244 



SYSTEM OF SIMULTANEOUS METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



[1854. 



the primary stations with a full set of instruments carefully com- 

 pared and of uniform construction (as tested and graduated by 

 the Smithsonian Institution), consisting of a thermometer, baro- 

 meter, hygrometer, rain and snow guage, and wind-vane or ane- 

 mometer; and also to cause hourly observations to be made at 

 six or eight stations, and three times a day at all others; and 

 concluded their resolutions by proposing to enlist in the good 

 cause, not only their own Government and Surgeon General, but 

 also the Canadian Government and the Hudson Bay Company, 

 and suggesting that Kingston and the Manitoulin Islands should 

 be selected as Canadian stations. 



" We expect (observed the committee)* to derive from syste- 

 atic observations [such as proposed] a thorough knowledge of 

 the climate in all its relations, and of its variations in the same 

 and in different localities. The mean temperature of points is to 

 be determined with carefully verified instruments, similar to each 

 other, similarly placed, and observed under the same, rules and 

 conditions; the lines of equal mean temperature will result; and 

 the variations at different seasons will be shewn; the limits of 

 vegetation will be found ; and the areas of climate adapted to the 

 cereals; the parallels within which wheat, Indian corn, &c, may 

 he profitably cultivated, and (which present results so different 

 from those found to exist in the eastern continent of Asia) will 

 be accurately determined ; the degree of dryness and moisture 

 will be ascertained ; as also the amount of rain and of .evapora- 

 tion — questions not only bearing on the health and comfort of 

 man, but on his attempts to facilitate communications by canals, 

 and the improvement of rivers, and on the means of avoiding 

 and controlling floods and freshets. The number of days of 

 rain, the number of clear and cloudy days, and the amount of 

 loss of the sun's effect by cloudiness will be determined. The 

 direction and force of the wind, and the system of winds prevail- 

 ing in different parts of the country and at different seasons of 

 the year. The mean pressure of the air and its variations will 

 be shewn by the barometer ; from which important data in re- 

 gard to the relative height of points may be obtained, giving the 

 general topographical features of the country, and serving as a 

 recommendation in distant parts of it, for proposed railroads or 

 common roads. The progress of waves of pressure, either con- 

 nected with storms or with the ordinary fluctuations of the atmo- 

 sphere, will be ascertained. All periodical phenomena will be 

 studied in connection with these observations — the flowering of 

 plants and trees, the ripening of grains and fruits, and the mi- 

 gration of animals. The frequency and intensity of the borealis 

 will be determined, and its singular variations, in passing from 

 north to south and from east to west, will be studied. The di- 

 rection of the motion, the frequency and intensity, and other 

 circumstances actuating on thunder-storms will be ascertained. 

 From these observations will result a knowledge of the law of 

 storms in its full developement, and its application ascertained ; 

 so important to the farmer and navigator — so interesting to the 

 man of science — and so desirable to be known by every one who 

 travels on our lakes or rivers, and extensive and sometimes 

 stormy coasts. The line of telegraphs will be rendered available 

 for observation on the subject, more complete than any which 

 have been hitherto practicable ; and while they will enable us to 

 determine the laws of storms, will also furnish the means of giv- 

 ing notice of their approach. The diseases incident to different 

 climates, the phenomena of malaria, and the progress and laws 

 of epidemics may be studied in connection with the periodical 

 phenomena from carefully connected stations." 



* See Proceedings of the American Association, held at Albany in 

 1851, pp. 398 to 400. 



Deeming it unnecessary to offer any apology for so appropriate 

 though lengthy a quotation as the foregoing, I now proceed to 

 observe, in as concise terms as possible, that I would respectfully 

 propose the adoption in Canada of the very same system of ob- 

 servations, with one additional column for the daily registry of 

 the fluctuations in the level of the waters of our great Lakes (or, 

 where a station happens to be on the bank of a river, the rise or 

 fall in its stream), j- as exhibited in the annexed blank Table No. 



1, as well as in that marked No. 2 ; showing, by way of climatic 

 example, the very different results of the observations actually 

 recorded near Montreal, and at Toronto, on the 1st days of 

 January, April, July, and October of the same year ; and I would 

 further venture to suggest that the following places, at least, 

 should be selected as suitable meteorological stations, though 

 many more might be judiciously added, viz.: — 1. Gaspe Basin; 



2. Kacoona ; 3. Quebec ; 4. Montreal (or St. Martins) ; 5. Corn- 

 wall; 6. By town; 7. Kingston*; 8. Belleville*; 9. Colborne 

 Harbour (or Presqueisle)* ; 10. Peterborough; 11. Cobourg; 

 12. Toronto; 13. Barrie, on Lake Simcoe; 14. Penetanguisheen, 

 on Lake Huron*; 15. Hamilton*; 16. Port Dalhousie*; 17. 

 Port Colborne*; 18. St. Thomas*; 19. London; 20. Amherst- 

 burgh, or Bois-blane Island*; 21. Port Sarnia*; 22. Goderich*; 

 23. Great Manitoulin Island*; 24. Bruce Mines*; 25. Sault Ste. 

 Marie, above the Rapids* ; and 26. Some station on the western 

 extremity of Lake Superior, say at the mouth of the Pic River: 

 — all the places marked thus * being also intended as stations for 

 observing the rise and fall of the waters of the Lakes, regarding 

 which it is now necessary to add a few explanatory words. 



The existence of various periodical fluctuations in the level 

 of our vast Lakes has long been beyond a doubt; but not 

 so, as far as I am yet aware, the various causes by which 

 they are produced, or the laws by which they are governed, 

 Independent of the great septennial flux and reflux assigned 

 to them by tradition, and on which a course of observations 

 such as that proposed would in time throw much light — 

 it has long been a question of lively philosophical interest, how 

 far, in the absence of any great feeders in the form of rivers, 

 their annual variations are regulated by the amount of rain and 

 snow which falls in their proximity, united with supposed supplies 

 from internal springs, combined with the greater or less evapora- 

 tion during each summer season; as is also how far the daily 

 and even more frequent temporary fluctuations in their levels, 

 are owing to the direction and force of the winds which happen 

 to sweep along their surface during the time. J Add to which 

 it. will be very desirable to ascertain, by a course of long-conti- 

 nued observations, having reference to the phases of the moon, 

 and other natural phenomena, how far those sudden and uncer- 

 tain alleged tides, termed " Seiches," described by several wri- 

 ters as observable in some of the inland European lakes, and 

 attributed to unequal atmospheric pressure, are also recogniz- 

 able in those of America.§ 



Not doubting that the results would prove highly satisfactory 

 and instructive, I deem it sufficient to add that, of course, the 



-j- It will be admitted that watching the rise and fall of rivers with 

 a philosophic eye is not altogether new to me, when I add that it is 

 now near forty years since, in India, I kept a minute record of those of 

 the great Ganges for a whole season, through a range of between thirty 

 and forty feet ; little dreaming that I should ever be in so near a posi- 

 tion as at present to learn that those of the equally great and far-famed 

 Mississippi are nearly the same.- 



J See Letter introductory to this Paper. 



<j See Young's Natural Philosophy, Vol. I., p. 578;. and 16th Vol. 

 of American Journal of Science, pp. 78 to 83 ; and also 2d Vol. of the 

 Canadian Journal, p. 25. 



