198 



ON A REMARKABLE SHOWER OF HAIL 



State of the Barometer and Thermometer in the Start Point 

 Light-house, the instrument being situated a hundred feet 

 above the medium level of the sea. 





Rain in 



Winds. 







Time of 



Therm. 



Barometer 





Inches. 









Noting. 



in degrees. 



in inches. 



1818. 











8A.M. 





July 20. 



— 



South 



Light airs 



Clear 



— 



53 



30.07 



21. 



— 



do. 



Breeze 



do. 



— 



55 



29.72 



22. 



.10 



do. 



do. 



do. 



— 



57 



29.70 



23. 



— 



West 



do. 



do. 



— 



57 



29.92 



Hail storm. 24. 



— 



South 



Gale 



F °ggy 



— 



57 



29.68 



25. 



.23 



East 



Breeze 



Clear 



— 



57 



29.72 



2b. 



— 



South 



do. 



do. 



— 



57 



29.83 



27. 



.45 



West 



Light airs 



do. 



— 



59 



29.98 



28. 



— 



N. W. 



Breeze 



do. 



— 



55 



30.12 



29. 



— 



S. E. 



do. 



Hazy 



— 



56 



30.02 



SO. 



.27 



North 



do. 



do. 



1 



55 



29.70 



From this extract, it appears, that at 8 in the morning of 

 the day of the shower, the mercury in the barometer stood at 

 29.68, and that on the following morning, at the same hour, 

 it was at 29.72. The effect of the hail-storm, in producing 

 for a short time, a more attenuated state of the atmosphere, 

 was therefore very remarkable ; the mercury, as observed by 

 Mr Lindsay, having sunk two inches, or to 27.76, during the pas- 

 sage of the cloud, or immediately after its passage. 



Such are the particulars of this remarkable meteoric occur- 

 rence which have come to my knowledge. I am aware, that 

 accounts of similar hail-storms are upon record, particularly in 

 the Philosophical Transactions. But I have not thought it ne- 

 cessary at this time to examine these, nor to institute any com- 

 parison ; my only object being to add to the stock of facts. — 



For 



