METEOROLOGY. 419 



monthly reports should be regularly transmitted to the chief super- 

 intendent, as required by law. 



Of the great practical importance, to a new and but partially settled 

 country, of establishing (thus early in its history, and before its 

 physica,! condition is materially changed) a complete and compre- 

 hensive system of meteorological observations, I need scarcely remark, 

 as the subject will no doubt receive your attentive consideration. The 

 department will rely upon your cordial co-operation in the matter. 



Every enlightened country in Europe is now more or less engaged 

 in prosecuting inquiries in this particular branch of science. In the 

 other parts of her Majesty's dominions, and in the United States, 

 meteorological stations have been long since established. Although 

 the science is yet comparatively in its infancy, yet from the aggregate 

 of facts which have already been collected at various points and in 

 different countries, truths of highest value and importance in scientific 

 research have been unfolded, unsettled theories have been tested, and 

 questions relating to physical phenomena, wliich had long remained 

 among the sealed mysteries of nature, have been satisfactorily solved. 



I have the honor to be, gentlemen, your very obedient servant, 



J. GEORGE HODGINS, 



Depidy Super inter^dent.. 



Education Office, Toronto, September 25, 1857. 



2. 3Ieteorological Stations Edahlished. 



During the present year the following meteorological stations have- 

 been established at the senior county grammar schools in Upper 

 Canada : 



1, Port Sarnia ; 2, Chatham; 3, Guelph ; 4, Hamilton; 5, Ni- 

 agara; G, Milton; 7, Barrie ; 8, Whitby; 9, Belleville; 10, Pictou ; 

 11, Perth; 12, Cornwall; 13, L'Original, (instruments purchased 

 but not yet sent for.) 



Each of these twelve stations has been visited by an officer of this 

 department who, in addition to fixing the locality, position of instru- 

 ments, &c., has given practical instructions in the use of the instru-" 

 ments with which the stations have been provided. It was not thought 

 necessary to supply wind-vanes, as they are easily constructed at the 

 stations. Instructions, however, were given for making approximate 

 observations of the direction and velocity of the wind. 



Each of the stations has also been su{)plied with a sufficient quan- 

 tity of sheets of the various forms and abstracts for practice, previous 

 to making entries in the registers. 



The daily register contains a sufficient number of the two forms, A 

 and B, for a year's observation, as follows : 



Form A contains on each of its pages the following headings, viz : 

 ''Barometer corrected at 32" Eah. ; Gaseous pressure; Temperature 

 of air corrected ; Wet bulb thermometer corrected ; Difterence of dry 

 and wet bulb; Elasticity or tension of vapor ; Humidity; Direction 

 and velocity of wind ; Appearance of sky ; Class and arrangement of 

 clouds; Amount of ckMidinci-s ; Clouds in motion — Class, Elei-atiou, 

 Direction, Form, and Velocity ; Aurora; General remarks." These 

 observations are required to be made three times a day, viz: at 7 a. m,, 

 1 p. m., and 9 p. m. 



