1837.] 



Meteorological Observations. 



197 



ential elements, and embracing in their scope every branch of physical 

 science. It is more to the present purpose to observe that, from what 

 has already been done in this department of human knowledge, there 

 is every reason to hope that no very distant period may put us in pos- 

 session of the key to many of the most intricate meteorological pheno- 

 mena, and enable us, though not to predict with certainty the state of 

 the weather at any given time and place, yet at least to form something 

 like a probable conjecture as to what will be the general course of the 

 next ensuing season — perhaps to prepare us beforehand for violent and 

 long-continued gales of wind, great droughts, or extraordinarily wet 

 seasons, &c. in the same manner that our knowledge of the nature and 

 laws of the tides, although confessedly imperfect, and, in a great mea- 

 sure, empirical, yet enables us to announce, beforehand, unusually high 

 or low tides. No doubt such predictions of the weather, although only 

 of a probable nature, would be highly valuable and useful, and would 

 materially influence the practice of men in all operations thereon 

 depending. In illustration of this, we need only refer to the value set 

 by many farmers and others on weather-tables, founded on no sound 

 principles, and ratified at best, if at all, only by a very partial and 

 limited experience ; or, to choose a better instance, we may cite the 

 importance which is now attached by every seaman to the indications 

 of the barometer, and the numerous cases with which nautical records 

 abound, of great mischief, or even shipwreck, avoided by timely atten- 

 tion to its warnings. 8 



Meteorology, however, is one of the most complicated of all the 

 physical sciences, and that in which it is necessary to spread our obser- 

 vations over the greatest extent of territory, and the greatest variety of 

 local and geographical position. It is only by accumulating data from 

 the most distant quarters, and by comparing the affections of the atmo- 

 sphere at the same instant at different points, and at the same point at 

 different moments, that it is possible to arrive at distinct and useful con- 

 clusions. Hence arises the necessity of procuring regular series of 

 observations made on a uniform system, and comparable with them- 

 selves and with each other, by observers at different stations, and of 

 multiplying the points of observation as much as possible over the 

 interior surface of continents — along sea-coasts — in islands — and in the 

 open ocean. 



The geographical position of this colony renders it perhaps the 

 most interesting and important situation on the surface of the globe for 

 observations of this nature : first, whether we regard it either as an 

 advantageous station for observing the commencing action of the great 

 counter-current of the trade-winds, where it first strikes the earth's sur- 

 face, and, combined with the action of the heated surface of the African 

 Promontory, gives rise to that remarkable alternation of south-east and 

 north-west winds, which forms so distinguishing a feature of our 



