204 S.W. GALE, SUPPOSED COURSE AND TERMINATION.

coast of China, setting bounds in its turn to an upcurrent from the S.W. on those shores, and becoming the westerly winds of the North Pacific, and wending its way in a westerly direction, or S.W., on the western coasts of America-blowing soft and warm, as at Vancouver's Island to the northern regions over which it passes, and become again a bleak and rough N.W. to the United States, into the Atlantic, across which it may wend its way in a westerly direction till it gains again the parallel of the ultra zone, or that of high pressure, from which it started, and where we took it at Madeira.

Having thus made a circuitous route and performed different offices, but never having lost its westerly direction, that I believe is an approximation to the condition and action of this our S.W. breeze, until it comes back again to us as warm and fresh as before. By this great operation the balance of force is maintained, nothing lost, nothing gained. These are the systems of winds outside the tropics, and each perform a circuit of the globe within their own domains, and do not intrude upon or interfere with each other. I do not in any degree intend to limit the origin of S.W. winds at Orkney to Madeira. I have only regarded these as stations for the purpose of example. The stations of highest and lowest barometer are migratory and varying, but it was convenient to have some fixed points for examples. The same explanation and reasoning will apply to the S.W. winds, wherever they originate.

The highest barometer may be in England and the

RESULTS OF THE ANEMOMETER AT GREENWICH. 205

lowest barometer at St. Petersburg or that area, and Madeira not at all implicated, but still the principle, the effect, action, and cause of the S.W. remains the same. I have imperfectly sketched the ideas I entertain respecting the prevailing winds of our climate.

RESULTS AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH, IN THE YEAR 1845.

There were 4110 hours calm in the year during which the instruments recorded no pressure.

The motion of the wind corresponding to the descent of the pencil of "Whewell's Anemometer through one inch is equal to 37.9 inches." Introduction (page 76) to "Greenwich Observations."

206

THE PROPORTION OF THE WINDS.

The diligent and accurate observations at Greenwich, and the laborious abstracts or summary reports, involving a large amount of time and talent, entitle them to be ranked in the highest order of meteorological research. From them we learn that

-which give an average amount of wind for every day in the year of 130 miles, supposing it extended over the year. But as Sundays and holidays were exempt, the observations are not perfect, and especially as 4110 hours during the year were calm, or SO that the instruments recorded no sensible motion of the air, we have to make a large addition. As the wind is recorded for only 2527 hours, we have to make that the division. And the result gives 451 miles, as the current or stream of air when the wind blew continuous for 24 hours.

The average rate or speed of the wind is 18.8 miles per hour from the preceding abstract; but much remains to be done in order to perfect our knowledge of the winds.

The first fact that ostensibly presents itself is the large amount and preponderance of the S.W. winds,

PREPONDERANCE OF THE S.W. DEFICIENCY OF S.E. 207

being considerably more than all the rest together, bringing us warmth and vapour from the bosom of the Atlantic, about or belonging to the Madeira area.

The second in the series is their counterpart, and being only one-fourth of the number of the S.W. They are the E. and N.E. from the St. Petersburg or Russian

area.

The extremely small number of the S.E. is very peculiar, blowing only 80 hours in the year, showing that we do not hold very frequent atmospheric intercourse with the Holy Land or the Jerusalem area, the reason of which is not apparent, but which requires special investigation.

The easterly winds blew an extraordinary number of hours without recording any pressure, Osler's anemometer not noting any under lb. pressure on the square foot. The easterly winds, therefore, were extremely gentle for the most part. And a remarkable contrast to the slight and unfrequent S.E. is that of the N.W., which only blew 11 hours in the whole year without recording a pressure, and that for the given number of hours it blew its recorded pressure is relatively greater than the S.E. These are obvious upon the inspection of the tables.

We may very fairly consider the winds of vast importance when we review these facts. The tables of figures are not mere dry abstracts; but are the representatives of the events and circumstances carried on in the operations of the atmosphere, and in themselves supply abundant materials for thought, reflection, and

208

ORDINATION OF THE WINDS.

delightful contemplation, each according to his own peculiar bias. See how beautifully the winds decline in summer, when the earth is heavily laden with its bounty and riches, and the foliage is dense. Surely the wind is tempered by the hand of heaven, and guided and restrained. It is a thought dear to the heart, to recognize such pleasing manifestations in everything— nothing forgot, nothing overlooked. The same superintending power presides in all things, and the largest amount of beneficence pervades the whole. Everywhere the same desire to gratify and delight the heart of man, who loves the God of mercy, the Fountain of all wisdom, and of all goodness; who, indeed, knoweth our necessities before we ask, because all things are provided for us beforehand, and long before our necessities need them. Nor should we fail to observe and note the concurrence of the small range of the barometer in the three summer months, with the gentle winds of summer, and their small amount-almost implying a connection between the two-and affording strong circumstantial evidence that the amount of weight, as denoted by the barometer, is the controlling agency of the winds; the adjacent areas, likewise, being so adjusted as to equalize, in a great degree, their force or pressure.