THANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS, ^]^ 



a resume is presented in tJie preceding paper) enable ua to infer that the substitution 

 of an area of water over the Sahara for the existing dry land would be followed by 

 the storing up of the heat received so largely in that region from the sun's rays 

 which is now partly dissipated by nocturnal radiation. ■ - - _ 



A great Mediterranean sea in Africa, possessing an area equal to theGulf ofMexicb 

 and Caribbean Sea, would become, like these seas, a som-ce of positive thermal in- 

 fluence on distant places. In the Red Sea the temperature is high by night as 

 well aa by day, and this would also occur in the hypothetical Mediterranean of the 

 Sahara. The evaporation from its surface would give to the air above an immense 

 mass of vapour containing heat in a potential or latent state. This vapour-charged 

 atmosphere, like a similar atmosphere over the Atlantic, would tend, in consequence 

 of the earth's rotation, to move from south-west towards north-east, thus carrying 

 heat towards the western regions of Asia and the eastern part of Europe. Theclimatal 

 etiect of this sea would, upon the whole, result in a higher mean temperatm-e for 

 these parts of the globe, and it would undoubtedly not operate in producing a lower 

 temperature in Europe so as to cause a descent of the snow-line. Its action, if any, 

 would probably be the reverse. 



On the apparent Connexion between Sun-spots, Atmospheric Ozone, Bain, and 

 Force of Wind. By J. Moffat, M.D., F.G.S., 4'C. 



In this paper the author stated that, in discussing ozone observations from 1850-69, 

 he observed that the maximum and minimum of atmospheric ozone occurred in 

 cycles of years, and that he had compared the number of new groups of sun-spots in 

 each year of these cycles with the quantity of ozone ; and the results showed that 

 in each cycle of maximum of ozone there is an increase in the number of new groups 

 of sun-spots, and in each cycle of minimum of ozone there is a decrease in the num- 

 ber of new groups of sun-spots. 



In a Table he also showed that there is an increase in the quantity of rain and 

 the force of wind with the maximum quantity of ozone and sun-spots, and a de- 

 crease in these with the minimum of ozone and sun-spots. 



On tlie Rainfall in Monmouthshire and the Severn Valley on July liih, and 

 on some subsequent Floods in England and Wales. By G. J. Stmons. 



The author stated that it would hardly have been right to say nothing about the 

 wonderful rainfall in the neighbourhood of Bristol on the day named. The rainfall 

 was simply a mass of vapour that came up from the west, and commenced to fall as 

 rain at Tenby between midnight and 1 a.m. on the morning of the 14th of July. 

 Its front edge travelled at the rate of about 18 miles an hour ; and at 4 p.m. on the 

 same day it passed off by the north coast of Norfolk. As to its breadth, it took 

 about 36 hours to pass over any given point. The quantity of water that feU varied 

 very much over the whole country, and was deepest on the west side of a line drawn 

 from the Isle of Wight to the Isle of Sheppey, and thence to the north-west. Most 

 stations in Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire had a rainfall of over 3 inches; at 

 fourteen stations the rainfall exceeded 4 inches, at six it was over 5 inches; and 

 at Tintern Abbey, usually considered a dry station, the rainfall was 5-31 inches in 

 24 hours. The result of this heavy rain was, as many of the inhabitants of Bristol 

 knew too well, that most of the low-lying parts had been flooded. This was fol- 

 lowed, especially in the Midland Counties, and as far north as Manchester, by storms 

 in which from 2 to 3 inches of rain fell ; and this coming on saturated gi-ound, a great 

 deal of damage was done in Leicestershire, Cambridge, and Huntingdon ; and ho 

 mentioned as an instance that when the day arrived for holding the Huntingdon 

 races, the race-course was 2 feet 6 inches under water. The rainfall dining July 

 waa wonderfidly concentrated; for instance, at Tamworth there was the extraordinary 

 fall of 9i inches in 8 days, or ^ of the average rainfaU for a year. 



