246 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION A. 



3.— METEOROLOGICAL AVORK IN AUSTRALIA : 

 A REVIEW 



By Sir C. TODD, K.G.M.G., M.A., F.R.S., F.Ii.A.S., Govvrnmott 

 Astronomer, Adelaide, S.A. 



Plate VI. 



The object of the present paper is to place before the Association 

 a brief and succinct account of meteorological work in Australia. 

 Mr. Russell has already told us, in his interesting paper on astrono- 

 mical and meteorological workers, read before the Associaticm at 

 its first meeting in Sydney in 1888, what had been done in the 

 early days of the mother colony, and brings the history up to 

 the year 1860, or immediately following the commencement of 

 the active work of the new observatory completed in 1858, an 

 establishment with which he has been associated during the past 

 thirty-four years, and over which he has so honorably presided 

 since his appointment as astronomer in 1870, on the death of 

 Mr. Smalley in July of that year. 



It is unnecessary that I should travel over the same ground. My 

 intention is to carry on the history of which Mr. Russell ha& 

 already given us the opening chapter. Indeed, as regards 

 meteorology but little had been done before the advent of Mr. 

 Scott, the first director of the Sydney Observatory, in 1858, who, 

 Mr. Russell tells me, established twelve meteorological stations, 

 two of which, Brisbane and Rockhampton, were in Queensland, 

 then forming part of New South Wales. Each station was 

 equipped with a standard barometer, dry and wet bulb thermo- 

 meters, maximum and minimum thermometers, and a rain gauge. 



Meteorological stations had previously — in 1840 — been estab- 

 lished at South Head, Port Macquarie, and Port Phillip, Victoria 

 being then under the Government of New South Wales. The 

 observations at South Head were kept up, but, I fear, not in a very 

 satisfactory or systematic manner, for fifteen years, or until 1855. 

 At Port Phillip and Port Macquarie they are said to have been 

 discontinued after six years. During Mr. Smalley' s tenure of 

 oflfice several stations started by his predecessor, for some reasoii or 

 other, probably owing to his bad health, were closed or allowed to 

 fall into disuse. These were, however, speedily re-estabhshed by 

 Mr. Russell : and I may here mention as showing the active manner 

 in which that gentleman has prosecuted the work commenced by 

 Mr. Scott, that he has now in addition to the ■'Sydney Observatory 

 thirty-five meteorological stations, having barometers, dry and wet 

 bulb thermometers, maximum and minimum thermometers, and 

 rain gauges ; 1 39 stations furnished with thermometers and rain 

 gauges; and 1,063 stations having rain gauges. 



The Sydney Observatory is equipped with continuous self- 

 recording barograph and thermograph, pluviometer and anemograph, 

 made after Mr. Russell's own designs, besides underground ther- 



