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Sect. IX. J 



METEOROLOGY 



269 



agree 



as it always 





a desirable 



the notice of the meteorologist of the continents. Nor 

 ought it to be left out of consideration that this, of al 

 branches of physical knowledge, being that on which the 

 success of voyages and the safety of voyager- are most 

 immediately and unceasingly dependent, a personal in- 

 terest of the most direct kind is infused into its pursuit 

 at sea, greatly tending to relieve the irksomeness of con 

 tinned observations, to insure precision in their registry, 

 and to make their partial or complete reduction during 



the voyage an 



object. 



It happens fortunately, that almost every datuny which 



the scientific meteorologist can require is furnished in its 

 best and most available state by that definite, systematic 

 process, known as the " keeping a meteorological register,'' 

 which consists in noting at stated liours of every day the 

 readings of all the meteorological instruments at com- 

 mand, as well as all such facts or indications of wind and 

 weather as are susceptible of being definitely described 

 and estimated without instrum.ental aid. Occasional ob- 

 servations apply to occasional and remarkable phenomena, 

 and are by no means to be neglected ; but it is to the 

 regular meteorological register, steadily and -per sever ingly 

 kept throughout the whole of every voyage, that we must looh. 

 for the development of the great laws of this science. 



The following general rules and precautions are nt-ces- 

 sary to be observed in keeping such a register :-^ 



1. Interruptions in the continuity of observations by 

 changes of the instruments themselves, or of their adjust- 



ments, places, exposure, mode of fixing, reading, and 



t:^. 



registering, &C.5 are exceedingly objectionable, and ought 



