Mr. Read's Meteorological Journal 
254 
A monthly account of sparks, and of positive and negative 
electricity, as indicated by the pith-ball electrometer, con- 
nected with the rod ; excepting a few times, in very moist 
weather, in which it was obtained by the hand exploring- 
rod, with a lighted torch to it. See Fig. 2. Tab. IV. 
23 days of May, 1790, and! 
8 days of May, 1791, J 
j- Positive 
Times. 
40 
Negative 
Times. 
27 Sparks drawn 
Days. 
13 
June 
Positive 
' 45 
Negative 
22 
Sparks drawn 
5 
July 
Positive 
3 6 
Negative 
23 
Sparks drawn 
8 
August 
Positive 
33 
Negative 
6 
Sparks drawn 
3 
September 
Positive 
39 
Negative 
1 1 
Sparks drawn 
October 
Positive 
37 
Negative 
7 
Sparks drawn 
22 
November 
Positive 
3 ° 
Negative 
8 
Sparks drawn 
1 1 
December 
Positive 
35 
Negative 
1 1 
Sparks drawn 
6 
January 
Positive 
28 
Negative 
8 
Sparks drawn 
3 
February 
Positive 
3 6 
Negative 
12 
Sparks drawn 
6 
March 
Positive 
34 
Negative 
8 
Sparks drawn 
2 
April 
Positive 
3 ° 
Negative 
H 
Sparks drawn 
8 
423 times 
J 57 
times 
106 ( 
It appears, by comparing the monthly account of this year 
with that of the preceding, that there has been a considerable 
disproportion in the electrical positive state of the atmosphere ; 
but which, when duly weighed, will not appear so very great 
as it now does. For when it is considered, that in the preced- 
ing year there were 73 days in which weak signs only of the 
electric fluid were observed ; that seven days were destitute of 
electric signs ; and that that kind of weather in which very 
weak signs of atmospherical electricity could be obtained, is 
now found, by a more sensible electrometer than was at that 
time used, to be always positively electrified, it will, I presume. 
