NOTES ON THE METEOROLOGY AND MORTALITY OF 



THE HOBAUT T(nVN 11E(HSTRATI0N DISTRICT DURINli 



THE MONTH OF MARCH, 1872. 



By E. SvvAREiiEOK Hall. 



The most marked phenomena in the weather this month were the high 

 but tolerably steady atniosplieric pressure ; the warm mean, but very 

 variable dady-raiige, of temperature ; great elastic force of vapour ; heavy 

 rain-fall ; small aerial movement ; cloudy skies ; i^ure air ; and unusually 

 defective electricity indications. The death rate total was above the average, 

 but priucii)ally in children under one year old, and persons above 60 years 

 old. 



Atmospheric pressure mean, 30 '018, was -f'Hl above the 30 years' mean for 

 March. I\Iininuim, 29"574, was registered on the 27th ; maximum, 30319, 

 on the 30th, being a range in three days of 745 of an inch. Within this 

 period 10 deaths occurred, while in twice that number of days previously 

 there were only 3 deaths. The gi-eatest movement of the barometer in any 

 24 hours, from 1 p.m. to 1 p.m., was a rise of + '386 of an inch on the 29th. 

 On eight other days there were movements exceeding one-fifth of an inch. 



W i lid -force, '62 '7 a Ihs., WAS —21*89 below the average. Gentle sea-breezes 

 from the south-cast preponderated both in frequency and force. The wind 

 from any quarter only attained the force of 2 '(JO lbs. pressure to the square 

 foot, twice, on the 25th and 27th, one a south the other a south-east wind. 

 Ca/??i.s were 24, being — 4 '22 below the average. Teinperatitre mean, 63 "GS 

 degi-ees, was -f 3"7G above the 30 years' average for March, and was as hot as 

 the mean for February. The maximum, 96 degrees, was noted on the 7th, 

 and the minimum, 40 degrees, in the night of the 11th, being a range in 

 five days of Sij degrees. On these fire days there were 13 deaths, but the 

 effects of this rapid and extensive variation in temperature, with rain 

 and cold winds, extended to the 13th inclusive, there being altogether within 

 this period of the month 22 out of the total deaths of the month. The wet bulb 

 thermometer mean, 57 '99 degrees, was -f 4 '04 above the average. 



Daily-range of temperature mean, 23 '61 degrees, was +3 "77 above the 

 average. Only March, 1856, "had a higher mean, i.e., 23-80. The greatest 

 range in any 24 hours was registered on the 9th, being 38 degrees. 



Solar-intensity m.QA\\, 99 15 degrees, was — 4 '35 below the average. There 

 was, however, so great an excess in the cloud mean that the sun's rays 

 when unintercepted were reaUy unusually hot. The maximum was 126*5 

 degrees on the 7th. 



Terrestrial-radiation mean, 49*65 degrees, was +1*72 degrees above the 

 average. Of course this is usually the case with an excess of cloudy nights. 

 The lowest record was 35*5in the night of the 11th. 



Elastic-fmxc of vapour mean, 418, was +61 above the 30 years' mean. 

 March, 1856, only had a higher mean, i.e., 450. The range was from maxi- 

 mum 598 at nooQ on the 5th, to minimum 215 at 7 a.m. on the 11th. 



Humidity mean, 71, was exactly the March mean of the 30 years. 



Rain fell to the aggregate amount of 2*27 inches, which is +'67 'of an 

 inch above the average. There were 12 days on which rainf ell, being +3 

 above the average. On the 8th, 13th, 16th, 24th, 26th, enough feU to flush 

 di-ains, sewers, &c. 



Spontaneous evaporation exceeded rain-fall very slightly, being only 2*85 

 inches. This is a very small amount of evaporation for March, but of course 

 IQ this mouth the small wind-force and the excess of cloudy weather account 

 for it. 



Cloud mean, 6*16, was + '74 above the average. 



Ozone mean, 7*32, was +*21 above the average. Saturation,, 10 was 

 recorded five times. The prevalence of sea-breezes and the gi-eat rain-faU 

 maintained high aerial purity. 



Electricity was in a very unusual state this month. There were only 5 

 positives with tension from 4 to 5*5; negatives were 36, with tension only 

 f roni 1 to 4. There were 21 nils. Thunder and lightning occurred with rain 

 in the afternoon of the 13th. 



The deaths were 58, being +3"/i6 above the average for March of the 

 previous 15 years. 1858 and 1864 alone exceeded the present month, having 



