Dear Sir

Your letter of Feb 24^th transmitted by Profr. Silliman came to hand a few days since, and I have to thank you for drawing my attention to Capt. Tillards description of the revolving cloud or eruptive whirlwind which attended the volcanic outbreak near the Azores in 1811.¹ I had noticed that the meteoric phenomena which attend volcanic eruptions have been described in a manner that authorizes us to consider them, in many cases at least, as analogous in character to the water spout or small tornado. The characteristic noises and the carrying up of light ashes to great elevations by the spiral action (in the centre of the vortex) seem to afford evidence of the verticular character of these discharges; were not the interior movements in these discharges concealed from view, as in the tornado or thunder cloud, this point, it is probable, would long since have been considered as settled.

I have not the paper of Profr. Oersted at hand but remember to have been satisfied with so much of his reasoning as goes to maintain the identity of the so called water spout with the columnar whirlwind. It has seemed obvious, however, that the notion that these whirlwinds and also the greater whirlwind storms should be ascribed to the meeting of opposite currents in the atmosphere, is essentially erroneous.² To me it appears that the currents or storms as well as other movements in an atmosphere or ocean are never found in direct apposition to each other and that the movements of any part or portion of the fluid mass must always be mainly coincident with those of the other parts or portions which are immediately adjacent. Hence the cause as well as necessity of the varied verticular and other movements which are found in our atmosphere. The inquiries which appear connected with the subject of your letter are indeed important as well as interesting, and I sometimes wish for leisure and talent suited to the due investigation of these and some kindred topics.

I have read with much interest and satisfaction your volume of the voyages of the Adventure and Beagle,³ and was not a little gratified with the manner in which you have treated the the subject of terrene elevation and subsidence.

I shall forward you by the British Queen steamer or the first packet ship a few copies of meteorological papers together copies of the two last geological reports made to the legislature of New York, and also a copy of the report of the Regents of the University which contains a summary of meteorological reports.⁴ I have little direct intercourse with the lovers of science on your side of the Atlantic and shall at all times be happy to receive intelligence

I am dear Sir | Yours truly | W^m. C. Redfield