METEOROLOGY. 



445 



table of the departures of the annual averages of certain meteorological 

 elements from their normal values : 



The above figures are based on the meteorological observations for 

 the whole of India, and are therefore free from all minor local peculiari- 

 ties. The meteorological conditions are evidently subject to much more 

 violent variations than are the solar spots ; but Archibald and Profes- 

 sor Hill seem to regard these figures as favoring the hypothesis that 

 the sun radiates most heat to the earth in the years of fewest spots. 

 {Nature, xxv, p. 316.) 



W. S. Jevons advocates the theory that there is some relation be- 

 tween the solar spots and the commercial crises. He gives in parallel 

 columns the number of bankruptcies and the corresponding year, as 

 follows : 



{Nature, xxvi, p. 226.) 

 Dr. Doberck has made a comparison between annual rainfall (C) 

 recorded at Markree observatory during forty years and the relative 

 sun-spot numbers (R) of Prof. R. Wolf. He finds that the following 

 formula approximately represents the connection between these two 

 data: 



Inches. Indies. 

 C = 46.492 + 0.05946 (R — 58-91) 



But this result must be considered to be a purely local matter and to 

 be based upon somewhat insuflBcient data. The general agreement of 

 the computed and observed rainfalls is not specially satisfactory. {Na- 

 ture, XXVI, p. 367.) 



Balfour Stewart reviews the results hitherto arrived at as to the 

 connection between solar spots and terrestrial temperature, pressure, 

 magnetism, &c., and concludes: We thus perceive how strong the evi- 

 dence is in favor of some connection between the state of the sun's 

 surface and terrestrial meteorology, while at the same time it is unmis- 

 takably indicated by all elements that this connection is of such nature 



