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The meteorology of Philadelphia
The 3lcteoroloqy c:( J?Mladelphia.
277
venting of accidents by what is termed racing and otherwise. The ordinary mode, in the absence of the governor, is for the engineer in stormy weather and he:~vy seas conthmally to stand at the throttlevalves, or, to save himself this trouble, to throttle the engines; and. thereby when the fifil power of the engines is most required, it is frequently reduced to one-half or less, and consequently there is occasioned a loss of time oa the voy:~ge, and the risk of falling on to a lee shore.
For Ihe Journal of the FraTJklin hlslitute.
The/][eteoroloyy
Fj;1~R~yAler.--The month of Februqry, 1860, was remarkable for its n~any extreme eha~ges, both in the temperature and pressure of the atmosphere. During the night between tb.e 1st and 2d d a y s of the mouth, the register thermometer indicated a temperature as low as 1 degree; while, at 2 P. M. of' the 23(1, it reached 70 degrees. At no other period during the last nine years did the temperature rise so high in the month of ]?ebruary; and only once during the same time and month did it descend lower. That was on the morning of the 7th of February, 1855, during a snow-storm, when the temperature indicated was 1 ° below zero. In like m~nner, the barometer r a n g e d from 30'358 inches on the morning of the 3d, to 29"099 inches at 4 P. ]~I. on the 18th; showing a difi'crcnce of height in the column of mercury of 1.259 inches; greater than has been noticed in February, since 1853. The first three (lays of the nlonth were very cold ; but, after that, the weather moderated, and continued mild until the end of the month. About 11 P. M. on the night of the 9th, the wind suddenly changed to the north-west, and blew a gale which continued until about 4 P. M. of the 10th. The force of the wind was so great at 7 o'clock on the n~orning of the 10th, that a new stone retort house at the :Point :Breeze Oas Wori~s, w~s blown down, two men being killed by the falling walls. The house was one story high, with a very sharp roof, being 57 feet fl'om the ground to the ridge of the roof. It was 57 feet wide, and 250 feet long, and built of Trenton brown sandstone, the walls being 2 feet thick. The roof" was of iron covered with slate, and the greatest care was taken in the construction of the building. A similar building near it was not injured, and other structures, old houses, and frame slmps in the immediate neighborhood, were ]eft standing. The retort house destroyed, must have been in the very centre o f the t o r nado. Snow fell on the 11th, 15th, and 18th days of the month, covering the ground in the aggregate to a depth of' about 12 inches. The coldest day of' the month was the -°d, the average temperature of that day being 9"2% The warmest day was the 23d; mean temperature, 56.5 °. There were but three days of the month entirely clear or free from Vet.. X X X I X , ~ T ~ I a D S~,mzs.--No. 4.--APRIL, 1860,
24
278
jffeehanics, ~]zysics, and C]~emistr]/.
clouds at the hours of observation, and four days on which the sky was entirely covered with clouds. A Cornpar;son of some of the Meteorological Phenomena of Februar?/, 1860, wilh those of February, lS59 and of t h e saute month for nlue years, at 1)hiladelphia. ["el). 1859.
Feb. 9 years.
70 °
63 °
1
18 *
Feb. I860. Thermometer.--ttighcst, " Lowest, • ,, Daily oscillation, ,, M e a n daily r a n g e , " M e a n s at 7 A. M . , . . . . 2 P. M . , ,, " 9 P. M . , " " for tile m o n t h ,
17'8 8"8 27'24 38'07 31'69 32"33
13"2 6"3 32'70 40'6435'99 36'43
70 ° --[ 13'2 7'3 "28.70 37'92 ;32'93 33' 18
Baromcter.--Highest, " Lowest, • • ,' 5'%a,t daily r a n g e , " M e a n s at 7 A. M., ,, " 2 P. M., ,, ', 9 P . M., " " for the m o n t h ,
3 0 ' 3 5 8 in. 29'099 .209 29'970 ~9'885 29'918 29.924
30'229 29"3Hi '~30 ~9'900 29'864 29"89[ 29'885
30"638 29-065 "215 29'915 ~9 867 29 896 29'892
2 ' 7 2 4 in
3'569
2"7'29
Rain a n d melted snow, Prevailing winds,
x . 6 2 % v ' 2 9 8 . x. 43 ° w. "241. x. 68½°w..294.
