Miscellanies. 183 



peared in a paper received in 1830, and published in the 20th Vol. of this 

 Journal. 



The numerous investigations of the phenomena of hurricanes, as ob- 

 served at different points of their path, which Mr. R. has since made, 

 have only added new confirmation of his early opinions. Several of his 

 papers, embracing some of the results of these labors, have at various 

 times appeared in this Journal, and in other periodica] works. That 

 which was published in 1835, was accompanied with a chart, showing the 

 tracks of eleven different gales or storms. His explanation of the baro- 

 metric indications observed during the access, progress, and departure of 

 these storms, appears to us original, ingenious, and true ; and his direc- 

 tions to navigators, concerning the measures which they should adopt, to 

 extricate themselves from their destructive grasp, are surely of the highest 

 practical importance. In an article published in this Journal in 1833, 

 Mr. R. announced the conclusion, from data which he had collected, that 

 the storms of the Southern hemisphere pursue a counter direction, and 

 gyrate in the contrary way from those of the Northern : a difference 

 which he considers due to their dependence on the earth's rotation. 



These doctrines, (of which the foregoing is but an imperfect statement,) 

 being so unlike those which had, for a long time held universal sway, 

 were received by most, with great hesitation, and by some, with deter- 

 mined opposition. There were, however, those among us, who had 

 watched the movements of the barometer, and the changes of the wind, 

 during these storms, and were satisfied of the truth of the new system. 

 Within a year or two, the attention of philosophers in foreign countries 

 has been turned to this subject, and recent occurrences indicate that the 

 laws of storms, which Mr, Redfield has unfolded, will soon be universally 

 acknowledged. The preceding remarks are elicited by the perusal of an 

 elaborate work, published the present year in London, by Lieut. Col. W. 

 Reid, of the Royal Engineers, entitled " An attempt to develop the Law 

 of Storms, by means of facts arranged according to place and time, and 

 hence to point out a cause for the variable winds, ivith the view to practical 

 use in Navigation, illustrated by- [9] charts and vwod cuts," pp. 436, R. 

 8vo. The author states, that his attention was first drawn to the subject, 

 by the Barbadoes hurricane of August, 1831, when he was induced to 

 search every where, in the hope of learning the causes and mode of action 

 of these storms. " The first paper," says Col. R. " I met with, which 

 appeared to convey any just opinion on the nature of hurricanes, was one 

 published in the American Journal of Science, by Mr. W. C. Redfield, of 

 New York." Embracing with ready zeal, the views advanced in that 

 paper, Col. Reid has prosecuted the study of his subject, with good judg- 

 ment and praiseworthy industry. In the volume before us, he has pre- 

 sented the most convincing demonstration of the truth of Mr. Redfield's 

 doctrines, and by the aid of numerous and excellent charts and diagrams. 



