CHANNEL i s l a n d s :
whole, tlie advantage of England. I do not at present,
speak of climate, as connected with health; to
this subject, a separate chapter will by and by be
dedicated, by a more competent pen. I speak of
climate, merely as its influences are felt by the
healthy ; and, as its greater or less excellence, contributes
to one’s enjoyment.
That the climate of Jersey is warmer than that of
any part of England is certain. The mean annual
temperature for the three years, ending with 31st
December, 1833, I have ascertained, from an uner-
ling source, to be 52. 50. Jh is higher average than
the climate of England presents, arises more, from the
higher temperature of winter, than of summer. During
the three years ending with the commencement of
1834, the thermometer never rose above 83; nor ever
fell below 27, and was during these years, but v^ery
rarely below the freezing point. These facts, which
sufficiently establish the higher temperature of the
climate of Jersey, have been kindly communicated to
me by Dr. Hoskins, of that island, whose thermome-
trical and meterological observations have been accumulated
during several years, by the most accurate
instruments.
The climate of Jersey, approaches nearer to that
of Penzance, than to any other part of England : but
there are differences; for although the mean annual
temperature of the two places differs very little, the
temperature is differently distributed over the months.
The results of the thermometer in Jersey are curious,
as exhibiting the mean temperature of the different
months. The following is the enumeration of the
months, in the order of their respective temperature,
beginning with the highest:—viz. August, July, June,
September, May, October, April, November, December,
March, February, January. Tliis distribution of
heat, certainly differs materially from any part of
England. In England, March would rank higher ;
and October, November, and December lower.
During the two years that I resided in the Channel
Islands, I never saw a flake of snow; nor any frost which
did not yield during the forenoon ; and from April till
October, I should say, fires are rarely necessary.
Jersey possesses another decided point of superiority,—
the equability of its temperature during the
twenty-four hours. In England, a hot day, is often,
in summer, succeeded by a chilly evening : but in
Jersey, the chill of evening rarely admonishes one, of
the necessity of closing the window. The dews however,
are extremely heavy,—so much so, that early on
a summer morning, one might easily believe, that a
light shower had recently fallen on the pavement of
the streets.
More rain falls in Jersey, than in most parts of
England ; but less, it is believed, than in Devonshire
and Cornwall. I have not been able to ascertain the
average depth, for in the summer of 1833, no rain fell
during many months; but this drought was amply
compensated by the rains of the following winter.
The winter of 1833-34; formed an exception everywhere.
At Jersey, there Avas a succession of tempests
from the beginning of December, till the beginning
of February.
High winds are certainly very prevalent in Jersey ;