183S.] Utility of the Si/mpiesometer as a Marine Instrument. 



305 



Ge>jeiial Observatio^ts.-— a transposition in the order of copying some 

 parts of this book has occurred ; the latter portion only was rejected, 

 that is the lists of agricul tural productions. I did not wish the con- 

 tents to be left to perish. They are however but of very moderate con- 

 sequence. Perhaps sect. 17^ may be the most valuable. The list of 

 kings is excessively loose, and unsatisfactory. In the Des. Catal. 20 

 sections are entered ; but of these some are only distinct subjects in 

 one paper, and some are not now in the book, e. g. there is found a title 

 answering to section 8, but the filling in of the subject is wanting^ 



(To he continued). 



ii. — ■EermrJcs on the practical utility of ths Si/mpiesometer as a Marine 

 Instrument, deduced from a series of Observations made luith it during 

 a Voyaye from England to hidia, — By Richard Baikd Smith, Lieu- 

 tenant, Madras E}igineers. 



The voyage fi'om England to India, carrying us through so much variety 

 of climate, affords many opportunities of making interesting meteorologi- 

 cal observations. Impressed with this idea I felt anxious that these 

 should not be lost, and on the commander of the vessel in v,diich I was a 

 passenger, kindly offering to place his instruments under my charge^ 

 With the view of registering their indications, I gladly availed myself of his 

 kindness, and took every opportunity which circumstances would permit 

 of making my observations as complete as possible. I felt the more hap- 

 py in thus daily employing a portion of my time, since one of the instru- 

 ments, Adie's Sympiesometer, was to me perfectly new, and thence ex- 

 ceedingly interesting. I was led from this circumstance to pay closer at- 

 tention to it, in the hope that I might thus discover the principles on 

 which it was constructed, and determine its value as a practical aid to the 

 seaman. 



The conclusions at which I arrived will afterwards be stated ; at pre^ 

 sent, since the Sympiesometer is neither so generally known nor appre- 

 ciated as it ought, I will endeavour to describe the form of that instru- 

 ment with which the annexed table of observations was made. By a 

 reference to the elevation attached, it will be seen that the Sympiesome* 

 ter consists, first of a tube A of the form there exhibited. In the lower 



