The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-02-14
wesecroIeTy Ter Farmers.
ny LIEUT.. MAURy, [. 5. \.
OBSERVATORY, Washington, june Is. 80.

Gentlemen-I AN much obliged to you for
vour favor Of the 9th inst. You are right
/ did not intend to confine the appeal to the
farmers Of any '.pent Up Utica" l intend
10 make it as broad as the land.
You ask for the plan of cooperation. Il
Is very simple, and calls on the farmers Con
little more than good viii.
first want authority TO take the prelimi-
nary steps, and to confer with ether nete or
oloeists and men OF science az bcInc and
abroad, with the view Of establishing uni
foIIn system of meteorological observations
for the land, as we have done for the sea.
Ifany officer of the government were au-
horized to say to the farmers, as have said
10 the sailors. here is the form OF q netecroio-
gical journal; it shows You the observations
that are wanted, the hours at which they are
20 be made; tells what instruments are to be
required, and how they are to be used; take
Il, furnish the government with the observa-
lions. and in return, the government will dis
euss them, and give you copy Of the re-
suits when published--he would have ar
once and without cost volunteer corps Of
observers that would furnish him with all the
data requisite for complete study Of both
agricultural and sanitary meteorology.
Such an offer 10 the sailors has enlisted a
corps of observers for the sea, by whose CO.
operation results the most important and val
liable, and as unex pected as valuable, have
been obtained.
Could not, at least, one farInerbe found on
the average for every county IN every State
that would gladly undertake tie observa-
tionsi j don't think there would be any diff
iculty on that score. Sailors have been
found TO do as much for every part of the be'
ON the average ten obsery ers Tor a State
would be sufficient.
Now, if we could get tue English govern
ment, and the French government, and the
Russian government and the other Christian
States, both Of the Old World and the New,
10 do the same by their farmers we shall have
the whole surface of our planet covered with
meteorological Observers acting in concert,
and eliciting from nature, under all varieties
Of climate and circumstance, answers to the
same questions and that, too, AT no other ex
pense than what each government Should |
choose to incur for the discussion and publi- I
cation OF the observations that made by (
It's own citizens subjects.
What Is wantedin q system Of observations \
IKE this. is uniformity Hence, cooperation {
an agreement to observe the same things
40 the same times--is essential TO anything
ike success We want not only correspon-
ling observations as 10 the time, but we want
: Lem made with instruments that alike,
n that can be compared; and then We mn.
c pect to find out something certain and val
liable, concerning the movements OF this
rrand and beautiful machine called the at
nosI here.
Suppose q paetentious fly should place i
elf upon a steam engine, and from its own
title narrow contracted field Of observation
lttempt tu expound the structure of the en-
+ =. 1 I IL 1T
o observe aud to reason, i would lie mo.n
awildered than any one does and must, who
com an isolated series 81 meteorological o5ser-
alton attempts 10 lengn ri.e laws which GOV
m the atmosphere and regulates climates
IF you ak me Is state beforehand what
iarticular discoveries or special results q
alue | expect to makci | answer, If
'ould tell l would not ask your assistance TO
lake them. The fields meteorological are
arge--there are many of them, and all that
do know about them is, that there is in them
lightly harvests OF many Sorts
Some years ago | commenced such sys-
N for the sea, ~ l am now advocating, and
id as now both see and feel the necessity
for the land. After We had been at work
little while and began to gather in harvest
useful results by discovering new truths
"a facts, Congress authorized tie Secretary
the Navy to employ three small vessels OF
G Navy, 10 assist me in periecting these
isceyeries, and pushing forward investi
alton.
Now. you would have sa;d, what two
,ings can be more remote than maps Ia show
inch way the winds blow, sn3 -uh-.lariue
.legraph across the Alautic' ! ct it se.us
nat they are closely connected. for research
undertaken for the one are found 10 bear
Z ~. 81. L.
.uits gathered by pursuing cur discoveries,
ven with the slender means afforded by
the Secretary was authorized
, let me have these three small vessels Only
4 case they should cost nothing--thcrc /, I!
romise of submarine telegraph across the
Atlantic
We are told by the public prints that a
onpany has been formed for the purpose,
le money raised, contracts made, and the
able that is 10 hold the wires and span the
cean commenced u be made. | have a
iece Of il on the table now before me.
One OF the results Of getting the wires
cross. will lee to place the farmers with their
revision markets and produce exactly hall
&c distance in time-and time now seems to
Z the only true measure Of distance-trom
,urope that they are now. Let Us illustrate
ne value in one respect uHiy of this telegraph
, the farmers: demand springs up in Eng
and for brcadstuffs, for instance. The news
rust now wait for the steamer 70 sail tetorc
is ready to come and by tie time she reach
; our shores and the produce can be sent
inward, the chief granaries Of Europe have
cen ransacked. and the American dealer
nds himself too late in the market.
But when that telegraphic plateau. which
g have discovered in the Atlantic, shall be
dreaded with the magnetic cable. the intelli-
ence will be known in New York. Cincin-
att. ST. Louis and New Orleans, as soon as