215 



" In an interesting paper recently printed in the Philosophical 

 Magazine, Colonel Sabine has suggested that the almost unparalleled 

 mildness of the late winter may possibly be explained by an unusual 

 extension of the Gulf-stream, bathing the shores of these Islands, and 

 carrying with it a portion of the high temperature of the tropical 

 region from which it flows. And the probability of this explanation has 

 been augmented by tlie fact, that in the winter of 1821-3, a winter in 

 many respects resembling the last, this great oceanic current, whose 

 force is usually spent when it reaches the Azores, was actually observed in 

 the neighbourhood of our shores. I have long speculated upon the proba- 

 ble influence of the Gulf-stream upon the Irish winters generally, which 

 appear to be much milder, in comparison with those of England, than can 

 be well accounted for upon the principles of insular climate alone ; 

 and I was glad to see, from Colonel Sabine's paper, that my conjectures 

 had some real foundation. Whether or not they will account for the 

 fact, may, I think, be easily tested by a series of observations of the 

 temperature of the sea od the Eastern and Western coasts of the Island, 

 and under the same parallel ; and I cannot but think that such a result, 

 throwing so great a light upon the Climatology of this country, would, 

 if established, well reward the labour bestowed in the investigation. 



"The Climate of Ireland, indeed, engaged a large share of the 

 attention of the Academy during the life-time of Kirwan; and several 

 papers on the subject, by himself and others, are to be found in the early 

 volumes of our Transactions. Should the Royal Irish Academy, as I 

 think it ought, take that subject again under its peculiar care, the 

 knowledge of it might be extended and improved, by the observation of 

 the times of the leafing and flowering of certain plants, after the plan 

 suggested and carried out by M. Quetelet of Brussells, and now 

 extensively followed in many parts of Europe. Such observations fur- 

 nish us with a simple but admirable measure of the total effects of all 

 the influential causes in their combination and union. 



"Another subject of special inquiry, which might be fitly urged by 

 this Society, is the History of the Tides on the coasts of Ireland. On 

 this subject much has been already done ; but probably much yet 

 remains to be accomplished. Of the observations made in the sum- 

 mer of 1842, by the non-commissioned officers of the Ordnance Survey, 



VOL. III. s 



