THE GREAT WEATHER 

 By T. W. Keele, m. iwt 



[Read before the Royal Society of N. S. Wales, June 1, 1910] 



"Cycles of the Seasons are as obtain as the laws that govern 

 the Heavenly bodies, though we have not yet been able to fix 

 their period. It is of atoms that the Universe was made, so it 

 will be the combined work of many that will enable us to arrive 

 at those meteorological truths which it is so desirable to discover, 

 and which may (when once discovered) prove of so i_ r reat and 

 lasting benefit to mankind.'' 1 



In a paper read before this Society by the late Mr. H. 0. 

 Russell* ou October 11th, 1876, on " Meteorological Perio- 

 dicity," he prefaced his remarks on the subject by a 



down is a cycle. If it is not to be found in the temperate zones, 

 then go to the frigid zones, or to the torrid zone to look for it, 

 and, if found, above all things lay hold of it, record it, and see 

 what it means. If there be no cycle, then despair for a time if 

 you will, but yet plant tinnly your science on a physical basis. 

 and wait for results." 



In the spirit of these remarks, Mr. Russell said he had 

 attempted to bring some facts together bearing upon 

 meteorological cycles, hut from the difficulty of obtaining 

 detailed observations for long periods, and for many places, 

 he was obliged to confine what he had to say to Australia, 

 though he hoped to be able to show that we are bound by 

 the same meteorological causes which rule the northern 



