BY THE EEV. E. F. WHEELER, M.A. 405 



the sailing barge S X lying in the Thames off Charlton, and 

 ignited the straw with which it was laden. 



On the 16th and 18th there was much snow on the Westmor- 

 land, Cumberland, and Yorkshire hills. Ten days later there 

 was snow on Skiddaw. 



North Shields. — On the 6th a maximum temperature of 73°, 

 and a minimum of 88° on the 1st was recorded. The rainfall 

 was 1*47 inches below the average for the years 1860-65. 



Sunderland. — A singular mirage was seen on the 16th by Mr. 

 Backhouse. 



Seaham. — On the 15th there was a strong gale of wind about 

 7.40 P.M., which increased in violence during the night. 



Hartlepool. — The barometer was very steady during this 

 m_onth. On the night between the 15th and 16th, a gale from 

 the north-east reached a height of 8, (Beaufort's scale,) and 

 caused the loss of several fishing boats, and the lives of fourteen 

 Hartlepool fishermen. The local instruments did not give any 

 remarkable indication of this gale, but there was considerable 

 difference of pressure between the western coast of Ireland and 

 the east coast of England. The gale was accompanied by a 

 heavy fall of rain along the east coast of England. 



The highest temperature for the half-year ending June 30th 

 was reached on the 7th, viz., 76°. 



Mean force of wind, 3*2, Beaufort's scale. The prevailing 

 direction has been north-easterly, but vessels from the Baltic 

 reported that westerly winds had been general at sea. 



The greatest fall of rain on the 16th, during the gale, was 

 0'58 inch. Rain fell on nine days. 



The sea has been generally calm during the month ; but dur- 

 ing the gale on the 16th it reached a height of three feet, and 

 exerted a pressure of 27 cwt. per square foot against the end of 

 the new pier. 



A remarkable mirage was apparent to the south-east for 

 several hours during the 26th. 



