liv REPORT—1857. 
which represent them are, consequently, similar, but oppositely placed with 
respect to the axis of abscisse. From this General Sabine draws the in- 
ference, that the diurnal variation is a direct effect of solar action, and not a 
result of its thermic agency. 
The most important step which has been recently taken in this country 
to advance the science of Meteorology, has been the formation of a depart- 
ment connected with the Board of Trade, for the collection and discussion 
of Meteorological Observations made at sea. The practical results of a 
similar undertaking in the United States are now well known. The charts 
and sailing directions, published by Lieutenant Maury, have enabled navi- 
gators to shorten their passages, in many cases by one-fourth of the time, 
and in some even to a greater extent. The commercial importance of such 
results could not fail to attract general attention; and accordingly, when 
the United States Government invited other maritime nations to cooperate 
in the undertaking, the invitation was cordially accepted. A conference was 
held at Brussels in 1853, at which meteorologists deputed by those Powers 
attended ; and a Report was made, recommending the course to be pursued 
in a general system of marine meteorological observations. This Report 
was laid before the British Parliament soon after, and a sum of money was 
voted for the necessary expenditure. The British Association undertook to 
supply verified instruments, by means of its Observatory at Kew; and the 
Royal Society, in consultation with the most eminent meteorologists of 
Europe and America, addressed an able Report to the Board of Trade, in 
which the objects to be attended to, so as to render the system of observa- 
tion most available for science, were clearly set forth. With this cooperation 
on the part of the two leading Scientific Societies, the establishment was 
soon organized. It was placed under the direction of a distinguished naval 
officer, Admiral FitzRoy; and in the beginning of 1855 it was in operation. 
Agents were established at the principal ports for the supply of instruments, 
books, and instructions ; and there are now more than 200 British ships so 
furnished, whose officers have undertaken to make and record the required 
observations, and to transmit them from time to time to the Department. At 
the present time 700 months of logs have been received, from nearly 100 
merchant ships, and are in process of tabulation. . 
Holland is taking similar steps; and the Meteorological Institute of that 
country, under the direction of Mr. Buys Bellot, has already published three 
volumes of nautical information, obtained from Dutch vessels in the Atlantic 
and Indian Ocean. 
For the purposes of Meteorological Science this system cannot be con- 
sidered as complete, until observations on land are included. Most of the 
greater atmospheric changes are due to the distribution of land and water, 
and to the different effects of the Sun’s rays on each. Observation alone 
can furnish the data from which the effects of these agencies may be calcu- 
lated ; and we can therefore probably make no great advance in the knowledge 
