Mr. Bedfield's Reply to Dr. Hare. 311 



of the conflux of currents rushing into a space partially ex- 

 hausted/' [23.] 



Now I cannot but think, that readers who have no theory to 

 support, will view the results of my survey in a very different 

 light. Dr. Hare omits to mention, that the survey comprised the 

 entire breadth of the visible track, at perhaps its broadest place ; 

 that it was intended to include every tree prostrated within its 

 limits ; that it essentially agrees with the main features of the 

 more partial surveys of Prof. Bache ; that I have shown by clear 

 inductions from all the prostrations in the survey that the whirl- 

 ing motion was one general effect, comprising the entire width 

 of the track ; that the tornado must have arrived at this ground, 

 in nearly its most perfect action, having just left the surface of 

 the Raritan river ; that the axis of prostration was not found in 

 the center of the track, but nearest its left margin; that the main 

 rotation was wholly to the left or in one constant direction ; and, 

 that the leading features of the prostration found in this survey, 

 have also been observed as constantly occurring, in the tracks of 

 many other tornadoes.* 



I may add, that in a careful exploration of the track of this 

 tornado for several miles, I found nothing to contravene the re- 

 sults presented in my published survey ; the general features of 

 the prostration being greatly analogous to those which I have 

 given. 



Dr. Hare thinks it singular, that I should have declined noti- 

 cing the " insuperable difficulties" of the hypothesis of ' a cen- 

 tral and non-whirling course in the wind of the tornado,' to which 

 I have alluded in bringing forward facts and inductions which 

 seem to contravene this hypothesis. He states, also, that " the 

 advocates of the disputed hypothesis are not aware of any such 

 difficulties," and intimates the impropriety of the allusion "with- 

 out naming the facts and arguments" which justify it. [24.] 



I considered it more proper, however, to rely solely on the sur- 

 vey and inductions which I then presented ; as these appear suffi- 

 cient to set aside, not only the hypothesis itself, but also some of 

 the chief deductions from the phenomena of this tornado which 



* See this Journal, 41 : 69-77. Do. Jour. Frank Instit. Vol. 2, third series, p. 

 40-49. 



