RAIN, 



113 



is determined by its habitual currents of air, or its 

 winds m 



The other, that the topography of the land has 

 commonly a decisive influence on the direction of 

 these currents, and then becomes an effective cause, 

 of the climate, and a constituent part of it. 



Of the quantity of rain that falls in the 

 United States^ 



Numerous and accurate observations, made by 

 various intelligent Americans on different parts of 

 the Atlantic coast, have ascertained, that the annual 

 and mean quantity of rain falling in the United States 

 is much greater than in most countries of Europe, 

 excepting certain mountainous regions,* or heads of 

 gulfs. The following table affords a proof of this. 



inches 



At Charlestown, according to Ramsay, 



m 1795 - - • - - n 4-5 



At a medium, from 1750 to 1759, accord- 

 ing to Chalmers - ^ . , 41 3-4 



At Williamsburg, according to Jefferson 47 



At Cambridge, near Boston, according 



to Williams - 47 1-2 



At Andover, in Massachusetts t - 51 

 AtSalemf 35 



At Rutland, in Vermont^ - 41 



At Philadelphia II - 30 



* For instance, Udina, where the annual quantity is 66 inches^, and 

 Garsagnana, where it is 98. In the West Indies it exceeds 106 inches. 



+ Since Mr. Vohiey's work was publisHedj Mr. Dunbar states the 

 quantity of rain that fell in 17<i9 at Natchez, to be 39 2-3 inches. 



t S. Williams; History of Vermont. J| Dr. Rush„ 



L 2 



