110 ON THE DROUGHT OF 1858. 



worthy Observations are now made, and of whicli a digest is 

 published weekly and annually, by the Registrar General, in his 

 reports on the State of the Public Health. The following 

 table shows the annual fall during the last ten years, including 

 the wet year 1852 and the dry year 1858: — 



In the year 1849 23-7 inches 



„ 1850 19-7 „ 



„ 1851 23-7 „ 



„ 1852 34-2 „ 



» 



1853 30-0 „ 



„ 1854 19-0 „ 



„ 1855 23-8 „ 



„ 1856 21-9 „ 



3857 21-4 „ 



1858 17-7 „ 



Mean annual fall 23-5 



?> 



which shows that, notwithstanding extensive draining opera- 

 tions, the fall of rain has not sensibly diminished in the south 

 of England during the last 160 years. 



The fall of rain is, however, as we have already said, very 

 seriously affected by local circumstances; and already we have 

 evidence, both direct and collateral, to show that the plot of 

 country between the Tyne and Wear — say from Durham to 

 Newcastle at least — is one of the driest spots in England — per- 

 haps the driest. Nor is this the result of mere accident, but 

 rather produced by the action of physical laws which are every 

 day becoming better understood. To the naturalist I can think 

 of nothing that can be more interesting than an intimate know- 

 ledge of the effect of all known causes in modifying the climate 

 of his own immediate neighbourhood; and were I certain that 

 the task had not already been performed, I might have swelled 

 out this paper to a much greater length, by pointing out some 

 peculiarities which sensibly diminish the fall of rain in this 

 locality. 



