12 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



METEOROLOGY. 



During the War, Meteorology was utilized in many new 

 ways, and large developments of the Meteorological Office 

 were required in connection especially with Aviation. Under 

 these circumstances it was decided that the work should be 

 taken over by the Air Ministry. The chief danger in this is 

 that they may use the office for Aviation purposes with a com- 

 parative disregard of its many other uses; but the increased 

 scientific work which it is expected will be done may produce 

 compensating advantages. The Meteorological Office, begun 

 in 1854 as a Department of the Board of Trade, has now more 

 than 5,000 rainfall observers. The rainfall in 1919 was slightly 

 in excess of the average almost everywhere in England and 

 in N. Wales and the N. and E. of Scotland, but was deficient in 

 Central and S. Scotland and in Ireland. At my house, 

 Montevideo, Chickerell, the rainfall vvas31'74in.,an amount well 

 over the average of 18 years, 29'63in. Eight months in the year 

 were exceptionally cold, those warmer than the average being 

 May, June, August and December, so that much vegetation 

 was slow of growth and late. The mean autumn temperature 

 at Greenwich was 3 below the normal, which has only been 

 exceeded three times in the past 100 years, in 1829, 1840 and 

 1887. And there have only been two autumns in the last 

 100 years with a smaller rainfall, 1834 and 1858. The except- 

 ionally high velocity of wind at 180 miles an hour was recorded 

 on January 9th last over the S. of England at an altitude of 

 25,000 feet. A fine Aurora was seen over the S. of England 

 on October 1st, and was also visible from the Isle of Man. 



ELECTRICITY. 



A magnetic storm of considerable magnitude took place on 

 August llth and 12th last, and was probably felt all over the 

 world. It caused much irregularity in telegraphs and other 

 electric instalments; and the vertical force shown at Kew seems 

 to have been greater than any previous record. One fairly 



