Astronomical and Meteorological Workers in New South Wales
Introduction
Lieutenant Dawes
Captain Flinders
Admiral Phillip Parker King
Sir Thomas MacDougall Brisbane
Dr. Charles Stargard Rumker
James Dunlop
P. E. De Strzelecki
Captain J. C. Wickham
Rev. W. B. Clarke, M.A.
Rev. A. Glennie
E. C. Close
Sir William Macarthur
J. Boucher
S. H. Officer
John Wyndham
William Stanley Jevons
Establishment of Meteorological Observatories
Votes and Proceedings, N.S.W., 1848.
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
Appendix C.
Appendix D.
Appendix E.
Appendix F.
Appendix G.
Appendix H.
Appendix I.
Appendix J.
Appendix K.
Appendix L.
Appendix M.
Appendix N.
Appendix O.
Appendix P.
Appendix Q.
Appendix R.
Appendix S.
Appendix T.
Appendix U.
Endnotes
Index
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In a carefully prepared work by P. E. De Strzelecki, "Physical Description of New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land," published in London, in 1845, will be found a very valuable contribution to the Meteorology of the period 1838 to 1842 inclusive. The work, or rather this part of it is largely a compilation from the official records kept at Sydney and Port Macquarie; from observations made in Tasmania at Woolnarth and Port Arthur; from his own observations made during his stay of five years; and from the observations of Captain P. P. King, from which particularly he derives the account of the circulation of winds round the coast, and concludes that the monsoon winds which are supposed to blow round Australia, must necessarily (p.169) impart to the remaining central atmospheric fluid certain regular eddies, similar to those observed in the sea or large rivers. Further, that this circulation striking on the high chain of mountains to the west of Tasmania "naturally gives rise to a subordinate eddy," which gives the prevailing winds to Tasmania and Victoria. There is a very interesting chapter on hot winds, and he points put that Australia and Tasmania are not the only countries subject to them. The atmospheric pressure, temperature, rainfall (no details of rain) and evaporation are very fully discussed. A very full account of his Observations on the Diaphaneity of the Atmosphere as determined by himself from observations on the direct effect of the sun on a thermometer fully exposed or placed under white wool or black wool is given. He comes to the conclusion that the intensity of the suns rays is greater in Tasmania than Australia (p. 212), then some interesting experiments on radiation of heat are given, and upon dew and the moisture in the atmosphere, etc. The essay covers 82 pages out of 462 which make up the book.
Captain J. C. Wickham
Captain J. C. Wickham kept a meteorologist record at Brisbane, from January 1st, 1843, to the end of 1846, and for part of the time thermometer readings. These were published with three years rainfall, 1840–41 and 1842, in the Moreton Bay Courier for January 23rd, 1847; the quantity of rain for each month is given. Copies of the Courier, containing these observations are with Captain P. P. King's papers now in Sydney Observatory.
People in Bright Sparcs - King, Phillip Parker; Russell, Henry Chamberlain
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© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
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