314 



of tube and cistern are as 1 to 40. The position of the cistern is pro- 

 bably within ten feet of the mean level of the tide in this harbor. 

 To the extreme ranges by this instrument, as noted in the tables, 

 should be added the variations of level in the cistern, which are as 

 1 in 40. 



It is, however, to the special variations of the barometer during 

 extraordinary phases of weather that we must look for the most 

 interesting and important generalizations; and these cannot find 

 place in such a summary of observations as is now presented. It 

 is important to the cause of science that a series of barometrical 

 observations should be made at certain hours, daily, at several 

 points in the frontier counties and in the centre of the State, and 

 preserved for collation in the repository of the Regents of the Uni- 

 versity. A few cases of interest, of which a partial knowledge has 

 been obtained, may here be adduced by way of example. 



The great storm of November 11th, 1835, which in its course 

 from the interior of the continent, swept over the greater portion 

 of the United States and Canada, if it possessed the general rota- 

 tive character which is commonly exhibited by the storms of the 

 sea-board, as most of its phenomena would seem to indicate, then 

 its centre of rotation must have passed through the basin of the 

 great lakes and of the St. Lawrence, and the physical influences of 

 the rotative action must have here produced the greatest degree 

 of depression in the barometer, and this effect must have become 

 lessened towards the sea coast of the middle states. Unfortunate- 

 ly, we have no barometrical observations from the basin of the 

 lakes; but at New-York the minimum of the barometer under this 

 storm was 29.19 inches, and the direction and phases of the wind 

 were such as to i«dicate the southern portion of the disk of the 

 storm; while at Quebec the mercury fell to 28.09 inches, being 

 the lowest known in a period of nine years. This remarkable 

 storm progressed regularly in an easterly or northeasterly direc- 

 tion, and from the phases of the wind, it is inferred that its centre 

 of rotation passed over Lake Ontario, and not greatly distant from 

 Quebec. The induction from the geographical direction and 

 changes of the wind, and from the observations of the barometer 

 in this case, seem mutually to strengthen each other. 



On the 3d of January, 1837, the barometer at Montreal fell to 

 28.77, under a heavy storm, which commenced the afternoon pre- 

 ceding. At Albany the barometer fell to 28.98 with a slight fall 

 of snow. At New-York the barometer only fell to 29.37, wind at 

 W and WSW. From all which it would appear that the centre 

 of this storm must have traversed the basin of the St. Lawrence. 



On the 2] St of January, 1837, there occurred at New- York a 

 severe gale from NE by E, with rain and snow, which veered by 

 N during the night, to the north-westward on the 22d, having ex- 

 hibited the usual phenomena of rotative storms. Under this storm 

 the barometer fell to 28.80 at 10 P. M., which is the lowest ob- 

 servation which I have yet made in this city. At Albany the 

 storm was also severe, and the barometer at 11 P. M. sunk to 

 28.94, the wind also veering, by N during the night, to NWon the 



