59 
Popular opinion made westerly winds to prevail in the county ; but 
this was not found to be so by observation ; the average being 96 days 
for Uckfield, and 68 days for Brighton. The land and sea breezes 
during the summer months greatly influenced the climate of places on 
the coast. He had observed them blow on 21 days in the year. The 
temperature at Brighton seldom rose more than two degrees between 
nine a.m. and two p.m., owing to the land and sea breezes. The rain- 
fall he had discussed last year in a paper before the Society. 
Observations on atmospheric pressure were of no use unless carried 
on with standard barometers. These, corrected for index error and 
reduced to the temperature of 32° for sea level, gave, as the mean 
pressure for 17 years, at Uckfield, 29.982 inches. The highest pressure 
observed was at Uckfield, Jan. roth, 1859, 30.824 inches ; the lowest 
at Worthing, 28.432, three a.m., Jan. 24th, 1872. 
In an inland district the humidity was far less than on the coast, in 
the winter the latter being within 10° of saturation. In March, April, 
and October, sea-fogs occurred, probably connected with land and sea 
breezes. These were distinguishable from land fogs, which only 
prevailed in a calm, while the others ‘were accompanied by wind. 
Among remarkable phenomena were storms and incursions of the 
sea. In 566 violent storm visited Kent, Sussex, and Hants. In 995 
there was a hurricane at Chichester. In 1280 a violent storm, among 
other damage, destroyed 300 houses and churches at Winchelsea. 
Another, in 1287, drowned Winchelsea, and diverted the Rother from 
Romney to Rye. ‘Many encroachments of the sea happened between 
1260 and 1340: 40 acres of land were washed away at Brighton, 160 
at Hove, 40 at Aldrington, and 40 at Middleton. Early in the 14th 
century, 2,700 acres were submerged, and Pagham Harbour formed. 
In 1432, Shoreham was so encroached upon that the population was 
reduced from 500 to 36. The great storm of 1570 deepened Rye 
Harbour, formed the old Harbour at Newhaven, and washed away the 
Pier at Hastings. According to De Foe, the Great Storm of 1703 did 
“great damage at Shoreham and Brighton. Several whirlwinds were 
P recorded : one at Selsea Bill on January 20, 1840, when four fishing- 
boats were lifted a considerable height into the air and shattered. On 
August 3rd, 1848, £300 damage was done to the booths on the Race- 
hill, Brighton, by a whirlwind. 
Records of waterspouts were numerous. A schooner off Brighton 
was struck by one in 1823, and lost a man and a mast. December 
17th, 1836, a snow avalanche fell from the Cliffe Hills at Lewes. 
