1 42 Objections to Mr. RedfieWs Theory of Storms. 



mainly the cause of atmospheric currents. But in the absence of 

 calorific and electrical reaction, what other effect could gravita- 

 tion have unless that of producing a state of inert quiescence. 

 The part which it performs in the mechanism of nature is well 

 illustrated by that which it performs through the medium of a 

 clock weight, which is of no use without being wound up. 



8. It is remarkable that the author after ascribing the trade 

 winds to momentum, as the antagonist of gravitation, loses sight 

 of it in this summing up of the causes of atmospheric currents. 



9. If, as Mr. Redfield alleges, the minuteness of the altitude of 

 the atmosphere in comparison with its horizontal extent, be an ob- 

 jection to any available currents, being induced by calorific rarefac- 

 tion, wherefore should not momentum, or any other cause dimin- 

 ishing or counteracting the influence of his favorite agent, gravity, 

 be on the same account equally inefficient ? 



10. Assuming that the motion of the air in hurricanes, is always 

 gyratory, Mr. Redfield considers gyration as a cause of these ter- 

 rible meteors. How far his language on this subject is reasona- 

 ble or consistent, may be seen from the following paragraph, 

 which I quote from one of his essays. See this Journal for 1834, 

 Yol. XXV, p. 125. 



11. " Notvjithstanding these general and determi7iate horizon- 

 tal movements, the equal distribution of the atmosphere over the 

 surface of the globe, which results from gravitation, tends to pre- 

 vent any very rapid or violent motion in any specific direction, and 

 conseqtiently to prevent violent and destructive winds. But owing 

 to the tendency of all fluid matter to run into whirls or cii^cuits, 

 when subject to the influence of unequal or opposing forces, a rota- 

 tive movement of unmeasured violence is sometimes produced. 

 This peculiar movement, which in its most active state is some- 

 times distijtguished by the name of tornado or hurricane, assumes 

 every possible variety of position, oppeara7ice, velocity and extetit, 

 and is the only knoion cause of violent and destructive winds or 

 tempests.''^ 



12. Agreeably to this paragraph, gravitation in lieu of being, as 

 previously alleged, the jnain basis of winds and storms, tends to 

 produce that equal distribution of the atmosphere over the surface 

 of the globe on which I have insisted. 



13. But if neither gravity, nor calorific expansion, nor electri- 

 city, be the cause of winds, by what are they produced ? 



