142 
PROCEEDINGS OF 
[Jan. 
mile of the whole region where the rain fell; for it would require about this quan¬ 
tity of coal to be burned to turn all the rain back again into vapor. The rush of 
air on all sides towards the centre of storms, with a continued depression of the 
barometer in that centre, could not be accounted for on any supposition but that of 
the air being lighter in the region over which the storm cloud extended, and this 
was the leading fact of his theory. Mr. Espy stated, that he had now been able to 
investigate twenty-six great storms, besides numerous tornadoes, in all of which the 
wind did blow in towards a central space. The evidence of this fact is given 
abundantly in his Philosophy of Storms. It was impossible on the present occasion 
to bring forward and explain the numerous phenomena embraced by his theory; 
but he took the opportunity to say, that nothing was wanting now to make meteo¬ 
rology an exact science, and draw from his discovery of the cause of these phe¬ 
nomena all the advantages which the theory pointed out, but a series of wide-spread 
simultaneous observations, made by competent observers, with instruments of 
standard accuracy. 
With such a system in complete operation, no storm could spring up or come 
within our borders without being under the eye of several observers. Thus the 
shape and size of all storms, the direction and velocity of their motion over the 
surface of the earth, and the force and direction of the wind during their pas¬ 
sage, would be known. The quantity of rain, and the moment of its greatest 
fall, and also the moment of the maxima and minima of the barometer, a matter of 
high importance, would be known. The immense advantages resulting to the mari¬ 
ner, to say nothing of the farmer and citizens generally, would greatly overbalance 
any pains and expense which may attend the further prosecution of this subject. 
Indeed, any mariner who shall make himself acquainted with the science as it now 
stands, will be able both in the West Indies and in the bay of Bengal, to use as 
much wind in the borders of the tremendous hurricanes there, as will suit the pur¬ 
poses of navigation ;* and in higher latitudes, where the storms are of immense 
diameter from north to south, and move side foremost, from westerly to easterly, he 
will know in what direction the centre of the storm is from his locality, and be able 
so to steer his vessel as to get out of the storm in the shortest possible time. 
Whereupon, on motion of Col. Totten, it was 
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to confer with Mr. Espy 
on the subject of his theory of storms, and to report what measures, 
if any, they deem it proper to be adopted by the National Institution, 
to aid in the investigation of meteorological phenomena. 
The Corresponding Secretary stated, that early in the year 1843, 
a circular which was approved by the then directory, the Secretaries 
* It has been demonstrated by Redfield, and confirmed by Reid, that the storms 
of the West Indies move towards the northwest; and Dr. Piddington has shown 
that the storms in the bay of Bengal, also move towards the northwest; and Espy 
has shown that the wind blows towards the centre of all storms in their borders. 
