, 1864-01-12


bic inhabitants Of our streams md woods, in
order to secure themselves ngninst the more
Tim common inclcmcncy Of the approaching
winter. The trout aud other fish, that ordi-
u:riIy bctake themselves to the banks Of our
rivers as q sufficient shelter and retreat !
against winters cold, had no sooner COM
mcnced their progress thitherward thah with
an eye that saw farther than the light of
science, or the deductions Of reason could |
guide them, they were seen either to be seek
Ing deeper retreats than ordinary, OF else
found to be retreating in harmonious numbers
to the depths Of cur inland seas; the
beaver and tho musk-rat, not content
with their usual snug and warm retreat for
the dreary months when they would be Ice,
occurled in adding additional thickness to
these already almost impervious dwelling
places. The results have shown that they
were not wrong in their forebodings; and
that in the exercise Of that sublime instinct
which has guided them, there arc lessons
higher intelligence, We shall do well to study.
and initiate, 60 as to mitigate, If not alto
rether to remove, the crils which inevitably
result from a careless indifference to those
natural laws which govern the alterations
Of heat and cold, Of storm and calm, OF 1aIns snm
might hare been avoided, and how
much rcal suffering might have been
epared, If few hours warning had been
given us Of the approach of that terrlde
storm which on the last day of the old
e9e over I'll is hfee Continent a mt Tith fn7y Almost
unknown. Provided the executives OF our
railways had known during the at-
tcrpoon Of Thursday last that unless they
stopped the trims then on their way to this
city they Wonld almost to certainty oe
oyertaken with the fury Of monster storm,
which must involve the loss OF thousands OF
dollars, Independent Of all other accompany.
ipc evils. to their respective companies, Is II
not clear that immediate md cncctnM steps
would have been taken to ensure the safety
because there are the strongest reasons for
believing that such warning could have been
given, IN time to save all the loes and
suffering that ircsultcd from the Incidents
referred to, and considerable mitigation OF
similar evils that are frequently happening
write. However changeable and capricious
fhe clouds that now hover over us with al
most the blackness Of midnight, and now
light Ms the 1ecciest fraccry may seem to be;
OF the winds that now play around us in gen
Tie zcphyrs, and now with might that moth
ing scarcely can resist, rush on In their desc
lating career may seem to be, yet these arc
under the control OF laws which can be as
certainly and easily interpreted by The discoy~
cries and appliances Of science, as the change
Of seasons Or the alterations Of day and
ngh That this ecotn sn9ad anonr eo ns
may be accounted for, If it cannot
be excused. We have grown rapidly and
wonderfully In commercial, and politica!
| and moral greatness; In the attainment OF
which 1t is not improbable that our more In
tclligcnt and reflective powers might have
been absorbed. IfthIs be but admitted, and
common sense is very favorable to such i
| conclusion, we shall have gone on far tow
nrds the removal Of the evil From being a
few years since little, insignificant village,
eituated on the edge of vast uninhablted
prai1ie and on the shores Of capacious In.
land sen, We have become great comm ercial
city and scarort, whoso fame has spread 1t.
self to the yery verge Of civilization, and
whose wealth is seen In the gigantic part VIC
Dlpy in the commerce Of the world. And
yet with our merchandise floating on our oMn !,
ind every sen, or croWding tho innumerable
trims Of more than q score Of rail-
ways around MS, re havc neglected to
make the ccmmonest provision for security
against the storms and hurricanes that so
! frequently sweep over us with all deeola.
ling might. With statistics SO accurate anG
| full Of Ill the movements Of finance and com
, merce ms to bc unsurpassed, furnished BY
public and private enterprise among US, ye
We hive not the means Of ascertaintns Will
E reliability the oscillations OF the baromcte
t ! or the Temperature Of the atmosphere for
single day, much less daily record Of thes
: from which alone correct references can b.
q drawn. Ne study with intense interest til
: slightest fluctuations Of the monetary scale !
r Wall street and on Change, but are perfect
q Indifferent TO the fluctuations barometric seal
J. from which may be elected information IN
Il cargoes. It is not simply foolish, 1t Is culpabl
e negligence, and the sooner we commenc
r anew, the more Intelligent, the more happ,
l. and the more wealthy we shall become
Some four or five years since lecture VI
), delivered in this city upon this subject, t
e one Of the ablest meteorologists We hay
which was previously well advertised, and
a an indication of the interest we then took
Il the subject, there were only twenty
twenty-five persons present. The lecturer
n lucid and mastery manner, alluded to Il
r. peculiar atmospheric changes to which
It were, from our situation and surrounding
At subjected, together with heavy and dest1u
- tive storms; but he stated that If CORE
~ system were adopted, ut no great expense,
of would enable us to laye from tWenty-iour
n, eevsnty-two hours notice % Of the s app1oacn
eoGe eeoo6easTey tbat more would Sc saved in
=. prevention Of shipwrecks alone, in one yes
at than would cycr be expended In the workil
on The tbs ssS'en continent ea' OF D Earor q
TO whre the investigations Of natural 8
- ence hive been so long and successful
pursued by intelligent and thoughtful m
r. Of all lands, considerable perfection has be
~ attained in this direction, By which, to 10
IL at the subject in no other light, incalculat
In suffering and loss hnvc been avcrted: Govc1
t. ment MD, in the outset tardlly, but aftezwnr
ea more literally rendered, has without e2ct
= tion been given to such undertakings, in pl
" ~ viding suitable buildings, apparatus, q
qualified me toF the PURPOSES o. =, Geai
al to the pccnllarities Of the earth's surfa'
m generally and particularly; the decrease.
~ Increase Of heat in given localities, with
H. various circumstances Of Temperature, vap.
L pressure, wind, rain, Ge, by Tue knqwaed ''sae
rh cold, rain or dr5ness, before they happt
~ Under the auspices Of the Royal 4
~ ~ Economical Society OF England, gentlemen
v, accredited scientific attainments supply, tr<
s. every point of The United Kingdom, daily
the Society ut Greenwich, record Of Ill
mospheric and astronomical changes
rn conditions, and these collatcd records {
M The basis from which the growth and deg
Y, opmcnt Of these sciences are produced.
". small Impetus has been given to the ope
its tions Of this Society by the Introduction
ia Of which. seeming fully. to comprehs
- The valuable cooperation they could rend
IN contribute freely and continuously an Amo1
)c- Of information Of the most valuable Hi
ed In the telegraph Offices Of MI the primer
lly towns, and especially seapers, 2. ,I nne ~ I'M
ss ns means of maps. of the direction Of the wi
III at a given hour In the morning,
bis every point Of the coast surround
de England, Ireland and Scotland. The gent
w. is considerable; but to captains about to :
IT.. coed to sea it cannot be over-estimntcd. Z
:. ne ask. NAV not such q system be wisely
[ne proftably adopted by ourselves, and, CON