BY THE REV. K. F. WHEELEE, M.A. 281 



Committee in a special way It is hoped that by the aid of 



the commanders of the principal lines of Trans-Atlantic steamers, 

 who have met the Committee's appeal with the utmost readiness, 

 that within a brief period of time a mass of material will have 

 been obtained which will be beyond comparison more complete 

 than any which has yet been collected 



" In order that the whole of the work which has already been 

 done in the office, in the direction of sea temperature, should be 

 rendered available to the public, and at the same time the results 

 already obtained in Holland should be published in a form ac- 

 ceptable to English readers, it was resolved to prepare for the 

 South Atlantic Ocean monthly charts, containing all the infor- 

 mation contained in the Dutch charts reduced to the Fahrenheit 

 scale, together with the means for five degree squares obtained 

 from the discussion of the Board of Trade registers. These 

 charts are being lithographed, and are supplemented by copious 

 notes, consisting of extracts from registers of any captains who 

 have recorded sudden changes of temperature or other remark- 

 able phenomena bearing on the question under discussion." 



The second department of the Committee's work is that relat- 

 ing to Telegraphic Weather information. As is well known the 

 system of storm warnings, introduced by the late Admiral Fitz- 

 roy, has been discontinued. The Meteorological Committee, 

 while distinctly declining " to prognosticate weather, or to trans- 

 mit storm warnings, are collecting information which will enable 

 them, sooner or later, to frame rules by which such prognosti- 

 cations can be made, and that one of the main objects which 

 they propose to themselves is the advancement of meteorological 

 science in this important practical direction." 



The third department is that of the Land Meteorology of the 

 British Isles, and with the view of carrying out their part of the 

 work, observatories have been established at several j)laces in 

 the United Kingdom. 



Meteorology has made a very considerable advance not only 

 in England but throughout the civilized world during the past 

 year. In France, the magnificent series of charts " Atlas Mouve- 

 ments Generaux de I'Atmosphere 1864, June to December," 



