PREFACE. 



In presenting the following Meteorological Observations to the public, it is 

 proper to offer a few words of explanation. 



They were commenced in December, 1831, with the hope that a careful record 

 of the changes in the weather might be of use to myself and possibly to others in 

 after years. As month after month passed, I found myself gradually extending my 

 range of observation, and daily incorporating in my register a greater and greater 

 number of phenomena. And T at length came to embrace nearly all the points 

 which I supposed would be of special use in future meteorological researches. It 

 was my practice for several years to publish in one of the papers of this city 

 abstracts from my register, giving such general information as was most interesting 

 to the public. In the American Almanac of 1850 I published summaries of the 

 monthly mean height of the barometer, of the monthly and annual mean tempera- 

 tures, and the monthly and annual quantity of rain, &c. These summaries 

 extended from 1832 to 1848, inclusive. Similar ones have been continued in the 

 same work to the present time. 



Dr. Henry, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, learning that my 

 register extended without interruption over a period of nearly thirty years, was 

 favorably impressed with the service which its publication might render to the 

 progress of meteorological science, rightly judging that so long a series of observa- 

 tions made at the same place under the same general circimistances, and by the 

 same person, would have a value in developing the laws of atmosjiheric changes 

 which would not otherwise belong to them. The subject of their publication 

 having been fully considered, it was determined to place them among the Smith- 

 sonian Contributions to Knowledge. 



For the information of meteorologists who may wish to know the position of 

 my place of observation, and the character of the instruments which I have used, I 

 may state that my residence, where the instruments have been used, is on College 

 Hill, a few hundred feet north of University Hall, Providence, at an elevation of a 

 little more than a hundred and fifty feet above tide-water in the river. The 

 geographical position of University Hall, as fixed by the determinations of the 

 coast survey, is lat. 41° 50' IT' N., long. 71° 23' 20" W. from Greenwich. 



The barometer used from the commencement of the register till May, 1847, was 

 constructed with a flexible leather bottom. It was a good one of its kind, and 

 gave average results which are probably reliable. In respect to the barometric 

 range and the absolute heights it was probably less accurate than for mean results. 



