BY THE REV. W. B. CLARKE, M.A., F.G.S., &c., V.P. 177 



correct, the difference calculated between any two places ought 

 to agree within a few feet. I have occasionally found 50 and 

 60 feet of difference on different days, which shows that there 

 must be errors in reading or recording the observations. But if 

 we had fresh troops of observers, where shall we place them ? 



If our East coast storms come in from the N.E. or S.E., they 

 must hit the coast at some point or other, and it does not at all 

 follow that they must necessarily travel upwards or downwards. 

 Sometimes they hit the coast after rec&rving, and get doubled up 

 by recoil from the mountains, and then, after a short struggle, in 

 which the wind backs (and of course blows) as it did in the heavy 

 gale of the 1st July last, return after the fashion of circles made 

 by a stone thrown into water, which circles run contrary when 

 tney impinge on an obstacle. 



At other times, the whole coast, as during the late season, 

 from Cape York to Cape Howe, is similarly affected in succession 

 or contemporaneously, and in such a case, Coast stations might 

 give warning. But, it is very doubtful whether S.W. gales 

 running up the back of the Cordillera, could be so watched and 

 turned to account. 



Nevertheless, as information would be obtained, which, if to 

 be relied on, is always valuable, the establishment of fresh stations 

 for observation would be desirable. 



But, I think a more desirable object would be the passing of a 

 law by the legislature, rendering it imperative on masters of ships 

 arriving from abroad, or belonging to our coasting marine, to place 

 copies of their logs in the hands of the Astronomer. We often read 

 of hurricanes off our coasts, such being the character assigned by 

 masters of small craft to a blow of wind which a ship of 1000 

 tons would consider as nothing. On the other hand, we should 

 obtain data in connection with N.E. gales, by vessels coming from 

 the Islands, and with E. gales, by passages to and from New 

 Zealand, which would be invaluable to persons engaged in 

 deciphering the elements of Australasian storms, and in turning 

 them to account. 



