the same opinion, "does not see 

 how Mr. Espy's theory, though he considers it ingenious, is 

 tenable against the indications of the barometer, for, un- 

 questionably, if a large body of air, he says, were to set on 

 every side inwards towards a central ascending column, the 

 necessary effect would be an increase of weight of the en- 

 tire barometric column." 



Now this objection is so obvious, that any theory, which 

 has no answer for it, or which does not contain an answer 

 to it in itself, does not deserve the name of ingenious ; and 

 it arises from so imperfect or inaccurate a view of the doc- 

 trine which I teach, that I am sure as soon as Sir John shall 

 read my papers on the subject, he will see and confess that 

 the objection has already been fully answered. If I am 

 right in this matter, Sir John owes it not merely to me, but 

 to the cause of science, on a point which he acknowledges 

 to be of immense importance, to come out and correct his 

 mistake ; for such is the weight of his name, that many will 

 not think it worth while to examine a system which has 

 been condemned by Sir John Herschel. 



As to Col. Reid, his whole book is a proof that he is much 

 fonder of truth than of theory. He will therefore do me 

 justice. I was highly delighted when this book came into 

 my hands ; for I saw immediately that it contained a great 

 many facts and simultaneous observations, which would 

 enable me at once to put my theory to a very severe test. 



