The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-01-17
OF n. ISLAND.

states OF. North Americas climate
whose winters are, oscn, severely cold,
and whose summers excessively warm
whose spring commences late, and is al
most Immediately succeeded by sum
autumn, long and dclight-
full. terminates suddenly before the APP
proach of winter The climate of the
Atlantic States, is peculiar for the sever
ity of the westerly winds Of winter,
which bring degree Of cold, unknown
in the same latiiudes in any other part
ofthc Nothern Hemisphere. either in tie
old or new world.
We shall FIRST take notice Of the chang
es of climate, since the FIRST settlement
Of the English Colonies, and the proba-
BILE effect Of cutting down the forests
a circumstance, much relied on by some,
who affirm, that the climate 10 undergo
ing great and progressive ameliora-
tiou. We find, in an address from tho
colony of Rhode Island TO Lord Claren-
don in the year 1906, it is stated that
the harbor Of Newport had never been
closed by ice: but that ''sl,ips at all sea-
sons arrived and sailed from this port,
while all the harbors cost and west
were shut up by strong doors of ice"
The settlement had then existed 2S
years, the effect of which time, they had
observed. II is well known, that during
the 18th century. and within the rccol-
lection Of some old people now living,
such has been the severity Of the cold,
that this harbor has been closed by ice {:
though not within fifty or sixty years.
Thus we see, that milder period has
been succeeded by a colder, and a
colder by milder, since the settlement
Of Rhode Island by the Europeans; and
how many such changes have happened,
it is not in our power to ascertain or
conjecture. That the spring, as well as
the autumn commenced earlier hereto-
fore, we have no doubt, from unqucs-
iionable tradition, in support Of which
we add the evidence Of the Colony re-
cords, viz, in 1859 il was enacted that
"kecpers of cattle should be appointed
and employed from the 18th of April to
the lst Of November" which, after maxi
ing allowance for the alteration Of the
style, still shows that they were put to
grass twenty four days earlier in tho
spring, and taken from grass eight days
earlier in the fall, than they are at this
time. The latter change, We attribute
to the cutting down of the forest: and
thus. giving the autumnal sun more pow
or than when its rays were broken a
mong tho branches and foliage Of the
trees and we account for The springs
being later, from the same cause. While
the country was one unbroken forest, or
nearly SO, IT presented some barrier 10
the cold March and April winds. Pro-
tcctsd by this barrier, tho sea coast en-
joyed an earlier spring than it now does,
deprived oftliat protection---so that we
have our vernal and autumnal seasons,
both later than formerly. from one and
the same cause.
Another enquiry is. why the empire Of
China, and the eastern coast of America.
are subjected toa colder climate, in win
ter. in the same degrees Of latitude,
than the western coasts of the old and
new continent.--Thc answer is, tina, the
cold. Winds Of winter, are pressing TO-
ward the warm latitudes, attracted by
the rarefaction in the tropical and equa-
toriai rarss Of the globe; and in their
passage are diverted from a direct course
bysiocal circumstances. The winds from
the cold nothern regions of Asia, have
great expanse Of tropical ocean south
essterly from them, and in their passage
southerly. are drawn easterly, to 6ll the
warm ATTITUDES ofthe great Pacific Ocean,
which lies principally, in that direction,
thereby, occasioning the cold north ives,
winds, which pass owe rthe Chinese EN-