„ standard 21 True bearings of wind direction 71 Vernier, principle of 30 „ setting the 31 Weather warnings 40, 44, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 73, 77, 94 Wet and dry bulb hygrometer 50 Wind, registration of 85 „ gauges 79 „ scales 76, 83 „ vane 78 PREFACE. The late Admiral Fitzroy entertained the opinion that the various phenomena which go to form what we call “weather” are “measurable at any place, and that having these measurements at _various_ places over a given area, such as the British Isles, we ought to be able to foresee the peculiar results as regards the direction and force of air currents which have their distinctive weather characteristics in relation to temperature, rainfall, and electrical manifestations.” A conviction of the soundness of this opinion has induced the writer to make the present compilation, in the hope that many who have hitherto avoided the subject of meteorology and the weather may find interesting matter, where before all seemed dull and technical. Any attempt at rigid mathematical accuracy is disclaimed at the outset; the leading principles involved in weather forecasting and storm prevision will, however, be stated in a sufficiently definite manner to divest the subject of the mystery in which it has hitherto seemed to be enshrined, and thus enable the unscientific reader to become weather-wise, and casual observers to note weather phenomena with some degree of method and precision. On page 4 will be found a list of works which have proved useful aids in making the present compilation. The writer desires to acknowledge his indebtedness to the various authors and publishers, and especially to Mr. Strachan, for permission to quote from his able pamphlet on “Weather Forecasts, and Storm Prevision,” and to reproduce the valuable table on page 37, for Calculating Heights of Mountains, from the fourth edition of his handy “Pocket Meteorological Register.”