METEOROLOGY. 313 



period of the hour. Now, with the exception of the clock, the whole 

 of this miniature railway work, with all its apparatus, wheels, &c. , &c., 

 is the work of Dr. Smallwood's own hands^ and exhibits, on his part, 

 a mechanical talent of the highest order. 



At the extreme end of the room is a table, beneath which is an ar- 

 rangement for a heating apparatus, and on -which is the four arm con- 

 ductor previously alluded to. To the two lateral and front arms 

 hang, respectively, two of Volta's electrometers, and one of Bennet's, 

 while beneath the knob on the anterior, there is a discharging appa- 

 ratus, with an index playing over a graduated scale, to measure 

 during thunder storms the force of the electric fluid, by the length of 

 its spark. On this subject we cannot avoid a reflection on the fate of 

 the unfortunate Richman. In this case such precautions are adopted 

 as will obviate any casualties whatever ; great precaution, however, is 

 required in these experiments, and Dr. Smallwood, fully aware of it, 

 has the whole placed in connexion with the earth by means of a brass 

 chain and iron rod. As another proof of Dr. Smallwood's ingenuity 

 and mechanical skill, we may notice that the whole of this apparatus, 

 even to the electrometers, is the result of his own handicraft ; and the 

 whole arrangements in the little room are a signal proof how much a 

 man may do unaided, and how well he can effect an object if t^jrown 

 entirely upon his own resources. 



On the right wall of the apartment are suspended the barometers, 

 of which there are three. 1. A standard of Newman's ; 2. Another 

 of Negretti's, but of different construction ; and 3d. One of Doctor 

 Smallwood's own construction. The means of the three observations 

 is the measure adopted for the observation. 



The only other instrument deserving of notice is the one to deter- 

 mine the terrestrial radiation ; and this also has been made by Dr. 

 Small wood. It consists of a mirror of speculum metal, (composed of 

 copper, zinc, and tin,) of six inches in diameter, and wrought into 

 the form of a parabolic surface, in the focus of which, at the dis- 

 tance of eight feet, a self-registering spirit thermometer is placed. 

 The construction of this was a labor requiring great nicety in 

 execution, and involving the sacrifice of much time ; but perseverance 

 even here conquered the difiiculties, and we witnessed a mirror whose 

 reflecting powers would not have disgraced Lord Ross' telescope. In 

 fact, placed in a telescope it has, we were informed, proved itself capable 

 of resolving those singular stellar curiosities — the double stars. 



Dr. Smallwood certainly deserves great credit for his perseverance 

 in a favorite study, under the most unpromising circumstances ; but 

 in nothing is he so remarkable as in that peculiar ingenuity which 

 has led him to overcome difiiculties in the prosecution of scientific 

 enquiry, which, to most minds, would have been utterly discouraging. 



The Natural History Society of Montreal intend to petition the 

 legislature for a grant of money to enable them to publish Dr. Small- 

 wood's tables of observations for the last twelve years. This is a most 

 laudable measure, and must meet with the support of every man who 

 has the welfare of science and Canada at heart. 



