1854.] 



SYSTEM OF SIMULTANEOUS METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



245 



tide guage, or lagometer — if the measuring instrument used may 

 be so termed — would require to be self-registering, a mechanical 

 contrivance involving no great ingenuity, and that it would also 

 be necessary to establish beforehand a Zero point having reference 

 to the supposed level of the whole of the lakes at the time of 

 commencing the various simultaneous"' registers, compared with 

 their known or assumed state at some remarkable bygone 

 periods. In my own mind that might be a matter of some Tittle 

 difficulty, as I am inclined to regard each lake as liable to be 

 acted upon by circumstances peculiar to itself; but as a general 

 rule, intended to establish some definite starting point for the 

 whole chain of observations, I would be disposed to take either 

 the level of the sea as the acknowledged zeros, or, in the absence 

 of more positive data, be content to make the lowest ascertained 

 level of Lake Ontario during the past season answer the pur- 

 pose, and have the guage so adjusted that the surface of the 

 water at the time of recording the first observation, should indi- 

 cate its relative height above the assumed Zero point. It would 

 also, of course, be advisable to insert beforehand, in the column 

 of remarks, the dates of the full and change and other quadrat- 

 ures of the moon, as well as of the apogee and perigee, from some 

 correct almanac, with the view of duly noticing whether or how 

 far these have any tidal influence on inland lakes. 



inoneer, and leaving the matter to be elaborated by more compe- 

 tent members of the Institute in such a manner as its philosophical 

 importance deserves ; and, therefore, with this view I beg to 

 conclude, with respectfully proposing that a special committee be 

 appointed to investigate and report on my project, and that, 

 should their report prove favorable, an immediate energetic appeal 

 should be made to the Government and Legislature in behalf of 

 the accomplishment of the object, in the same manner as adopted 

 by the American Association, and that similar appeals should be 

 addressed to the Governments of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, 

 and Prince Edward's Island, invoking their cordial co-operation 

 in the patriotic undertaking. 



All that now remains is to tender my apologies for the un- 

 avoidable great length of the above desultory communication, 

 and to express a hope that, however imperfect it must prove as 

 emanating from one who does not pretend to any acquirements 

 as an astronomical or otherwise scientific observer, it will not be 

 altogether unacceptable ; and that, at all events, it will not be re- 

 garded as an act of idle supererogation in a member of the Insti- 

 tute, who, whatever may be his deficiencies, is disposed to yield 

 to none in long-continued, ardent good wishes for the general 

 advancement of scientific research. 



Much more might be added to the foregoing very desultory and 

 imperfect sketch; but feeling myself incompetent to enter into 

 scientific minutiae on such a subject, I prefer acting as the humble 



R. LACHLAN, M. C. S. 



Montreal, 2d March, 1S54. 



Meteorological Table.— No, 1* 



Form of Daily Meteorological and Lalce (or River) Register. Kept at 



_during_ 



185 



Barometer. 



6 a.m 2 p.m. 10 P.M. 



Thermometer. 



6 a.m 2 p.m. 10 P.M. 



Hygrometer. 



O A.M. 2 P.M. 10 P.M 



tj A.M. 2 P.M. 10 P.M. 



Anemometer. 



Wind's direction. 



A.M. 2 P.M. 10 P.M. 



State of atmosphere 



Rain 

 Gn age 



Level of Lake (or 

 River) 



A.M. 'A P.M. 10 P.M 



Remarks on phases 

 of moon, borealis, 

 zodiacal lights, 



comets, storms, & 

 other phenomena. 



29-515 20-444 29-821 



l-uo o-ys TOO 



N.E. N. N.N.W. 



Str. Clear. Clear 



Moon, last quarter, 

 [4.37 p.m. 



Perigee, 0-1. 



M. new, 10.36 a.m. 



M. 1st qr. 0.12 a.m. 

 [Apogee 5 A.M. 



M. Full, 0.20 A.M. 



* The figures inserted in the first day of the montb, by way of example, correspond with, thoso noted at St. Martin's, near Montreal, on 1st January, 1853 



