Mr. Espy^s Theory of Storms. 207 



phia, very properly referred to the opposing theory of Mr. Espy, 

 of that city, and stated, also, that in his own survey of the track 

 of the water-spout, or tornado, which passed across the State of 

 New Jersey in June, 1837, he had made observations which ap- 

 peared to accord with Mr. Espy's theory of storms ; and that he 

 had found no evidence of a whirling motion at the surface of the 

 ground, such as Col. Reid had ascribed to water-spouts and hur- 

 ricanes. This view of the case Prof. Bache had also supported 

 in an able paper on the phenomena of that tornado. I deem it 

 proper to state here, that having also examined the track of the * 

 New Jersey tornado, within a few days of its occurrence, and 

 having twice repeated the examination, at later periods, I have 

 observed on each occasion, numerous facts which appear to de- 

 monstrate the lohwling character of this tornado, as well as the 

 inward tendency of the vortex at the surface of the ground ; and 

 further, that the direction of this rotation was toioards the left, as 

 in the North Atlantic hurricanes ; — a result which I had not pre- 

 viously expected, as it appeared probable that the direction of ro- 

 tation, in these small whirlwinds, rnust be entirely accidental. 

 This leads me to notice the only point, perhaps, on which my 

 inquiries have led to a result differing from that obtained by Col. 

 Reid ; for in many cases of this sort, since examined, I have found 

 the course of rotation to be uniformly towards the left. 



Perhaps I should add further, that having also examined with 

 some care, the reports of the meteorological committee? at Phila- 

 delphia, made through Mr. Espy^ their chairman, and also the 

 meteorological essays of this gentleman, I have not been able to 

 find evidence which disproved the rotation of a violent storm, 

 or that established a course of wind from all sides of a storm di- 

 rectly towards its centre, in accordance with his theory ; but, on 

 the contrary, an analysisjDf the evidence which Mr. E. has ad- 

 duced, together with the additional facts which I have been able 

 to obtain, has appeared to contravene his conclusions. A valuable 

 statement of facts relating to the snow storm which visited Penn- 

 sylvania and other states on the 17th and 18th of March last, 

 drawn up by Mr. Espy, has recently been published by the Phila- 

 delphia committees.* Should the facts contained in this paper be 

 adduced in favor of Mr. Espy's theory, I would only say, that in 



* See Journal of the Franklin Institute, Vol. xxii, 1838, pp. 161 — 175. 



