JAMES POLLARD ESPY. 2OI 



follow ascending currents, cloud, and rain. He spent much 

 effort in trying to secure an experimental demonstration of this 

 scheme, and made unsuccessful petitions to Congress and the 

 Legislature of Pennsylvania for appropriations to enable him 

 to carry them out on an adequate scale. The scheme was not 

 regarded as practicable, and he became the object of some 

 ridicule for his enthusiasm to which he replied in his book 

 with the self-possession of a man who believes to the full in 

 his purposes: "Gentlemen have made their puns on this 

 project, and had their laugh: and I am sorry to see, by let- 

 ters which I have received, that my friends and relations at a 

 distance are much troubled by these innocent laughs ; but let 

 them be consoled: I have laughed too, well knowing that 

 those who laughed the most heartily would be most willing to 

 encourage the experiment as soon as they discovered they had 

 nothing to laugh at. As a proof that I was right in this antici- 

 pation, I may be permitted to say that I have lately received 

 a letter from a highly distinguished member of the American 

 Legislature,* who laughed as heartily as any one when my 

 petition was presented them, containing many kind expres- 

 sions, and promising me, by way of amends for his levity, to 

 avail himself of the earliest opportunity of being better in- 

 formed on the subject of my new philosophy. Such conduct 

 as this is all I want ; I fear not the strictest scrutiny." The 

 same confident spirit is exhibited in his letter to his superior in 

 the War Department, suggesting a second year of employment 

 in the official study of storms, and which is given in facsimile 

 on the following page. 



In 1843 Prof. Espy was given a position in the War Depart- 

 ment, where he could pursue his investigations in atmospheric 

 currents and disturbances, and receive reports from distant 

 points of observation. He instituted a service of daily weather 

 reports, out of which our present Signal-Service system has 

 grown ; and, on the basis of this enterprise, as Mrs. Morehead 

 relates in her book, Prof. Henry once remarked to her that 

 there was no question in his mind that " Prof. Espy should be 

 regarded as the father of the present Signal Service of the 

 United States, his Theory of Storms having led the way to its 

 establishment and present success." Prof. Henry added that 



* Hon. J. J. Crittenden. 



