PROCEEDINGS, JUNE. 



Xlll 



upon the earth and its inhabitants by the moon and the remoter planets 

 — the lesser forces — 48 well as by the grea 1 . central source of power — the 

 sun itself. 



Captain Shoett read a brief paper, criticising Mr. Nowell's views,, 

 in which he coatended that it was not to the moon's influence alone 

 that they should look for the effect stated, although he admitted that, 

 the moon was a great factor in the case. Though all parts of the world 

 were not affected alike by the aspect of the sun. moon, and planets, he 

 found that at tTobart under Jupiter and Mars' influence the temperature 

 increased, and decreased with Saturn's ; likewise the aspect of Saturn, 

 Uranus, Venus, and Mercury produced rain and low temperature ; 

 also, that the aspect of the different planets produced more or less 

 changes in the weather. It was also noticeable that after the tide 

 turned to rise rain set in or fell heavier in rainy weather. Mr. Nowell, 

 in his paper, had only notified the commencement of rain, and did not 

 give the number of rainy days in each quarter. He submitted a 

 calculation of rainy days for 1889, omitting those under three, points, 

 which showed that the greatest number of rainy days was on the 

 fourth or middle day of the quarter. The results were set out in 

 tabulated form, and showed that there were 61 days of one or two 

 points of rain. This large number of rainfall he considered attributable 

 to the proximity of the city to Mount Wellington, which attracted the 

 low moist clouds, from which fell slight showers of rain. 



Mr. C. H. Grant thought it would be interesting to the Society and 

 science generally if Capt. Shortt would give some detailed particulars of 

 the way in which he arrived at the conclusions he had stated in regard 

 to the planets affecting the weather, as those conclusions were not 

 generally known or accepted. He would like also to remark, inregard 

 to Mr. Nowell's paper, that the writer did not profess to be a scientist, 

 and therefore his conclusions were not to be judged by the rigid rules 

 of science. It seemed to him that he had amalgamated to a certain 

 extent popular ideas with science, and that therefore all his conclusions 

 must not be accepted as absolutely proved truths. In regard to lunatics 

 for example, science had proved that there was not that affinity of the one 

 with the other that he had indicated. They were indebted to Mr. Nowell 

 for the trouble he had taken, and he hoped it would lead to the changes in 

 the weather being more carefully noted. The near proximity of the city to 

 Mount Wellington, he believed, affected the rainfall, and consequently he 

 thought that the meteorological tables of Hobart could be said to have very 

 little value as compared with parts of the colony less affected by the 

 proximity of the Mountain. 



Capt. Shortt promised to read a paper on the influence of the planets 

 on the weather before the end of the session. (Hear, hear.) 



Mr. Nowell, in reply, said it was impossible for Mm to deal fully 

 With Captain Shortt's criticisms without having an opportunity to 

 peruse his paper, but if the paper read had done nothing else, it had 

 Drought out a most interesting statement from Captain Shortt, and the 

 promise of an interesting paper. Captain Shortt had conducted his 

 observations on a different system, but until he had a further opportunity 

 of studying the matter he must adhere to his own system. Mr. Grant was 

 inclined to think that the influence of the moon oa lunatics was one of the 

 popular ideas, but he thought it had been pretty well established by the 

 officers of lunatic establishments, and might now be regarded not as one of the 

 popular ideas, but as a scientific fact. Of course, as Mr. Grant said, he did not 

 profess to be a scientist, but had rather treated the subject from a statistical 

 point of view. They did not profess to be ultimate conclusions, but merely 

 such as the facts seemed to warrant, and he would be glad, if his paper was 

 the means of causing the matter to be more accurately investigated. In 

 regard to the situation of Hobart and its proximity to the Mountain, he had 



