British Association for the Advancement of Science. 281 



Having done this justice to one of his countrymen, Prof. B. re- 

 marked, that he was sure Col. Reid would follow it up by an 

 examination of a rival theory of storms, by Mr. James P. Espy 

 of Philadelphia. In this theory, the wind was supposed to blow 

 in all directions towards the center of the storm ; and a large cx)l- 

 lection of observations had been brought by Mr. Espy to form 

 this point, especially those at his command from various quarters 

 of the United States, as Chairman of the Committee of Meteo- 

 rology of the American Philosophical Society, and the Franklin 

 Institute. This theory. Prof B. further remarked, was entirely 

 in accordance with observations which he had made upon the 

 track of a storm, popularly called a tornado^ which passed over a 

 portion of the State of New Jersey, in June, 1835. He had sur- 

 veyed, by compass, different parts of this track, and found the 

 objects thrown down by the storm directed towards a center. 

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

 -the ground. 



Sir J. F. W. Herschel, (the President of the Section,) having 

 resigned the chair to Mr. Baily, addressed the audience, and hailed 

 this communication of Col. Reid, as one of happy omen for the 

 progress of science in this important branch ; and congratulated 

 the meeting that the subject had fallen into the hands of those 

 who had already made such progress in its elucidation, and from 

 whom it was likely to receive so complete a sifting. He did not 

 rise at present to add any thing to the stock of information 

 already given, but, as having received from Mr. Redfield his pa- 

 pers on this subject, he could not neglect the opportunity of pub- 

 licly expressing his thanks, and of stating the great pleasure he 

 had derived from their perusal. And here he found an anecdote 

 of Franklin frequently pressed on his recollection. A blunt sea- 

 faring man had demanded from Franklin, or in his presence, what 

 had been done for the advantage or security of sailors by any 

 landsman. At least, replied Franklin, you must admit that a 

 landsman had discovered the most useful art of navigation. It 

 was not only at sea that the practical value of this splendid dis- 

 covery respecting hurricanes would develop itself in enabling the 

 sailor to escape its violence, instead of running ignorantly into 

 the very jaws of destruction, by attempting to run away ; but 

 even on land, it would suggest invaluable hints for the secur- 

 ing of life and property. One or two circumstances connected 



Vol. XXXY.— No. 2. 36 