This table shows at a gl,~nce the variations of temperature.
The
daily oscillation is secn to be nearly 5 ° greater than it was last February, and the same amount greater than the average for the last nine years. This daily oscilhttioa is the difference between the highest and lowest degrees of temperature for each day. The average of" all these differences for tlle month gives the number in tile t,~ble. ]),)7the ~nea~ daily ranye of the thermometer, is meant the difference between tile temperature of one day at t h e several hours of observation, and that of the day immediately preceding, at the same hours. Thus, if the ~hermometer at 7 A. M., 2 P . M., and 9 P. M. of the 1st of the month, indicated 11 °, 14 °, and 7 °, a n d at the same hours on the 2d, 4 °, 14~°, and 9°, then the mean daily range for the 2d of the month, would be ascertained by adding the differences at each hour together and dividing the sum by 3, to obtairt the average. In this ease, it would be 7+0"5 + 2 --3"17% This mean daily range being found for e,~ch 3 day, the average for the m o n t h is found by adding them together and dividing by the number of (h,,ys in the mouth. It will be ,)oticed in the t~ble that the mean daily range of temperature for :February last, is considerably greater than for February, 18o~, and a degree and a h a l f greater than the average for February for nine years. W i x , E m - - A s it is frequently interesting and important to compare the seasons of different years with each other, I have prepared the following tabl% giving the same particulars for the winter as are given
.Decimal Coinage.
279
in the above table for the month of February. The winter for meteorological purposes, includes the months of December, January, and February. A Comparison of the WINTEI~ of 1859--60, with that of 1 8 5 8 - 9 , and o f the same season Jbr nine years, at Philadelphia. Winter, 1859-60. Ther~ omcter.--Itighcst, Lowest, D a i l y oscillation, M e a n daily r a n g e , . M e a n s at 7 A. M., " 2 P. M., .
" "
0 P. M., for the w i n t e r ,
Barometer.--Itighest, " " ,, ,, ,,
Me, an da{ly r a n g e , . ~ | c a n s at 7 A. M., ,, 2 P. M., . " 9 P . M., for the w i n t e r ,
Rain and melted snow, Prevailing winds,
.
71 o
Winter, 1858-9.
Winter, ~ r 9 years,
63 o
71 °
15'60 7.90 28.93 37"64 32.18 32'91
12'70 6'87 32"4l 40.08 3560 36.03
12'40 6.92 29.29 37.46 32.82 33"19
3 0 ' 3 9 9 in. 29'099 ,189 29'960 29,902 29.929 29,930
30"475 ~9.206 '214 29"973 29'931 29'958 29'954
30'704 28941 '212 29'949 29'908 29'932 29'930
9 ' 5 3 5 in.
14.258
9'602
1
y.68°w.289.
~.57°w.268.
m63°W.30,L
.Deebnal Coinage i,n ~reat ]~ritain.* The Commissioners appointed to investigate how far it would be pr~ctieable and advisable to introduce tile principle of decimal division into the coinage of the United Kingdom, have just issued their report, from which ave extract the following :-"The conclusions at which we have jointly arrived are embodied ia the tbllowing resolutions :-1, " That the circumstances under which decimal coinage has been introduced in foreign countries, although affording fbr;~ t~n::;'u:~i:~ and w~rning to us, &ffcr m many m~portan~ respcc exist in t.his country, and therefore no safe conclusions for our guidance e~m be drawn from the example, more or less satisfactory, of other countries. 2. "Theft there appears to be no approach ~o unanimity of opinim~ on the question of the introduction of decimal coinage, in tke commercial or other classes of the community. 3. " T h a t it is very difficult to come to any useful conclusions as to the merits of the decimal principle in the abstract. "Distinct and peculiar difficulties attend each separate form in "~'hich it he~s been proposed to introduce the decimal principle into the coinage of the country. 3- decimal coinage founded on the penny, necessarily ejects the pound sterling; whilst a decimal coinage founded *From the Load. Civ, ~ng, add Arch. ~'oura ~d, Jxfly~ 1859.
