From these tables, as well as from a similar one for 1841, it appears that the mean temperature at Melbourne is 59 deg., and the greatest annual range of the thermometer 62 deg. The place where these observations are made is at the flag-staff close to the town, which is placed on a hill, I should think, about one hundred feet above the level of the sea, and open to the sea breeze. This circumstance, no doubt, renders the climate more equable, and tempers the extreme heat. And I find accordingly, from a table which I kept for some time at my station, that in January, 1842, the thermometer in an open verandah rose as high as 104 deg., while at Melbourne it only reached 98 deg. The place I speak of is, however, situated in a valley about forty miles inland.
On reference to an article on climate, contributed by Sir James Clark to the Cyclopædia of Practical Medicine, I find that the mean annual temperature, extreme range of thermometer, &c., at Madeira, Pisa, Rome, Naples, and Nice are as follows:—
Latitude. |
Mean annual temperature. |
Extreme range of |
Number of days |
Annual mean quantity |
Greatest heat on a |
Greatest cold on a | |
Fanchul in Madeira | 32°37' N. | 65° | 14° | 73 | |||
Paramatta (near Sydney)[1] | 33°48' S. | 65° | 84° | 116° | 32° | ||
Melbourne | 38°18' S. | 59° | 62° | 113 | 27·6 inches | 98° | 36° |
Naples | 40°51' N. | 59° | 28° nearly (Rome) |
117 | |||
Rome | 41°53' | ||||||
Nice | 43°44' | ||||||
Pisa | 44°nearly |
- ↑ The observations at Paramatta are by Rev. W. B. Clark, resident of that place.