appes nix, 



From causes not yet discovered, all the great Continents 

 as they stretch towards the south, tend to a point, and these, 

 South America, Africa and Hindostan (of which the south- 

 ern maritime province of Ceylon may be regarded as the 

 termination) stretch their points into the open sea, without 

 any islands opposite or near to them : they seem indeed to 

 be indicated by nature herself as observatories. But of the 

 three, Ceylon presents the greatest advantages for observa- 

 tions on the weather, for in the infant state in which me- 

 teorological science exists at present it is above all things 

 desirable that the phenomena should present themselves for 

 observation in the simplest forms in which they ever occur. 

 Now with regard to the maritime provinces of Ceylon the 

 land and the latitude are both so low, that in few regions of 

 the world are the phenomena of meteorology presented with 

 greater regularity and simplicity than at Colombo. In fact 

 your Committee may assert, that at no moment in the course 

 of the year is the temperature ever found in the shade at 

 the distance even of 10 degrees from the annual mean, nor 

 does the average mean of the coldest, when compared with 

 the hottest month, usually give a difference of more than 3 

 degrees — add to this the prevalance of a steady wind blow- 

 ing in one direction during six months out of every twelve, 

 and it will be admitted that the problems of meteorology 

 ought to be expected to present themselves here in circum- 

 stances admitting of comparatively easy and correct analysis. 



The first step taken by your Committee was to ascertain 

 what meteorological observations were already being made 

 in the island by other parties, with a view to secure if pos- 

 sible, their co-operation. The result of this has been the 

 information that observations are carefully made both at 

 Batticotta and at Trincomalie. Copies of some of these are 

 in the possession of your Committee, but as yet too trifling 

 in extent to call for more than this brief notice of them. At 

 Kandy and Colombo there does not appear to be any thing 

 approaching the nature of meteorological diaries in exist- 

 ence at the present day, though it is hoped that such will 

 be shortly commenced. 



A sum of ten pounds having been voted to your Com- 

 mittee for the purchase of a set of meteorological instru- 

 ments, application was made to the Honorary Secretary of 

 the parent Society in London, and by this time the neces- 

 sary apparatus would have reached us had not an accident 

 occured to the list sent home, by which a delay of several 

 months has arisen. 



W 



