Observations on the Barometer, Thermometer, and Higrometer, in Buenos Ayres, during the year 1822.

Taken from the Statistical Register of March 1823.

Reflections on the preceding Table, and that for 1805, which is inserted afterwards.

A similar table was published in January 1823, by the Abeja Argentina, a literary periodical work of Buenos Ayres, and the following observations were subjoined:

The preceding table has been formed from the observations of each month, which have been successively published, three in the Statistical Register, and the rest in the Abeja. The barometer was not put into use until the month of February. We will now offer some observations resulting from the experiments of that year, and which may

tend to give an idea of the climate; it being our ntention, on a future occasion, to resume that particular topic more in detail, and with particular references.

The situation of Buenos Ayres is stated with some slight differences. General Varela in the years 1782 and 1783 made observations on the situation of Buenos Ayres, and gave it 34° 36′38′′ of south latitude, and 52° 06′ 16′′ to the west of Cadiz. These observations were made in an observatory raised on a house near San Miguel. The officers who came in the expedition of Malaspina in 1789 adopted the same results.

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tions took place in the Plaza Mayor. Cerviño gives 34° 36′ 43′′ of latitude, and 52° 5' 22 of west longitude from the island of Leon. Captain Heywood of the English navy gives for the latitude observed 34° 34′ 30′′ and for the longitude by the moon 58° 02′ west of Greenwich. He probably took his observations from on board his own ship. The Statistical Register gives 34° 36′ 29′′ of south latitude, and 58° 23′ 34′′ to the west of London. The reason for our having stated these trifling variations is in order to reject none of the statements; and to shew, by the way, how necessary it is that this point should be settled, in a national manner, although after all a few minutes, or even a few degrees, more or less, are very immaterial to our present purpose.

More essential, however, is the difference which exists respecting the elevation of the ground on which the city is situated. Father Fevillé, in the beginning of the last century, in the " Diary of physical, mathematical, and botanical Observations," estimated it, in the convent of San Francisco, by the barometer, at about five toises above the level of the river, which are equal to 34.674 feet of Castile. But Cerviño in his meteorological observations for the year 1805," Weekly Record of Industry and Commerce, tom. 4. No. 174," gives it ten toises five feet of elevation, which amount to about 70.000 feet, or to twice as much as the other. Nevertheless, as the last mentioned person does not state in what manner he proceeded to establish his reckoning, or to what quarter he alludes, although we imagine that he took his measurement from the depth of the water in the cisterns or wells,-a circumstance on which no certain results can be founded as a positive rule, since water in its filtration is subject to laws which must make the calculation erroneous bound to adopt the first statement as the more probable elevation of the ground, and as coming nearer to the truth, at least until the point be decided, which it is desirable that it speedily should be, in a competent manner.

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Let us take then for the astronomical situation of the city of Buenos Ayres 34° 36′ 29′′ of south

latitude, and 58° 23 34 of longitude west of London; and for its elevation 34.974 feet of Castile above the level of the river; and for its distance from the sea, or from Cape Santa Maria, 72 leagues west. On the north and east it is washed by the River la Plata. Towards the south-east, after crossing a considerable tract of country, the sea presents its surface.

At the distance of about twenty-four leagues to the north, takes place the first junction of the rivers Paraná and Uruguay, after they have both traversed an immense space in a southerly direction, forming, as it were, a parallel course. But their second meeting, which constitutes the vast river of La Plata, is effected at about fourteen leagues north of the city. To the west and south its territory is flat, forming a continued plain, which extends to the confines of the provinces of Córdova and Mendoza, or, properly, to the Andes ; and which, although almost destitute of large trees, is celebrated for its fertility and perpetual verdure. This flatness of the country, without doubt, has prevented the formation of great rivers, notwithstanding which, after the Riachuelo, which crosses to the south of the city, and deserves no other name than the one it bears*, the river Salado is

*Foreigners have taken this for a proper name, although it is nothing more than a generic one; and thus they have called it Rio Riachuelo, and also Rio Chuelo. In Spanish the