277
venting of accidents by what is termed racing and otherwise. The ordinary mode, in the absence of the governor, is for the engineer in stormy weather and he:~vy seas conthmally to stand at the throttlevalves, or, to save himself this trouble, to throttle the engines; and. thereby when the fifil power of the engines is most required, it is frequently reduced to one-half or less, and consequently there is occasioned a loss of time oa the voy:~ge, and the risk of falling on to a lee shore.
For Ihe Journal of the FraTJklin hlslitute.
The/][eteoroloyy
Fj;1~R~yAler.--The month of Februqry, 1860, was remarkable for its n~any extreme eha~ges, both in the temperature and pressure of the atmosphere. During the night between tb.e 1st and 2d d a y s of the mouth, the register thermometer indicated a temperature as low as 1 degree; while, at 2 P. M. of' the 23(1, it reached 70 degrees. At no other period during the last nine years did the temperature rise so high in the month of ]?ebruary; and only once during the same time and month did it descend lower. That was on the morning of the 7th of February, 1855, during a snow-storm, when the temperature indicated was 1 ° below zero. In like m~nner, the barometer r a n g e d from 30'358 inches on the morning of the 3d, to 29"099 inches at 4 P. ]~I. on the 18th; showing a difi'crcnce of height in the column of mercury of 1.259 inches; greater than has been noticed in February, since 1853. The first three (lays of the nlonth were very cold ; but, after that, the weather moderated, and continued mild until the end of the month. About 11 P. M. on the night of the 9th, the wind suddenly changed to the north-west, and blew a gale which continued until about 4 P. M. of the 10th. The force of the wind was so great at 7 o'clock on the n~orning of the 10th, that a new stone retort house at the :Point :Breeze Oas Wori~s, w~s blown down, two men being killed by the falling walls. The house was one story high, with a very sharp roof, being 57 feet fl'om the ground to the ridge of the roof. It was 57 feet wide, and 250 feet long, and built of Trenton brown sandstone, the walls being 2 feet thick. The roof" was of iron covered with slate, and the greatest care was taken in the construction of the building. A similar building near it was not injured, and other structures, old houses, and frame slmps in the immediate neighborhood, were ]eft standing. The retort house destroyed, must have been in the very centre o f the t o r nado. Snow fell on the 11th, 15th, and 18th days of the month, covering the ground in the aggregate to a depth of' about 12 inches. The coldest day of' the month was the -°d, the average temperature of that day being 9"2% The warmest day was the 23d; mean temperature, 56.5 °. There were but three days of the month entirely clear or free from Vet.. X X X I X , ~ T ~ I a D S~,mzs.--No. 4.--APRIL, 1860,
24
278
jffeehanics, ~]zysics, and C]~emistr]/.
clouds at the hours of observation, and four days on which the sky was entirely covered with clouds. A Cornpar;son of some of the Meteorological Phenomena of Februar?/, 1860, wilh those of February, lS59 and of t h e saute month for nlue years, at 1)hiladelphia. ["el). 1859.
Feb. 9 years.
70 °
63 °
1
18 *
Feb. I860. Thermometer.--ttighcst, " Lowest, • ,, Daily oscillation, ,, M e a n daily r a n g e , " M e a n s at 7 A. M . , . . . . 2 P. M . , ,, " 9 P. M . , " " for tile m o n t h ,
17'8 8"8 27'24 38'07 31'69 32"33
13"2 6"3 32'70 40'6435'99 36'43
70 ° --[ 13'2 7'3 "28.70 37'92 ;32'93 33' 18
Baromcter.--Highest, " Lowest, • • ,' 5'%a,t daily r a n g e , " M e a n s at 7 A. M., ,, " 2 P. M., ,, ', 9 P . M., " " for the m o n t h ,
3 0 ' 3 5 8 in. 29'099 .209 29'970 ~9'885 29'918 29.924
30'229 29"3Hi '~30 ~9'900 29'864 29"89[ 29'885
30"638 29-065 "215 29'915 ~9 867 29 896 29'892
2 ' 7 2 4 in
3'569
2"7'29
Rain a n d melted snow, Prevailing winds,
x . 6 2 % v ' 2 9 8 . x. 43 ° w. "241. x. 68½°w..294.
