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Miscellaneous Observations 7nade during a Voyage from Eng- 

 land to Barbadoes. By John Davy, M.D., F.R.S., London 

 and Edinburgh, Inspector- General of Army Hospitals. Com- 

 municated by the Author. 



Publishing observations shortly after they have been made, 

 whilst all the circumstances are fresh in recollection, ought to 

 insure, I apprehend, the greatest degree of accuracy that is 

 attainable ; and, it may be said, farther, in favour of speedy 

 publication, that there will be less chance of the observations 

 being in anywise altered to make them harmonize, as it may 

 be supposed, with others, or to suit any particular specula- 

 tions. 



The observations I have to offer, will be given in accordance 

 with the feeling just expressed ; and I shall be well pleased if 

 they are received as a small contribution to the branches of 

 science to which they pertain, and if the remarks offered in 

 conclusion, on the ventilation, conjointly with the temperature, 

 of steam -packets, at present so defective, excite attention, with 

 a view to improvement. 



1. Of the Temperature of the Sea at the Surface, and of the 

 Specific Gravity of the Surface Water. 



The voyage was made in " the Clyde," one of the West 

 Indian Royal Mail Steamers, in the space of 20 days, having 

 got under way at Southampton in the afternoon of the 17th 

 of June, and cast anchor in the road stead of Barbadoes at 

 noon on the 7th of July. All the way the wind was fair, 

 chiefly north-easterly, and the gi'eater part of the way the 

 weather was agreeable. We touched nowhere except at Ma- 

 deira, where we stopt about four hours. 



Every day at noon, a portion of the surface water was taken 

 up and bottled ; and, at the same time, the temperature of the 

 water was observed, for which I was indebted to the attention 

 of the intelligent chief-engineer, Mr Ritchie. The samples 

 of water so obtained I have carefully weighed, using a very 

 delicate balance, since my arrival here. The results, with the 

 daily latitude and longitude determined by the officers of the 



