'48 Mr. W. R. Bill on the Great Symmetrical 



is great reason to believe exists, between the atmospheric wave 

 and the rotatory gale : the direction of the wind in both cases 

 is the same. With respect to the atmospheric wave, it is shown 

 in my Tliird Report*, " that the direction of the aerial current 

 on the anterior slope (the barometer rising) is at right angles 

 to the axis of translation directed io'ward'sihe left-hand; while 

 on the posterior slope (the baronietery?//////j§) it is the reverse, 

 still at right angles to the axis of translation, but directed 

 towards the right-hand." In the article alluded to, it is shown 

 that the same holds good in the case of the revolving storm. 

 As the first half of the storm approaches, the wind rushes by 

 the observer towards the right-hand with a /^////^^ barometer ; 

 as the second half of the storm passes off, the direction of the 

 wind is reversed, — it rushes past towards the left-hand with a 

 risitig barometer. The great point, however, is to establish 

 the existence of a rotatory storm in connexion with the cross- 

 ing of two large waves. To this there appears at present a con- 

 siderable drawback, on account of the immense size of the 

 waves, and the great dearth of observations in certain localities 

 and directions, especially on the surface of the ocean, which 

 prevents the clear apprehension of the waves in the complete 

 totality of their existence. This might be obviated to a great 

 extent by the establishment of observations at all civil, military 

 and naval stations, and on board all Her Majesty's vessels, 

 government steamers, merchants' ships, &c. ; and if these ob- 

 servations were collected and preserved in an office appointed 

 for their reception, where the}- might undergo a searching and 

 rigorous discussion, our knowledge of these movements would 

 speedily be greatly increased, and their connexion or non- 

 connexion with the rotary gale finally determined. It appears 

 from a letter addressed by Prof. Loomis to Colonel Sabine, 

 and inserted in a late Number of this Magazine, that an ex- 

 tensive system of meteorological observations is likely to be 

 set on foot in the United States, provided the co-operation of 

 the British Govertwient can be obtained. " What I propose," 

 says the Pi'ofessor, " is that at every government station a re- 

 gister should be kept for a period of one, two, or three years." 

 Should this plan be carried out for Canada, it would greatly 

 contribute to the complete solution of any problem that might 

 be suggested, at once to make the system general, and include 

 everj' portion of the terrestrial surface subject to the authority 

 of the British Government, anil obtain observations from every 

 portion of the oceanic surface accessible to our vessels. Under 

 these circumstances, any results obtained from the American 



* Reports of tlie British Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 1846, p. 136. 



