LABORS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE. 119 



the 16th, 17th and 18th, and there was considerable rain y 

 snow, and hail on the 17th, continuing till noon of the 18th. 

 On the 19th, wind strong from N. W. The thermometer 

 at freezing point before sunrise. 



23. Capitol Hill, Washington City, 38 53' N., 77 2' W. (From our cor- 



respondent, Dr. J. M. FOLTZ, of U. S. Navy.) 



The wind on the 16th of March was S. E., and light. 

 On the 17th, a strong gale from N. E. On the 18th, N. E., 

 fresh, and on the 19th, N. W., moderate. 



At nine o'clock, on the 17th, it was raining, and had 

 rained 1^ inch ; it rained and snowed two inches on the 

 17th, and on the 18th, -^ inch more; making in all 3.81 

 inches. The barometer was stationary on the 16th at 29. 93. 

 It fell by nine A. M. of the 17th, to 29.758, and at three, P. M., 

 it was down to 29.60, and was the same next morning. 



Dr. Foltz infers, from the great severity of the storm, and 

 from the quantity of rain and snow accompanied with a 

 strong N. E. gale, that he was, at Washington, in the 

 centre of the storm. 



24. St. John's College, Annapolis, Md., 20 0' N., 76 43' W. (From our 



regular correspondent, Prest. H. HUMPHREY.) 



The storm was of great violence, and as far as I know, 

 blew steadily from the N. E. When I rose on the morn- 

 ing of the 17th of March, it was raining moderately, and 

 I observed the barometer had fallen from 30.00 to 29.76. 

 It continued to sink all day, and at 6, P. M., was 29.62, 

 and on the morning of the 18th, at seven, was 29.59. 



My opinion is, that the wind began to blow about 11, 

 P. M., of the 16th, at which time I observed a remarkable 

 light, due E., that I took to be an aurora. I watched it for 

 some time after my lamp was extinguished, and it exhibited 

 vivid pencils, as high as 45 or 50, and cast a strong light, 

 although obstructed by broken clouds. It was soon after 

 this that I noticed the raising of the wind, by its effect on 



