97 



turn to mariners which has of late years been partly supplied through the labours 

 of Maury and others who have analyzed and discussed the logs of many vessels 

 in order to obtain this information. 



With regard to the subject of temperature charts of various kinds have 

 been constructed exhibiting the distribution of this element on the surface of 

 the earth. 



I have only time, under this head, to mention the theory of dew and 

 the relation of heat to vapour as subjects that have been advantageously studied 

 and conclude by saying that notwithstanding the varied items of information 

 which we have obtained, we are in great ignorance as to the atmospherical con- 

 ditions which precede and give rise to storms and of those which precede and 

 give rise to long continued tracts of peculiar weather. 



SUGGESTIONS AND BEMAEK8 EEGAKDING THE FUTUEE. 



At the present moment a great deal of attention is given to Meteorology, 

 and there is reason to suppose that the interest in this science will increase as the 

 immediate practical importance of the results obtained becomes more and more 

 recognised. But yet it is doubtful if the labour bestowed will ever assume 

 that character and extent necessary to bring such a complicated set of 

 phenomena within the domain of accurate knowledge, for the great deficiencies 

 of meteorological observations have hitherto been their desultory character and 

 their limited extent. 



Each man has done what seemed right in his own eyes, without any regard 

 to what his neighbour was doing, or indeed, without any knowledge of the 

 efforts of others. Then with regard to the discussion of observations, I do not 

 think that meteorologists have set about this with a sufficiently definite object 

 in view. The physiological element of the science, or that which relates to the 

 connection between climate and health, has become mixed up in their minds 

 with the physical, or that which relates to the motion of the atmosphere, and the 

 result has been that in neither direction have their efforts been crowned with any 

 considerable success. 



As a notable example of this I may instance the case of a Cyclone, for at 

 this present moment meteorologists are in doubt whether the air in motion in 

 this phenomena moves round and round the centre or whether it moves spirally 

 inwards, advancing from the circumference to the centre. Now this can surely 

 be remedied by adopting a system of reduction framed for the express pxirpose of 

 obtaining a knowledge of the motions of our atmosphere. 



Let us suppose, for instance, that at each meteorological station we set up 

 as it were two imaginary apertures one foot square each, one facing north and south, 

 and the other facing east and west. Let us guage hour by hour the mass of 

 dry air and the mass of vapour which passes each of these apertures, and 

 we have at once the best elements which we can hope to obtain for ascertain- 

 ing the motives of our atmosphere j to instance which I need only refer to the 

 case of the cyclone already mentioned. Suppose, for instance, that we have a 



