130 Transactions. 



wliat may probably occur in the future regarding " weathei'," 

 still it may be hojied that from an increased number of meteoi'- 

 ological stations, and more careful and extended observations, 

 that " weather forecasts " may assume a more important aspect 

 than is the case at present in the infancy of this science. What 

 has already been accomplished in this direction by the Meteor- 

 ological Office has undoubtedly been of much service to the 

 country, and the warning notices of approaching storms have 

 been the means of saving many lives, although the " forecasts," 

 generally speaking, can only be relied on for a pei'iod of 24, or 

 at the most 48, hours in advance, and then not always with 

 certainty. About 75 to 80 per cent, of the "forecasts" issued 

 by the Meteorological Office prove to be correct, but sudden 

 changes of weather and storms, arising, probably, from some 

 local atmospheric disturbance, still elude the most careful 

 observers. One of the most marked features of the past winter 

 has been the difference in temperature between the South and 

 North of Great Britain, quite reverting the usual conditions. 

 The cold experienced in the South of England has been compared, 

 not without reason, to the memorable winter of 1814, when the 

 Thames was quite frozen over above Blackfriars' Bridge, a fair 

 was held on the frozen river, booths erected for dancing, <fec., 

 printing presses set up, and a sheep was roasted on the ice ; and 

 had it not been for the extensive embankments, erected since 

 that time, contracting the channel of the river, and thereby 

 creating a stronger current, it is believed the same things might 

 have taken place during the past winter ; as it was, the river 

 was frozen over at Hampton Court, aiid for some distance below, 

 and skating was indulged in for miles on the frozen surface. 

 Large masses of floating ice accumulated between the liridges for 

 a time, quite putting a stop to navigation The ice on the ponds 

 in the different parks was from 7 to 10 inches in thickness. The 

 duration of this frost continued for a considerably longer period 

 than in 1814. The days on which the mean temperature was 

 below 32 degrees during the late frost were 33 ; in 1814, 26 days. 

 In the North of England and Scotland, generally speaking, little 

 more than an ordinary winter was experienced, and in the 

 extreme North of Scotland the winter months were rather above 

 the average temperature. The duration of the frost may be 

 taken as lasting from the 13th December, 1890, to 22nd January, 



