48 T. W. KEELE. 



diagram 1 (Plate 2, fig. 2) as it stands, without attempting 

 any alteration, and have accordingly taken out the rises 

 and falls with reference to his mean of 100, and the curve 

 comes out as you see in my diagram (Plate i), shown by a 

 thick black line. 



The remarkable drought which commenced in the year 

 1738, when for 30 years there were only two years above 

 the mean, namely, 1751 and 1763, and two just equal to the 

 mean, namely, 1756 and 1764, the first 25 years having 

 only one year above the mean pulled the curve rapidly 

 down, and it never afterwards entirely recovered itself. 



Another very remarkable thing is revealed by the curve, 

 namely, that exactly 57 years after 1738, namely, in 1795, 

 a second very pronounced long period of persistent decline 

 commences, extending for twenty years to 1815, during 

 which there were only two years above the mean, namely, 

 1797 and 1799. Again, after another 57 years from 1795, 

 or in 1853, a third period of decline occurs, extending for 

 nineteen years to 1871, with 6 years above the average, 

 namely, 1860, 1862, 1865, 1866, 1868 and 1869, the first 

 seven years making a very rapid fall. Concerning this 

 drought I find that Mr. Glaisher, the then Registrar General 

 of England, in his <|uarU-rly return for June 1859, made tiie 

 following remarks: — 



"The deficiency in the years 1854, 55, 56, 57 and 58 amount to 

 the average fall of one year, namely, 25 inches. From a careful 

 examination of the fall of rain from the year 1815 it will be seen 

 that the annual fall is becoming smaller, and that.- fh».rf. ?\ hut HttJ* 

 probability that this large deficiency will be made up by excesses in 



This is certainly a very remarkable statement, coming 

 as it does from an officer in Mr. Glaisher's position, and it 



1 The l.liick p..r*if.:i ..ft!:, .i-.-r,-.-. i.-j-r.-. nt- tin- fluctuation of the 

 rainfall as delineated by Mr. Symons, the hatched portions were done by 

 me to show up the droughts I have referred to. — T.W.K. 



