18 ^ 1 . j Barometric Measurements near to Canals . 129 
Meanwhile, as Homer sometimes sleeps, 
perhaps 
You’ll pardon to my muse a few short naps. 
We have only to remark, in conclu¬ 
sion, that of the sarcastic wit and poeti¬ 
cal talents of this composition, there 
can be no question ; and we must bear 
in mind that it is framed upon a model, 
which in all languages has been allow¬ 
ed considerable latitude of subject and 
expression. Whether (he noble an thor 
lias acted wisely in reviving this style 
of writing is another matter'; but those 
who are acquainted with the labours of 
his predecessors in this vineyard, will 
be inclined to think that he has not 
exercised his privileges in a very out¬ 
rageous manner. 
'To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine . 
SIR, 
AVING through near thirty years 
past felt admiration, and taken 
a strong interest in the success and ex¬ 
tension of that important system of im¬ 
proved communication which is effected 
by the turnpike roads, the railways, 
the canal and the river navigations of 
our islands, and having on several oc¬ 
casions laboured* to extend the know¬ 
ledge of these, to shew.their vital im¬ 
portance to the nation, and explain the 
best principles on which each line has 
been and may be, constructed and 
managed, T cannot refrain, after read¬ 
ing your last number, from applauding 
the labours of Samuel Gallon , Esq. of 
Birmingham, in collecting, collating 
and arranging the levels," or heights 
of numerous pounds of the water, in 
near forty different canals and river na¬ 
vigations ; as also for suggesting twelve 
queries^ as to data , that are still want¬ 
ing, towards a connected view of the 
heights of all the navigable waters of 
the kingdom, and of its rail-ways, with 
reference to the ocean which surrounds 
us. 
Instead of making barometric obser¬ 
vations only on four days in a year, as 
Mr. Galton has recommended in p. 26, 
1 beg to call that ventleman’s atten¬ 
tion, and that of yorvy.scientific readers 
--—_ 
* See the article Canal in Hr. Rees’s 
Cyclopaedia, part 11, published in February, 
1806, and various articles in parts 16 to 
37 , Aug. 1807 to Sep. 1811.—Farey’s 
Agricultural and Mineral Report on Der¬ 
byshire, vol. 3, p. 206 to 457, published 
by the Board of Agriculture, in July, 1817. 
- The Agricultural and the Philosophical 
Magazines, this Magazine, &c. 
Monthly Mag. No. 358. 
throughout the country, to an under- 
standing which w r as come to in Novem¬ 
ber last, between several scientific per¬ 
sons, for the purpose of making simul¬ 
taneous observations with their barome¬ 
ters, on the second Monday in each ca¬ 
lendar month , exactly at the hours of 
8 , 9, 10, 11, and 12, in the forenoon 
(if the longitude were allowed for, and 
Greenwich time used in each instance, 
it would be better,) noting on each oc¬ 
casion, the height of the mercury (two 
thousandths of an inch,) the degree of 
Fahrenheit’s thermometer at tached, and 
of the same detached, the degree of some 
ood hydrometer, if such is at hand, the 
irection of the wind, and remarks con¬ 
cerning its force or velocity, the sort of 
clouds visible, &c. 
In consequence of this understand¬ 
ing, many sets of these observations 
have been sent to Mr. Tilloch, and 
printed in his Philosophical Magazine ; 
and a far greater number of sets of such 
observations are understood to have 
been made, and to remain in the pos¬ 
session of the observers, intending 
thereon to found calculations, by com¬ 
parisons with the published observa¬ 
tions, of the heights of their respective 
places ofobservation. 
I sincerely hope that the number of 
these monthly observers of the barome¬ 
ter will increase; and particularly of 
those who reside, or may have the op¬ 
portunity of making their observations 
near to some one of the levels of canals , 
which Mr. Galton has mentioned in 
pages 27 to 30; and that they will be 
at the pains to carefully ascertain by a 
spirit level whenever necessary, the 
exact height of the surface of mercury 
in the basin of their barometer, above 
the water's surface in the canal; and I 
also hope and request, that a greater 
number than heretofore of these obser¬ 
vations may be regularly transmitted 
lor publication, particularly from gen¬ 
tlemen who may be either permanently 
or temporarily resident (were it only on 
one of the second Mondays) on the open 
coast of the ocean ; being particular in 
all of such cases, to ascertain the height 
of their basin of Mercury, above high 
water mark, and above low-water mark, 
mentioning whether these are well- 
settled average marks, or merely the 
tide’s heights on the day of observation. 
In cases where barometric observa¬ 
tions are made near and referred to, 
any intermediate pound or level of any 
of the canals between those levels which 
R Mr. 
