THE METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATE OF PLYMOUTH. 493 
the Sound, and is about four miles north of the open English 
Channel. It is sheltered on the south-west by Penlee and Maker 
Heights, which rise to an elevation of about 400 feet ; and on the 
north-east by the high lands of Mannamead and Hartley, from 300 
to 320 feet high. Towards the east and south-east it is more open, 
but still sheltered by Staddon Heights, which are from 300 to 400 
feet high, On the south the Hoe rises in some parts to a height 
of 110 feet, with the ridge on an average of 100 feet. Thus the 
town itself is sheltered, and observations here for wind force are 
no criterion of their force in the Channel. This was one of the 
reasons why the Royal Society’s station for meteorological observa- 
tions was removed from Plymouth. The other was, because I 
could give no information concerning the true state of the sea—the 
Breakwater and land-locked harbour preventing anything like 
correct observations being made; and as indications of coming 
storms are propagated much quicker through the waters of the 
ocean than through the atmosphere, it was necessary to select a 
station where the wind pressure would not be interfered with, and 
where the sea-disturbance would be modified as little as possible by 
surrounding circumstances. Hence Prawle Point was substituted 
for Plymouth, a change I much regretted, although it is one for 
the benefit of metevrological science. 
Barometric Pressurze.—The rise and fall of the barometer is 
one of the surest indications of coming changes; and hence the 
importance of attending to its readings. Although one of the 
surest indications, it is not the first ; for here in Plymouth I have 
repeatedly observed after fine cold weather that a rise in tempera- 
ture is the first sign, and then the wind frequently shifts to south 
or south-west before the barometer begins to fall. This, I believe, 
is the normal order which changes of weather follow in our 
islands. I showed in the last paper I had the honour to read 
before this Society how storms were most surely foretold from 
comparison readings of the barometer; but as my subject to-night 
is the weather and climate of Plymouth I must say no more on 
that subject. The barometer I use is a standard one by Adie, of 
the Kew pattern, and the readings are reduced for temperature, 
altitude, capillarity, and index error, by a table supplied from the 
Meteorological Office, London; but no reduction has been made 
for diurnal range. The height of the mercury in the barometer 
