1885.] Influences and Cyclonic Paths of South Africa. 33 



exception, but wlien they are the rule, which I believe is the case with 

 these storms, we know then what allowances to make. For instance, 

 when a winter storm is approaching, look out for strong N.W. and W. 

 winds with heavy rain at Cape Town, when tlie barometer begins to rise. 



The last type of storm I wish, for the present at least, to bring to 

 your notice, is akin to the winter type. The conditions are these : A 

 strong N.N.E. wind is accompanied by a falling barometer and all the 

 indications of the left-hand advance quadrant of a cyclone. As soon 

 as the rain falls, which it generally does in heavy squalls, the wind 

 veers to N. and N.W., when the barometer begins to rise. This I 

 take to be caused by a high pressure wedge over the Colony, deflecting 

 the cyclone and causing it to travel from north to south, and very 

 likely the same storm might be recognised a few days later in the 

 Eastern Districts travelling from the S. or S.W. 



The storm which passed us from the 8th to the 11th of last February, 

 was deflected in this way by a wedge of high pressure over the 

 Colony. During the passage of this storm (which was an exceptional 

 one for summer), the barometer fell considerably at the coast stations, 

 amounting to four-tenths at Port Elizabeth and three-tenths at Cape 

 Town, while at Kimberley and Bloemf ontein it remained approximately 

 steady. 



As a passing remark I will mention how fortunate it is for the Colony 

 that the permanent anti-cyclones are not always of one form, for if such 

 were the case, no western storm would ever reach us during the 

 summer months, and as a consequence the western and southern 

 districts would be no more than a drought-stricken wilderness for four 

 or five months each year. 



I cannot conclude without recording my sincerest thanks to Mr. 

 Fry, the Secretary to the Meteorological Commission, for the kind and 

 courteous manner in which he has placed the various data at my dis- 

 posal, and also to Mr. Gamble, who so kindly consented to read this 

 communication. 



I hope that before long I, or someone else better able to do so, will 

 have brought these theories of mine into a more tangible form, and 

 that the actual practical deductions will be greatly in excess of theo- 

 retical ideas. 



Meteorology is not a science reduceable by mathematical rules, nor 

 do I believe it ever will be. Astronomy has to deal with solid and 

 unyeilding bodies governed by fixed laws, but though, no doubt, there 

 is a law governing the formation of atmospheric pressures, still the 

 materials we have to deal with are of such a changeable nature, that 

 even the contour of the earth's surface will cause a material deflection. 

 Astronomy has taken many thousands of years to bring it to its pre- 

 sent degree of precision, and even now it is not perfect, and although 

 we have greater advantages now, than had those who in former years 

 traced the science of Astronomy through such grotesque and tortuous 

 windings and absurd theories and investigations, still it will be many, 

 many years before Meteorology can be looked upon as, it will ultimately 

 be, the younger brother to Astronomy. 



In conclusion, Mr. President and Gentlemen, let me thank you for 

 having listened so patiently to the foregoing, and my only hope is, 

 that some of these ideas will be food for thought, for if I have but 

 caused one more to care for the study of Meteorologyj and to advance 

 on a train of ideas which he would never have thought of doing but 

 for this paper (whether for or against my theories), I am satisfied. 



