The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-07
Which is thc -OriginsI Jacolsi-
Will the ed tor OF tho HERALD have the kindness
to inform the public whicl 10 the original of these
two articles

tFf 49, w. ~" sey
Times, (published by Ray.
mond, Harper X Co,
esiited by Henry J Ray
mond,) printed aud sold
Friday, January q
cLIMAToLoay.
As the climate Of every
country has an inseparable
relation with the physical
character Of IT. inhabi.
tants, the attention OF the
government was directed,
some few years since, 10
the collection Of correct
meteorological statistics
throughout tho whole OF
the United States. For this
purpose the requisite in
ntrum-nts were sent TO the
different military posts, in
order that systematic oh
seTvntions might be made,
and America contribute her
quota OF information TO a
branch OF know edge which
Is rapidly advancing into
the dignity OF \ science.
There has not AS yet, how
ever, been any formal re
port but scattered through
various documents belong.
ing TO the government, M
we'll as in different scienti-
fic works, there arc many
facts which afford us a va.
riety of infor nation that
partially explains how II Is
that even in the most east.
ern Of the New England
States, where the races
have not been so much
mixed as In the more cen
trail ones, the original form
and features Of the frat
settlers are entirely lost.
One OF the most striking
pecullarities Of our climate
when contrasted with that
OF Europe, Ia the extreme
dryness OF our atmos phere,
for although we have as
many rainy days, with the
exception, perhaps, OF Eng.
land and Norway, as occur
In Europe generally, yet
our air NO readily parts
with all its moisture, that
no sooner does II cease raiL-
Ing than the hydrometer
commences at once 10 sink,
and soon shows that tho
atmosphere Is ns dry "a
ever. This extreme dry.
pess may be partially ex.
planned from the fact that
here, as vel "a in Europe,
westerly winds prevail, and
that while they go 10 the
coasts of Europe loaded
with q superabundance OF
moisture, gathered during
their passage across the
Atlantic, they reach us
only after passing over n
whole continent, when they
have necessarily lost a
great portion OF their hu-
midity. Hence with US a
westerly wind is always .
dry wind, while In Europe
Il almost invariably brings
rain with IL, How far this
fact influences the clectri
cal state Of the atmosphere
we are una ole 10 Judge
from the information be
fore us, but should be led
from our own observations
to conpider II the source Of
much Of that nervous acti
witty which seems 20 belong
peculiarly TO DER people,
and 10 have assisted Ia
forming that American type
which the last two hundred
years have produced For
the same Omnipotsncc that
created man, adapta him in
n comparatively short p..
Rod 10 tho physical a. well
~ the moral circumstances
In which he Is % dwell
upon the earth.
The extremes 0f heat and
cold DO not occur at our
most northern and south
crn posts, a. thoy are Git-
uated on large bodies OF
water, but at the inlnni
Western stations, and for
the same reason, this moan
sumner temperature of
Augusta, Ga. i greater
than along the coast Of
Florida. While at Key
West, during the present
year, tho thermometer
mover or rarely rose above
30 degrees, II attained AZ
Council Biuiis--a point up
wards Of seventeen degrees
further north.-a height Of
at least 102 degrees-aD
amount Of heat unknown
In the same latitude IN Ia
rope. Bat although the
thermometer may, on the
whole, bc some few degrees
higher here, during the
heat % summer, than In
most parts Of Europe, yet
we suffer but little more
from Its effects, for NJ the
mir there Is more loaded
with humidity, causing n
diminn,ion ~ the cutA.
neous and pulmonary
transpiratlon- the evapo
ration of which creates .
cooling proress--languor
and listlessBeas, with an
indlsposition " mental and
corporal erertion are NJ
csssarly induced, shich u
rarely the case here. Noi
ther again 30 va In win.
tor experience that feeling
of Intense cold even though
the mercury may range
some degrees lorer, that is
often felt In the damp, hn.
mid atmospbsre 81 Europe.
Ordinarily, We should Be
led 10 suppose that places
In u . same iatltndcs would
experience tbs same degree
Of ayerAg. heat and cold,
but this II not true a. re
CARDS America and Europe
For the Gulf stream which
stretches across tbs Allan
tic between Cape Hattera.
and the Azores, forming
nearly In the middle of ths
North Atlantic a Lake of
warm sAtsr, according ~
Eepnell, not moch inferior
30 tho helitsrranean In
extent, has a considerable
effect On the tsrnysrAture
~ Europe, whIls vc are
subject ~ the influence Of
a cold stream, sweeping
Immense masses ~ Ice into
lover lAtitudes. breasing
upon eur northern coasts.
Climate, IL would seem,
IA also considerably in.
Huspesd by ths chemical
and geological character u
the surface of thu earth
ono soil qulctly parting
with IL acquired heat,
~hils another retains n
tsnAcioasly. Hence our
nelghbors of se~ jersey
enjoy, oslng 10 the sandy
nature of th@ir soil an ave.
rage higher temperature
than the Inhabitants of
Mes Yors, vhsre tbs sur.
face consists In q great
measure u clay, % sotss