for the year 1873. xvii 



to ocean meteorology, a furtherance of our knowledge of the 

 conditions which govern, or influence, the origin of great 

 atmospheric disturbances over large areas, with the grand 

 view of rendering navigation safer. The next and but little 

 less important object will be the discovery and systematising 

 of the various laws or conditions which lead to important 

 rainfall, or dry weather, high winds, and change of tempera- 

 ture ; objects of snch vast importance to agriculture, and 

 other occupations, as to render them cheaply obtained at any 

 possible national expenditure of time or money. The laws 

 which govern the movements and behaviour of storms over 

 the most of Europe, the Atlantic, and a large part of 

 America, are being already slowly unravelled by the clear 

 heads of the directors and able assistants of the Great 

 National Meteorological Bureaus, and some most interesting 

 and decisive results arrived at. Tt may be thought some- 

 what chimerical to hope that facts may eventually be deduced 

 by which the greater meteorological changes, and even those 

 that are agriculturally important, may be foretold and 

 forestalled ; such a consummation nevertheless appears far 

 less problematical than a year ago, and facts already esta- 

 blished indicate the possibility. The extension of the 

 telegraph, and the co-operation of almost all civilised countries 

 in the work, is one great step towards the attainment of so 

 desirable an end. 



In concluding my address three years ago, I made use of 

 these words — " The further physical science advances the 

 closer and more numerous seem to be the relatious between 

 the sun and terrestrial phenomena, and to my mind it 

 appears quite probable that solar physics will eventually be 

 found the true key to meteorology." Of course these views 

 were held by others, but a remarkable ratification of the 

 belief I then expressed has been given in the results of some 

 investigations as to the existence of relations between sun 



