button to main menu  British Rainfall 1895, p.22

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British Rainfall 1895 page 22

OTHER GAUGES AT SEATHWAITE.

I wish to direct particular attention to the double rule separating the first three columns on p.25 from the others, because anyone who looks at that table without attending to that double rule, and without reading the following sentence, is sure to be confused and to think that there is some mistake.
The fact is, that the first three columns are devoted to the record of Gauge I., the standard record; the subsequent columns are to be considered solely as confirmatory - and for that purpose the ratios in the latter columns have nothing to do with the relative wetness or dryness of the years, but express the ratio of the amount collected in each year by each gauge to the amount collected by Gauge I. - e.g., Gauge I. in 1847 collected 129.24 in., but Gauge II. collected only 126.80 in., which was 98 per cent. of the amount collected by Gauge I. - and so of all the other values given on that side of the double rule.
Gauge II. - It will be remembered that at first Gauge I. was said to be only 6 inches above the ground; Gauge II. was 1 ft. 6 in. above it, and therefore should have collected slightly less.
Gauge III. - This was 1 ft. 10 in. above the ground, and therefore the same argument applies as with reference to Gauge II.
Gauge IV. - This gauge is, as regards the collection of snow, so badly designed that I do not understand why, from 1872 to 1894, it has practically collected as much as Gauge I.; the deficiency, as shown by the first few years, seems more probable, and the sudden change at the beginning of 1872 is very puzzling. Of course, the same arithmetical result would follow if the readings of Gauge I. for the years 1865-71 were too high, but there does not seem to be any reason to accept that explanation.
Gauge V. This gauge shows rather less than I expected; perhaps its position in the garden was slightly sheltered.
Gauge VI. - This gauge is practically perfect, and in an excellent position; it shows a mean deficiency of 5.2 per cent. as compared with Gauge I.
Gauge VII. - This gauge is close to Gauge I., and (as already explained) has practically supplanted it. It is therefore satisfactory to find that it agrees with Gauge I. within less than 2 per cent.
Note: Rain gauges are a common object for discussion in the pages of these reports. An interesting article of self recording rain gauges,including a tipping cup type, will be found in British Rainfall 1884, pp.18-24 and 2 plates.
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