1865.] on the Meteorological Department. 309 



forecasts. At eleven, copies of the report, with forecasts, are sent out to 

 'The Times' (for second edition), to the 'Shipping Gazette,' and to the 

 principal afternoon papers. Copies of the forecasts, only so far as they 

 relate to weather expected in the Channel and on the French coasts, are 

 telegraphed to Paris (by special request) for the Ministry of Marine. The 

 whole of this work is finished by about half-past eleven, when every one 

 in the department is free to turn his attention to other duties. Late in 

 the afternoon telegrams are received from a very few selected stations. 

 Should it appear necessary (which is now but seldom), in consequence of 

 this later information, the morning's forecasts are more or less modified, 

 and copies of the report are sent out for the next morning's early papers. 



" Besides this daily service, occasional storm warnings, or cautions, are 

 sent to our own coasts and to Paris, and, when it appears advisable, also 

 to Hamburg, Hanover, and Oldenburg, by the request and at the expense 

 of the Governments of those States. 



"The basis upon which the forecasts and the cautions (which are merely 

 forecasts symbolized) are founded, may be stated briefly as follows : 



" They are the result of theory and experience combined. They are nqt 

 predictions but opinions, although probably the best opinions that can be 

 formed ; for it is manifest that if we know what is and has been occurring 

 around an area several hundred miles in diameter, we are in a better 

 position to form an opinion respecting the probable weather in a particular 

 district than any person who has not such facts at command. 



" Considering, with Dove, that there are two constant principal wind- 

 currents, north-east and south-west, of which the characteristics, especially 

 with regard to temperature and degree of moisture or dryness, are totally 

 distinct, all varieties of wind and weather in these latitudes may be traced 

 to the operation of these two main currents singly, in combination, or in 

 antagonism at times running in parallel lines but in opposite directions, 

 frequently superposed, and occasionally meeting at various angles of 

 incidence. 



"Upon the relative prevalence or failure of either or both of these 

 currents all conditions of weather appear to depend. 



"It is clear that changes must begin at some places earlier than at 

 others ; and the observations telegraphed daily to this department from the 

 outports afford the means of forming a very good opinion respecting the 

 nature and probable course of such changes. In a paper of this kind one 

 or two examples must suffice, although the various examples that might 

 be given are numerous, as also are the disturbing causes which must be 

 taken into account by a Forecaster. 



" Suppose a northerly (E.N.E.-N.N.W.) current to have been pre- 

 vailing generally over this country with fine weather ; the barometers at all 

 the outports, during the continuance of such weather, will have been 

 steady, or slowly rising, nearly uniform, or slightly higher at the northern 

 than at the southern stations ; there will have been much evaporation, and 



