The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-05-08

Tetographing the Approach Of Storms.

Te;ographing the Approach OF Storms.
The electric telegraph is found of great
! Importance in mccoroloa ical observations.
in forewarning the approach OF storms. and
facilitating tho marine reports from distant
points
1t was known in Franklin's time, and, if
We mistake not, first published to The world
by that eminent philosopher, that northeast
| storms come from the southwest 1t was
doubtless considered in his day statement
ofdoubtful voracity, and VIC can imagine
many wiscncrc shaking his head and cx
c!aiming Il don't believe it And yet, Mt
| The present day where can n school-boy DO
found who does not know they arc SILVER
lag with n NORTHEASTERN in New York several
hours before Bostonians see any indications
| Of foul weather?
Thanks TO the the promulgation of Espy's
'heory OIL storms, the whole matter is now
well understood in this country, as well as
III Europe.
Among those who applied this knowledge
to practical account in this country VIC must
place in tho front rank Mr.. Joseph Brooks,
the manager OF u line Of steamers which ply
between Boston and Portland In 1850
MIR. Brooks employed an agent in New
York to make daily observations of the
state OF Tho wind and weather, and send
thcm TO him over the wires at thrQc O'clock
- '"o "c"'het lookcu oau IN tho morning,
lc was 10 send dispatch at eight o'clock
II storm came up TO send another dispatch
at noon and then at three o'clock, TO give
n full statement of its condition, and as
nearly as possible Of its prospects.
with data like these, Mr. Brooks could
~ once tell ut what hour the storm would
reach New Haven, Springfield, Boston and
all points between Boston and Portland lie
couid tell with absolute certainty whether il
would be prudent to send his boat to Port
land OF whether il would be safe for Tho
Portland boat to come to Boston. If the
storm had been raging with some severity
for some hours in New York, he know il
would not he safe for the Portland boat TO
come OUT, MS She would be sure TO cucoun-
Ter II before arriving here hut the case
WIN regard TO Boston might be different,
tor she could reach Portland before thu
storm could ovcrtakc her
storms OF ordinary velocity will travel
about twenty five miles an hour, bat some
VIII sweep along Mt more than twice this
rate ofSrccd, and will cover space of
nearly II thousand miles in lenmth by scyc
Ia! hundreds in breadth.
When the Importance Of the matter bo.
comes i'liiy undcrstood the state of the
weather Will be tclcgraphcl TO every i'm
p"rtnht town on the Scaboard rs regularly
us INC siockS and markets are at present.
ana the approach Of every large storm will
be announced upon our coast by storm sig.
@ nas put up at 5 GovSrs%HHt s
ality of the French and English Govern
mcnts. this matter would long ago have
been looked after, and it. would have cstab-
lishca storm signal stations along the whole
coast Of Cape Cod, rs well as upon other
desirable points.
We're such II system in operation, il is
Impossible to tell the amount of property
which might be saved every year. Vessels
would then have ample time to make safe
harbor, which, not knowing of tho ap-
rroaoh of q storm pass OH their way and are
lost.
70 show the Importance Of the mattcrin
Hr. Brooks case, who has made daily use
of the wiro for the pa / nine years, it is
enough to say chat his steamers have avoid
cd all storms, aud his line is the safest and
most reliable in the country. So highly
does il" esteem it, he assures us he would
rather pay the cost Of telcgraphing for n
whole year than have ono Of his boats cx-
posed to a storm. even itsho sustained no
particular damage.