CLIMATE OF THE UNITED STATES When North America began to be colonized by the northern nations of Europe, it was soon discov ered that, in winter particularly, the temperature of the atmosphere in any given latitude was much more rigorous, than in like latitudes of Europe. Such difference excited a very natural astonish ment, and as the real cause was unknown, many very fanciful, and sonic very absurd theories were formed to account for the phenomena. Some of these theories may be seen under the head of Climate in the Art. America, Vol. I. page 582, and supra.
Without pretending to decide a problem, de manding such extensive element for its complete solution, we proceed to state observed facts, and with very few comments leave the question to fur ther discovery. Before, however, we proceed to arrange our data, we beg leave to observe that the climate of America, cannot be understood without being taken as a part of the atmospheric constitu tion of the whole earth; we therefore present the subject under two heads; Prevailing Winds, and Thermometrical Observation.
Prevalent the motion of the atmosphere, as arising from one general cause, and that motion as the-true cause of climate, we place it before the results of observations made by the aid of the thermometer, which latter we trust to show are mere effects produced by the winds.
No. 21 was constructed from the Meteorological tables in Les .thinales de Chimie et la Physique, and shows, that at Paris, during 3996 consecutive days, the winds from the western side of the meridian amounted to upwards of one half, and in several years to above four-sevenths of the whole aerial cur rents. Are not the orchards of France, similar to those of the United States, inclined to the east ward: Since the construction and publication of the pre ceding tables, the author of this article commenced a series of observation at his residence near Sandy Spring, Montgomery county, Maryland, from which the following table was constructed.
We could not, without some dread of public scepticism, insert this table (XXII.), if the results were not supported by so many other authorities, and amongst the rest, by observations made in the same section of the continent, as may be seen by table XXII.
It is evident, if we compare the Washington with any other table compiled from observations made in either the United States or north-western Eu rope, that some local cause must operate to give so great a proportion of northern winds at ington City. In almost every table of winds which we have examined, it was a remarkable feature that the winds from N. and S. were rare and nearly balanced each other; and that those from E. and W. presented similar comparative phenomena. Cor rectly indeed, in deducing their influence on aerial temperature, the north wind ought to be combined with those from the three western points; but in the table constructed from observations at Sandy Spring, this combination was neglected from the unfrcquency of northern winds.
Without, however, taking the N. wind into ac count, the mean amount of those from the three western points, exceeds those from the five other points, as 566 is to 1000.
Both in Europe and in the United States, the course of the wind-4 and their relative frequency and intensity, have beta attributed to the relations of land and water, but actual observation proves demonstrably, that the gtat aerial currents simi lar to the tides, are, though influenced by land and water, dependent for their origin and general course upon causes above the oceanic or terrestrial subdivisions of the earth. The volumes of this Encyclopxdia contain data to settle this question, part of which, to save tedious reference, we trans cribe and present to the reader as part of this ar ticle.
" The third branch of the meteorology of Eng land, respects the Wisps.• It has already been remarked, in the general observations on the cli mate of this country, that the W. and S.\V. are much more prevalent as well as constant, than the winds from any other quarter; and this circum stance may easily and naturally be accounted for, from the situation of the island, exposed to the At lantic Ocean. The W. and S.IV winds are also the most violent, not only on the western side of the country, but also in the midland and eastern coun ties: so much so indeed, that the effects of their constancy and violence may generally be traced in the evident bending which they have given to the trees, in all parts of the country." It is no presumption to say that the actual phe nomenon was known to the writer of the above ex tract, but the cause not even suspected. In Darby's View of the United States, page 424, it is remarked, " so constantly do the prevailing currents of air set from the west over the continent of North America, that the orchards and forests generally, particularly along the Atlantic slope, invariably incline to the eastward or south-eastward. This interesting phenomenon may be seen by any person travelling along the roads, and it is in an especial manner discernible, if the traveller is passing in an E. or IV. direction.
A prevalence of winds towards the ocean on North America, and from it on the British islands, must certainly depend upon some more general cause than mere oceanic approach. But we pro ceed with our extracts.
" From the observations made by order of the Royal Society, it was ascertained, that, at London, the state of the wind was as follows: