XXI. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS TAKEN AT THE GRANGE, 
ST. ALBANS, DURING THE YEAR 1887. 
By John Hopebstsoh, F.L.S., F.G-.S., F.B.Met.Soc. 
Read at Watford , 12 th April , 1889. 
The meteorological observations, some of the results of which I 
have now to communicate to the Society, are in continuation of 
observations which have been taken at Watford for nearly eleven 
years, having been commenced in February, 1876. At the end of 
December, 1886, my instruments were removed to St. Albans, 
where they have been read daily, without intermission, since that 
time; the observations during absence from home being made by 
one of our servants. 
This being the first report for St. Albans, a few particulars of the 
locality and the position of the instruments may be given. For 
information as to the instruments themselves and the method of 
observation, reference should be made to the report for Watford 
for the year 1883.* It may however be repeated that the observa¬ 
tions are made at 9 a.m. 
The longitude is 0° 20' 7" W., and the latitude, 51° 45' 9" NT. 
The situation is very open and well elevated above the valley of 
the Ver. The ground slopes downwards slightly towards the 
south for a short distance and then much more steeply in the same 
direction. It also falls on either side of this main gradient, so that 
the contour is convex, being made up of a south-westerly slope to 
the Biver Ver, which is half a mile distant, and of a south-easterly 
slope to the Biver Colne, distant about three miles. The height 
above Ordnance Datum is 379 feet at the rain-gauge and 380 feet 
at the thermometer screen. The top of the rain-gauge is one foot 
above the ground and therefore 380 feet above sea-level. The 
height of the cistern of the barometer is 388 feet, part of this 
increase in altitude being due to the slope of the ground and part 
to the height of the ground-floor of the house above the ground- 
level and the height of the barometer above the floor.f The ground 
rises to about 410 feet half a mile to the north-east, and falls to 
about 250 feet half a mile to the south. There are a few large 
trees on the north and east of the thermometer-screen, rain-gauge, 
and wind-vane,—sufficiently distant to have no effect on either the 
temperature or the rainfall recorded, but perhaps sometimes slightly 
affecting the indications of the vane, which is 30 feet above the 
ground. The subsoil is gravel on chalk, and there is a considerable 
depth of surface soil, but this, having very little clay in its compo¬ 
sition, soon transmits to the pervious gravel underneath the rain 
which falls upon it. 
* ‘Transactions,’ Vol. Ill, p. 181. . 
f These elevations were ascertained by levelling from a bench-mark (384*3 ft.) 
on the wall by one of my own gate-posts about 40 feet from the barometer. 
