REDFIELD, William Charles, American scientist: b. Middletown, Conn., 25 March 1789; d. New York, 12 Feb. 1857. In 1803 he was ap prenticed to a mechanic at Upper Middletown (now Cromwell), in 1811 set up for himself at Middletown as a mechanic and small merchant, and in 1821 began his study of the subject of Atlantic gales by observations of the region in eastern Connecticut and western Massachusetts devastated by the storm of 3 September, long known as the °great September gale.* By his investigation of the course and direction of prostrated objects, he became convinced that the storm was a progressive whirlwind. The per fecting of his theory of storms became his chief object In 1831 he began the publication in the American Journal of Science of a series of articles on the laws of storms; and in 1834, in an article in the same journal on 'Hurri canes of the West Indies) gave a complete syn« opsis of the main points of his theory as de veloped by a more extensive analysis of ob served phenomena. His views, known as the theory of storms,* were accepted after some slight opposition; and Redfield, by his explanation of the mechanism of extended hur ricanes, became one of the principal contributors to a scientific knowledge of the earth's atmo sphere. He wrote also on geography and
geology. As a naval engineer he devised the system of (safety barges,* by which passenger service via the Hudson between New York and Albany was conducted by means of a passenger boat drawn by two steamers at such a distance as to avoid danger of explosions, the frequent occurrence of which had caused general terror. Thus originated the idea of tow-boats for the conveyance of freight. Redfield was also prom inently interested in railway construction. A list of his published papers, from 1829 to 1857, includes 62 titles.
William Cox, American Cab inet officer: b. Albany, N. Y., 18 June 1858. He engaged in the manufacture of machinery, be came president of J. H. Williams and Company in 1905, of the Sirocco Engineering Company in 1907, and was vice-president of the American Blower Company in 1909-13. He served in Congress in 1911-13, and on 4 March 1913 be came Secretary of Commerce in the Cabinet of President Wilson. He wrote 'The New Industrial Day) (1912).