This table shows at a gl,~nce the variations of temperature.
The
daily oscillation is secn to be nearly 5 ° greater than it was last February, and the same amount greater than the average for the last nine years. This daily oscilhttioa is the difference between the highest and lowest degrees of temperature for each day. The average of" all these differences for tlle month gives the number in tile t,~ble. ]),)7the ~nea~ daily ranye of the thermometer, is meant the difference between tile temperature of one day at t h e several hours of observation, and that of the day immediately preceding, at the same hours. Thus, if the ~hermometer at 7 A. M., 2 P . M., and 9 P. M. of the 1st of the month, indicated 11 °, 14 °, and 7 °, a n d at the same hours on the 2d, 4 °, 14~°, and 9°, then the mean daily range for the 2d of the month, would be ascertained by adding the differences at each hour together and dividing the sum by 3, to obtairt the average. In this ease, it would be 7+0"5 + 2 --3"17% This mean daily range being found for e,~ch 3 day, the average for the m o n t h is found by adding them together and dividing by the number of (h,,ys in the mouth. It will be ,)oticed in the t~ble that the mean daily range of temperature for :February last, is considerably greater than for February, 18o~, and a degree and a h a l f greater than the average for February for nine years. W i x , E m - - A s it is frequently interesting and important to compare the seasons of different years with each other, I have prepared the following tabl% giving the same particulars for the winter as are given
.Decimal Coinage.
279
in the above table for the month of February. The winter for meteorological purposes, includes the months of December, January, and February. A Comparison of the WINTEI~ of 1859--60, with that of 1 8 5 8 - 9 , and o f the same season Jbr nine years, at Philadelphia. Winter, 1859-60. Ther~ omcter.--Itighcst, Lowest, D a i l y oscillation, M e a n daily r a n g e , . M e a n s at 7 A. M., " 2 P. M., .
" "
0 P. M., for the w i n t e r ,
Barometer.--Itighest, " " ,, ,, ,,
Me, an da{ly r a n g e , . ~ | c a n s at 7 A. M., ,, 2 P. M., . " 9 P . M., for the w i n t e r ,
Rain and melted snow, Prevailing winds,
.
71 o
Winter, 1858-9.
Winter, ~ r 9 years,
63 o
71 °
15'60 7.90 28.93 37"64 32.18 32'91
12'70 6'87 32"4l 40.08 3560 36.03
12'40 6.92 29.29 37.46 32.82 33"19
3 0 ' 3 9 9 in. 29'099 ,189 29'960 29,902 29.929 29,930
30"475 ~9.206 '214 29"973 29'931 29'958 29'954
30'704 28941 '212 29'949 29'908 29'932 29'930
9 ' 5 3 5 in.
14.258
9'602
1
y.68°w.289.
~.57°w.268.
m63°W.30,L
.Deebnal Coinage i,n ~reat ]~ritain.* The Commissioners appointed to investigate how far it would be pr~ctieable and advisable to introduce tile principle of decimal division into the coinage of the United Kingdom, have just issued their report, from which ave extract the following :-"The conclusions at which we have jointly arrived are embodied ia the tbllowing resolutions :-1, " That the circumstances under which decimal coinage has been introduced in foreign countries, although affording fbr;~ t~n::;'u:~i:~ and w~rning to us, &ffcr m many m~portan~ respcc exist in t.his country, and therefore no safe conclusions for our guidance e~m be drawn from the example, more or less satisfactory, of other countries. 2. "Theft there appears to be no approach ~o unanimity of opinim~ on the question of the introduction of decimal coinage, in tke commercial or other classes of the community. 3. " T h a t it is very difficult to come to any useful conclusions as to the merits of the decimal principle in the abstract. "Distinct and peculiar difficulties attend each separate form in "~'hich it he~s been proposed to introduce the decimal principle into the coinage of the country. 3- decimal coinage founded on the penny, necessarily ejects the pound sterling; whilst a decimal coinage founded *From the Load. Civ, ~ng, add Arch. ~'oura ~d, Jxfly~ 1859.