206 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE WINDS. 



For the 22 years from 1867 to 1888, the average annual Rainfall waa 

 29-235 inches, varying from 23-700 in 1873 to 45-6G4 in 1872. 



(140.) There is one remark respecting land observations, which is im- 

 portant : — " All the synoptic charts hitherto advanced at the Board of Trade 

 exhibit a marked diminution of force on land compared with that on the sea 

 coast. Indeed, the coast itself offers similar evidence in its stunted, sloping 

 trees and comparative barrenness."* The trees in many locahties form 

 excellent vnnd-vanes, as, by their growth, they show exactly the direction 

 from whence the most powerful and persistent winds come. 



It would seem, also, that the land has a tendency to draw the wind 

 towards it, so as in some measure to make it appear that the prevalent 

 direction is more across the line of direction of that coast than is really 

 the case. Looking at the simultaneous observations now daily collected 

 and published for a great extent of coast, this is very apparent. All these 

 arguments tend to lessen the value, in some degree, of those extended and 

 accurate records of the wind on land. The mean direction of the wind, 

 derived from land observations, however, as given by Kamtz and Dove, is 

 as follows : — 



England S. 65° W. 



France and Holland S. 88° W. 



Germany S. 76° W. 



Denmark S. 62<» W. 



Sweden S. 77° W. 



N. part of United States S. 86° W. 



(141.) English Channel. — The following are the results of fifteen con- 

 secutive years observations upon the wind, taken by M. Nell de Breaute, 

 at the Chapelle, near Dieppe, at an elevation of 490 feet above the sea : — 



From this Table the following conclusions may be drawn ; — 

 In the 365 days of the year there are about 361 of wind, and 4 or 5 of dead oalm. 

 If the horizon be divided into four equal parts, there will be — 

 135 days with the wind between South and West.f 



94 „ ,, between West and North, 



71 ,, „ between North and East, 



61 ,, ., between East and South. 



* Third Number, Meteorological Papers, by Admiral FitzRoy, 1858, page 99. 

 t Upon comparing this direction of West to South with the Liverpool observations, u 

 givau in the diagrams, page 203, the disturbing action of the laud will be evident. 



