Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 096.djvu/296

 and that for a few hours only, its average standard for these sixteen days being 30,25. Upon the eastern half of the coast, beyond Cape Catastrophe, in March, April, and May, the mercury stood higher than it did on the western half in December, January, and February: the average standard of the first was 30,09, but that of the latter only 29,94,. At the Cape of Good Hope, the mean height in the barometer, during eighteen days in October and November, was 30,07.

The marine barometer on board the Investigator, supplied to the astronomer by the Board of Longitude, was made by and, and had, I believe, been employed in one or more of the voyages of Captain Cook, and perhaps in that of Captain Vancouver. I suspect, that it was not suspended so exactly in the proper place, as the later instruments of these makers probably are; on which account, the motion of the ship caused the mercury to stand too high; and perhaps one or two-tenths of an inch might be deducted with advantage from the heights taken at sea, but I think not when the ship was lying steadily at anchor in harbour. The barometer stood in my cabin, and the height of the mercury was taken at day-break, at noon, and at eight in the evening, by the officer of the watch; as was also that of the thermometer.

The general effects produced upon the barometer by the sea and land winds, on the east coast of Australia, will be learned from the following abridgment of our meteorological journal.

1st. In the run from Cape Howe, in 37—° south latitude, to Port Jackson, in 34, once in the month of May, and once in June, I found that the mercury descended with light winds from north, NW, west, and WSW; whilst during fresh