132 Additional Objections to RedjiekVs Theory of Storms. 



severe part was from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and 

 fifty miles. Thus it may be assumed, that in order for an ob- 

 server to be exposed successively within the severe portion on the 

 southeastern and northwestern limbs, the storm would have had 

 to move at least one hundred miles, requiring nearly four hours. 

 Hence if the storm in question were a whirlwind, instead of the 

 change having been sudden, several hours would have been re- 

 quired for its gradual accomplishment. 



(38. To prove therefore that a sudden change ensued from ope 

 violent wind to another of the same character blowing ii>an op- 

 posite direction, is to demonstrate that the storm in which it took 

 place was not an extensive whirlwind. Yet this characteristic 

 is universally admitted to belong to hurricanes, and especially to 

 those upon our territory in which a southeaster is followed by a 

 northwester. Hence the seaman's saying which Mr. Redfield 

 sanctions in quoting, "a northioester does not re7nain long in debt 

 to a southeaster.^^ 



69. But if the storm above alluded to moved from southwest 

 to northeast as Mr. Redfield's doctrine requires, and the velocity 

 of the wind on the southeastern and northwestern limbs of the 

 whirl were as great as described, that on the southwestern side 

 must have been more than a fourth more violent, having the 

 general motion of the storm, superadded to its appropriate gy- 

 rating velocity. Yet there is no evidence that any such supe- 

 riority existed. On the contrary the violence of the southeaster 

 and northwester seems to have been preeminently the object of 

 attention. 



70. Agreeably to Mr. Redfield, hurricanes have a diameter va- 

 rying from one mile to five hundred miles, the diameter of the 

 severe part of the storm of August, 1830, being from one hundred 

 and fifty to two hundred and fifty miles. Of course a portion of 

 the eastern as well as the western limb of such a storm might be 

 comprised between the Alleghany mountains and the Atlantic 

 shore ; and in no case would the inner portion of the southeast- 

 ern and more violent limb be beyond the cognizance of our mer- 

 chants and insurers. It would be a matter of course that in ev- 

 ery violent northeast gale, arising as represented from the pro- 

 gression of the northwestern limb along our coast, fears would be 

 entertained lest vessels, inward bound, should be met by a much 

 more violent southwester. But experience shews, that every 



