20 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF BRITAIN. 



i eet In. 

 15. Union Canal. 



Fall from Foxton to Leicester - - - 160 



16. Leicester Navigation. 

 Fall from Leicester to Loughborough - - 50 O 



Rise (? by Railway) to Thrington Bridge - - 1 85 



17. Loughborough Navigation- 



Fall to the Trent - - - - 41 



18. Ashby-de-la-'Louche Canal. 



Fall to Ticknall - - - 84 



3. CLIMATE. 



The climate of Britain is necessarily in close de- 

 pendence on its geographical position, and the form and 

 elevation of its surface. The operations carried on by 

 human industry, such as draining, enclosing, planting, 

 &c. are supposed to have in some degree altered the 

 climate of our island ; but such influences, compared 

 with the mighty sway of the solar rays, of winds and 

 waters, clouds and mountains, must sink into utter in- 

 significance. Particular spots, drained and sheltered, may 

 have become better adapted to receive and retain heat, 

 and partially to ward off cold winds ; but the general tem- 

 perature of the island is probably not altered to an extent 

 appreciable by our instruments. It may be presumed, 

 however, that the draining of so many marshes and 

 morasses has lessened the humidity of the atmosphere to 

 some extent ; but the exhaustless reservoir of the Atlantic 

 Ocean will prevent this having a very important effect. 

 Perhaps, also, the planting of the last half century may 

 have counterbalanced the draining. 



The antagonist winds of Britain are the easterly and 

 westerly ; the latter decidedly prevailing in force and fre- 

 quency. The easterly winds are usually dry and cold ; 



