MR. HOPKINS'S OBJECTIONS. 475 



his map for, the time between ten and twelve o'clock at 

 night. Now, supposing for a moment Mr. Espy's theory to 

 be correct, and supposing also that the storm came from the 

 Atlantic Ocean, it would follow that the storm ought to 

 have been first felt with the wind blowing towards the 

 Atlantic Ocean from every part of the British islands ; but 

 nothing of the kind was experienced. Mr. Espy said the 

 storm moved from the south west coast of Ireland, to the 

 north east coast of Scotland. If it did so, at its commence- 

 ment, a north east wind should have blown at the mouth of 

 the Shannon, and the same north east wind should have been 

 found blowing progressively along the line extending by Lim- 

 erick, Belfast and Glasgow. But no indication was given, in 

 any of the accounts, of such a wind havingbeen felt. The fol- 

 lowing were accounts of the weather a little before and up 

 to the time of the commencement of the storm: 



Limerick. It was hoped the storm would have expended 

 its worst rage about twelve o'clock, and abate with the fall- 

 ing water, as high tide came up to ten o'clock on Sunday 

 night; but, contrary to expectation, the gale held on with 

 additional fury. 



Kilbeggan. At about a quarter past eleven on Sunday 

 night, the hurricane commenced here ; there was at first, a 

 rumbling noise like thunder heard, which was followed by 

 a rushing blast of wind, which swept across the town like 

 a tornado. 



Belfast. On Saturday night, after a slight fall of snow, 

 the ground was covered on Sunday morning with a dark 

 dense frost, which about noon on Sunday, began to resolve 

 itself into rain ; and this most uncomfortable change of 

 weather continued until about one o'clock next morning. 



Isle of Man. On Sunday night last, after a day com- 

 paratively mild for the season of the year, this town (Doug- 

 las), and indeed the whole Island, was visited by one of the 

 most terrific storms of wind that can be imagined. 



