202 



REPORT — 1865. 



financial matters I believe I must not enter ; but there can be no harm in 

 stating that by what has been done I have lost over ,£300, and a lucrative 

 post ; and inasmuch as it is impossible for me to continue under such con- 

 ditions, the " work to be done " will not become " work done" unless I am 

 protected from further loss. The Royal Society have recently granted £50 

 towards the general expenses of the investigations ; the observers naturally 

 think that by observing they do their share, at the same time they have 

 subscribed about £150 ; but the total of £200 by no means meets the outlay 

 of so extensive a work as mine. 



4. A few particulars respecting the rainfall of the last fifty years, and the 

 fall in 1864. — And first with reference to the fall during the past half 

 century, to an examination of which I gave some little attention during 

 the last spring. The accompanying diagram* best explains the result of this 



Eainfall 1815 to 1864 — Mean of Ten Stations. 



40 in. 



30 in. 



20 in. 



Oin. 



igiiiiimmiDiimiiii 



10 in. 



!■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■» 



■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■aaHNHi 



■■HHBHMHHBBBMHBBI 

 ■■■■■■■HHHHBIBIHHill 



■BBBBBBBBaaBBBBBBBflflBBB! 



■■■■■BRaBaDBBBBBBSBBBBHI 

 IBBBBBBBBBBOBBBflBBBBBBBI 

 IBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBI 

 " laaaBBBBBBBBBBBaBBI 



JBBBBBOBBaiBaBDBBSl 

 IBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB 

 IBBBBBBBBBBBBBB9BH 



_ JgBBflBBHBGHBBBBBBBi 

 flBIMBEBHBaBBBBBBBBBBBBI 



BBBBBBBBBBBBBHBB 



BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBi 

 BBBBBBBHHBBBBBB 

 ■ ■■■■■DNUIMIi 



aBBBBBBBBBBBBBBl 

 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBi 

 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBB 



BBBBBBBBBBBBBBB 



SBBBBBBBBBBBBBBI 



20 in. 



10 in. 



in. 



[„. Mi— .■■■■■ —.^■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■HBiq 



temporary investigation. I wish to emphasize that word temporary very 

 strongly, because one can never be sure that a partial investigation, based 

 on a few records, yields the same result as if all were combined, as I hope 

 eventually to have them, when, instead of discussing the variation in half a 

 century, we may hope to discuss the records of two centuries. 



So much interest is now taken, both in and out of Parliament, in questions 

 of drainage, water-supply, and the condition of our rivers, and I am so con- 

 stantly urged to give some information on the point, that 1 rather feel as if 

 I was acting the part of the dog in the manger, in gathering volume after 

 volume of rainfall-observations and yet deducing no results. My objection 

 has been, that though much has been collected, as much (or more) remains 

 to be done, and I have a great horror of incomplete work ; but not having 

 hitherto had the least assistance, and seeing no prospect of getting any except 



* It is almost superfluous to state that the total fall in each year is shown by the top of 

 the column, whether black or shaded, the difference being only made to show prominently 

 the years above and below the dotted average line. 



