32 REPORT—1848, 
On Meteorological Observations continued at Alten in Finmark. 
By Jonn Lut, LL.D. FURS. 
Dr. Lee presented to the British Association the observations made by Mr. J. H. 
Grewe at Alten in 1846 and 1847. 
The annexed tables contain the principal results of those observations reduced to 
the English scale, the observations being made with French instruments. 
These Meteorological Observations are a continuation of others presented by Dr. 
Lee to the Society at York, Cambridge and Southampton for the years 1843, 1844 
and 1845, and which were made by Mr. Grewe and Mr. J. F. Cole. 
The observations for 1846-47 have been made by Mr. Grewe alone, Mr. Cole 
having returned to England. They contain the twelve tables for the months, with 
the daily observations, as formerly, for 1846, and the same for 1847; also two 
tables with the summary of the contents and the results for each year. 
The former observations for 1843, 1844 and 1845, contained in addition the half- 
hourly observations made on the 21st of each month, which have been discontinued, 
as Mr. Grewe had no assistance as formerly, and his avocations at the proper hours 
prevented him, as also did occasional illness. There was no want of zeal or inat- 
tention to the subject. 
Mr. Grewe and Mr. Cole were both assistants in the employ of the British Copper 
Mining Association established at Alten, and only able to devote their leisure time 
to these subjects as an amusement and an object of gratification. They laboured 
under great disadvantages, not only from climate, but from the want of encourage- 
ment and the means of communicating with persons of science. They carried on 
their observations in a climate in which in the winter they could hardly touch their 
instruments, and where they are deprived of the light of the sun in the winter for 
several months. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, they fixed a thermometer on 
the highest mountain (Storvandsfjeld) to the west of the Alten Copper Works before 
the winter commenced, and examined it again in the spring. Dr. Lee recommended 
a similar experiment to be tried at Swansea. Also they observed the auroras during 
the winter, and in a former year presented a paper concerning them. 
These Alten Observations have not been already without some use and interest. 
Col. Sabine has referred to them in one of his papers on the Meteorology of Bom- | 
bay, and Mr. Birt, in his papers on the atmospheric wave, sets great value on the 
Alten Observations. So likewise do Mr. Ronalds of Kew and the Rev. Mr. Fisher 
of Greenwich. 
With respect to the Christiania Observations, Dr. Lee remarked, that since his 
arrival at Swansea he had received the Christiania Observations for 1847 from J. R. 
Crowe, Esq., Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General at Christiania in Norway. 
They are a continuation of others made last year, and which Dr. Lee had the 
honour of presenting to the Association, in Mr. Crowe’s name, at Oxford*. Mr. 
Crowe formerly was the British Consul at Alten, where he resided for several years, 
and it is in a great measure owing to his judgement and zeal that the meteorological 
observations were commenced at Alten, and continued, since his promotion and re- 
moval to Christiania, by Mr. Grewe and Mr. Cole. 
Mr. Thomas, the Manager of the Alten Copper Mining Works, and a pastor, a 
Professor Loestadius, an eminent botanist, are, I believe, the principal patrons of 
science at Alten. 
Christiania, N. lat. 59° 54! 1", long. 10° 45! 0” east. 
Alten, N. lat. 69° 58’ 3” +, long. 23° + east. 
Observations upon the Meteorological Observations for 1846 and 1847 from 
Alten in Lapland, in a Letter from Mr. J. F. Coxe to Dr. LEE. 
London, July 22, 1848. 
Si1r,—According to your desire I have examined the Alten Meteorological Obser- 
vations for 1846 and 1847, which you have recently received from my former col- 
league, Mr. Grewe, and I have derived much pleasure from their inspection. 
* See the Report of the Association for 1847, Transactions of the Sections, p. 33. 
