TRANSACTIONS. 



ART. I. Description of an Automatic Registering and 

 Printing Barometer, by G. W. Hough, A. M. 



[Fundamental principles of the method laid before the Albany Institute 

 January 30th, I860.] 



The science of Meteorology is as yet in its infancy. 

 Universally interesting as its phenomena have ever been, 

 and powerfully affecting the most important relations of 

 society, it is but recently that the subject has engaged the 

 systematic and combined effort requisite for its develop- 

 ment, since its laws are still regarded as the most recondite 

 problem in Physics. The first thing to be done is of course 

 the collection of facts, and much is now being done in 

 England and on the continent in this direction. The chief 

 obstacle, hitherto, has been in the imperfection of the 

 methods of observation. The results, in order to be of 

 value as data from which to construct a science, should 

 present a continuous record of the phenomena during a 

 considerable period of time, and taken at as many different 

 stations as possible. By the ordinary method of personal 

 observation, this is well nigh impracticable. It would de- 

 mand at every station the services of several observers, at 

 great expense, and their results could only at best be more 

 or less of an approach to what is desired. To obtain this, 



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