during the Quarter ending March 31, 1850. 371 



folk to the North Sea. At Tamworth and Birmingham the 

 air was in gentle motion only. In the north, at the same 

 time, a strong wind was blowing from the Irish Sea, but which 

 was not felt east of the Cumberland mountains, except at 

 places of a considerable elevation, as at Durham. There was 

 a rapid thaw in the south. Jan. 29 to 31, the thaw proceeded, 

 and the air was in gentle motion. ;, 



On Feb. 1 the general direction of the wind was S.W. in 

 the southern counties, and it was S. on the east coast and in 

 the northern counties. Rain was falling all over the country. 

 On Feb. 2 and 4 the general direction of the wind was S.W. 

 There were slight frosts at Crewe and at Darlington. 



On Feb. 6 there was a heavy gale from the N.VV. This 

 gale raged in Ireland and on the Welsh coast. 



On a careful reference to an excellent map, and a re-ex- 

 amination of my note-book, containing observations on the 

 situation of the stations made during my progress through 

 the country for the purpose of organizing the scheme now in 

 operation, I find that the variations, both of the strength and 

 direction of the wind, were owing to local circumstances. 

 Starting from the north, and confining myself to the western 

 side of the high range of mountains, extending, with many de- 

 viations east and west, from Edinburgh to a little below Derby, 

 I find at Dundee a gentle breeze only is recorded. This is 

 possibly attributable to a high range of mountains, whose 

 direction is from the S.W. to the N.E., and situated imme- 

 diately above Dundee, and which would shelter it from a N. W. 

 gale, such as that we are now investigating. At Glasgow and 

 Lanark, places open for miles round in a N.W. direction, a 

 storm is described. At Beattock there was a heavy gale; this 

 place is encompassed by the Moffat hills, forming the highest 

 ground in the south of Scotland, the highest amongst them ex- 

 ceeding 3000 feet above the level of the sea. Proceeding south- 

 wards, at Shap a storm was raging. This place is situated to 

 the north of a ridge of mountains extending across the country 

 from Whitehaven to Appleby, and from its situation is much 

 exposed to a gale from the N.W. and W. At both Lancaster 

 and Manchester a gale, and at Liverpool a hard wind, was 

 recorded ; the direction at these places was W. These places 

 are open to the Irish Sea. At Conway a storm from the S. 

 is recorded ; the place is sheltered by a range of mountains 

 to the east of it. At Holyhead there was a heavy gale from 

 the N.W. At Crewe and Tamworth there was a heavy gale 

 from the N.W. By reference to the map, Crewe is much 

 exposed, and Tamworth is open from the N.N.W. Starting 

 again from the N., on the eastern side of the mountains, at 



