Meteorological Ohseri'ations. 323" 



as possible over the interior surface of continents — along sea 

 coasts — in islands — and in the open ocean. 



The geographical position of this colony renders it perhaps 

 the most interesting and important situation on the surface of 

 the globe, for observations cf this nature ; first, whether we 

 regard it either as an advantageous station for observing the 

 commencing action of the great counter-curreiit of the trade 

 winds, where it first strikes the earth's surface, and, combined 

 with the action of the heated surface of the African Promontory, 

 gives rise to that remarkable alternation of South-east and 

 North-west winds, which forms so distinguishing a feature of 

 our climate — or consider it, secondly, as the farthest extremity 

 of one of the two sreat lotes of land which form the terrestrial 

 part of our globe, and as such, constituting at once a barrier to 

 the currents and tides cf two great oceans, and a limit to their 

 climates — or, lastly, as a great nautical station., and one not 

 devoid of difficulty and danger, in which every consideration of 

 practical interest .combines to stimulate the curiosity of the 

 theorist, and give importance to the results of his inquiries 



As these pages may fall into the hands of many who have 

 been little in the habit of observing systematically, or who may 

 not be in possession of instruments of the nicest construction, 

 attention to the following instructions is recommended as the 

 means of rendering their observations most available for useful 

 purposes, and comparable with each other, and with those 

 intended to be refered to as standards. 



I. General Recommendations and Precautions. 



1. The continuity of observations ought to be interrupted as 

 little as possible by changes in the adjustments of itiStruments— 

 in their places — exposure— mode of fixing — or of reading off 

 and registering them. Whenever any alteration in these or any 

 other particulars takes place, especially such as are likely to 

 afiect the zero points, or otherwise to influence the mean results, 

 it should be noticed in the register. 



2. So far as possible, registers should be complete — but if 

 by unavoidable circumstances of absence, or from other causes, 

 blanks occur, no attempt to fill them up by general recollection, 

 or by the apparent course of the numbers before and after, 

 should everba made. 



3. The observations should, if possible, all be made by one 

 person — but as this may often be impracticable, the principal 

 observer should take care to instruct one or more of his family 

 how to do it, and should satisfy himself by many trials that 

 they observe alike. 



4. The entries in the register should be made at the time of 

 cbser"ation, and the numbers entered should be those actually 



