CHAP. II. 



SYSTEM OF THE WINDS IN THE UNITE© 

 STATES. 



Mr. Volney remarks, that though the inconstancy 

 «f the winds is complained of in France, yet that 

 the inconstancy is by no means comparable to that 

 of the air in the United States. 



This changeableness of the air is increased by its 

 taking place on a vast extent of country, the same 

 winds displaying themselves, with a few exceptions, 

 almost at the same time throughout the whole extent 

 of the Atlantic coast, from Charleston to Newport, 

 or even Halifax, and from the sea-shore to the Al- 

 leghany mountains. 



Such is in particular the character of the three 

 principal winds, the north-west, south-west, and 

 north east, which in the United States appear to 

 have shared the empire of the aerial regions between 

 them. If we suppose the year to be divided into 

 thirty-six parts, we -may say, that these three have 

 taken to themselves thirty or two and thirty ; the 

 north-west and south-west twelve each, the north- 

 east and east six or eight : the rest are distributed 

 between the south-east, south, and west. Due north 

 may be reckoned almost as nothing.* Each of 

 these winds being accompanied with particular cir- 



* This observation is very accurate ; even in Canada the north 

 wind rarely blows. 



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