479 



questions relating to the course and direction of the aerial currents, 

 and the non-periodic variations of temperature and pressure con- 

 nected with them. 



" For the data required in the solution of these, and such pro- 

 blems, — so far as they relate to Ireland, — the Council believe that 

 the meteorologists of Europe have a right to look to the Royal Irish 

 Academy. 



" Your Council are moreover of opinion, that there are special 

 grounds for an undertaking, such as that referred to, in Ireland. 

 While, on the one hand, the position of the island in the north- 

 western extremity of Europe, its insular climate, the peculiar relation 

 of its surface to the curves which define the limits of the greater 

 precipitations of vapour, and the probable influence of the gulf- 

 stream, concur to give importance and interest to its climatology ; 

 on the other, the means for the investigation probably exist to as 

 great an extent in it as in any other country of Europe, and need 

 only to be organized for the purpose. 



" In reference to this latter point it is important to observe, 

 that the system of observation required (although necessarily de- 

 manding punctuality and attention) is not a complex one. It is not 

 necessary that the regular observations should, in any case, be more 

 frequent than three daily ; and it is probable that, with the know- 

 ledge we already possess respecting the diurnal variations of the 

 meteorological elements, a yet more limited plan of observation 

 wilLsuffice at most of the stations. 



" Additional information of great scientific value may be ob- 

 tained, without much additional labour, by combining tidal obser- 

 vations, at selected stations round the coast, with the meteorological 

 observations above referred to. The phenomena of the tides on the 

 coasts of Ireland present many points of striking interest, which 

 have been brought to light by Mr. Airy, in his able discussion of 

 the tidal observations made in 1842, in connexion with the Ordnance 

 Survey of Ireland. Of these observations Mr. Airy observes, that 

 ' extent of time alone appears wanting to render them the most im- 

 portant series of tide observations that has ever been made.' The 

 duty of endeavouring to supply this want naturally devolves upon 

 the Academy. 



