New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-31
PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL AND STAtIS-
TICAL SOCIETY.

TICAL SOCIETY.
The regular weekly meeting Of the American & 40
ynpbical and Statistical Society was held on Thursday
evening in T. Socetys Rooms, at the Ncw-York Uni
yelsty. the President, the Rev DIR. HAWKS, in the
chair.
Prof. LoriN BLoDGrT was introduced, and read AZ
Interesting paper on the Geography of Climates IN
che United Ssates.'
In the outset he remarked that the distribution Of
climates over the continents in temperate ATTITUDES is
the best point from which teir scientific aud practical
features can be considered This general system OF
geography proves that the temperate atitudes repro
Nv, tNsniety Of climtes which appears in the TEN
petate Jalitudes of the Old world peculiar fact of
vertical distribution is found on the Interior plains al
this Western Continont-he alttufe0, up 10 certain
limit having but little effect il reducing tho tempera'
turc. At Fort Laramie, which Is 800 feet above
the level of the sea, tho meah temperature
is tho same as at NewYork City, or at
the level Of the sea 10 the same l4u-
tudcs at Salt Lake, Also and the plains of the Up
per Missouri essential reduc ION exists Toe whole
interior plateau declines IN altitude mort award from he
moth of Mexico much thai tue measure OF heat
il fully az great at the upper portion OF tai, paiu on
the Saskatcha van, at Fort Massachusetts ID New
Mexico its highest point ~ toe south FROM tlls iul
porant fact tsults thai Il northern dsIcs are more
Cuitivabe than the southern and more practicable Tor
routes Of transit TO the Pacific On the coast of the
Ncrth.Wost we have the peculiar climate OF the Bat
ish Islands reproduced and though the erot less than
similar climates have IN Europe, 1t establishes the
of commercial activity at these high ATTITUDES There
is peculiar climate on the coast OF California; sin
gulaIly Geld Summer, due to a cold sea current from
the North West. Next come the soft vine clm4.es
Of the South of Europe ana Of tho Modterranc an.
Newt to This district lie reproduction Cf the Desert
Belt of tbc Old Word In each 90 these classes of eli.
mates the quantity of rain, well the measure Of
heat follows the same general analogy with he eli
mates of the Old World. On the north, and over the
northern plains it is equally distributed among the SEN
sons and mecrste in quantity; on the norhwes coast
excessive On the west coast small in quantity, ~ IN
France and SPAN; meager in the Desert Belt ana.
lay,v fslue IT, almost tropical profuson in toe Se!-
tropical custes bordering the Cult OF Mexico In tins
last case the correspondence s with China aGi he
North of India; but we have large district having
the tropical slnties whcn really extend over most OF
the area of the Mississippi Valley
After Prof Blodgcts paper OcGg read, the Raw. DR..
ApANsoN, .stc Of CapetOwn, in South Africa, gave a
very interesting accOun OF his explorations OF tue
southern and ceIrs portions OF the British possessions
on the African Continent.
ARCHIBALD RUSSELL, esq. moved vote OF thanks
10 both the gentlemen who had entertained the so
Ciety, end a request for copies OF their respective
papers for the ariIiveS.
The Society then adjourned.