The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-20
The Cautionary Storm Signal.

The Signal Service OF the United States,
to whom, year ago, was entrusted the Or
ganization of Weather Telegraphic and
Storm Signal Syste :, have completed ar
rangements for making known, BY telegram
and signal, the approach and force OF storms
and violent gales Of wird; and the chief
Signal Officer has just issued small PAM
phlet, which fully describes the signals to be
employed by his corps of observer-sergeants
at the various stations.
1t is the design of this publication to
afford to the seaman, the merchant and every
weather student the meteoric information
necessary to enable them to make good use
of the weather reports and bulletins with
which, in few months, the eye OF every
American who reads the newspapers has be-
come familiar, and, consequently, to turn
to account the cautionary signal displayed
at any point threatened by dangerous winds.
The science OF meteorology, or meteorics,
has always struggled under the great disad-
Vantage Of having the whole word to ex-
plore, and is yet in its infaLcy. 1t cannot,
therefore, be expected that the precision OF
the more favored sciences shall be at once
attained, and the public shouldSbe disposed
to make allowance for the discrepancies
that may possibly occur between predictions
| and results. The chief Signal Officer, aware
OF the immense difficulty Of obtaining un-
erring and uniform accuracy in the display
of signals and anxious to aid the public as
much as possible in forming correct esti-
mate Of coming changes, take great pains
to state clearly that ,actenerer signal is
hoistea ii is strictly and solely cautionary,
and is only designed as warning OF proba-
BILE danger. II calls for the exercise OF the
local knowledge and diligent study OF the
experienced seaman, that he may guard
against danger in time. Disastrous and ex-
tensive storms rarely fail to give premonition
to every one who carefully observes the daily
rise and fall Of the quicksilver in the barom-
eter. The cautionary signal, combined with
the weather reports, from which it is de-
duced, cannot fail to convey to all who are
really concerned in knowing the future wea-
ther, necessary warning OF the danger
that is probably approaching.
The signal which will be displayed in
Charleston, after the 23d instant, whenever
necessary, is square red flag, with square
centre of black, for denoting danger by day,
and q red lantern to denote danger by night
1t is highly important for the public fully
and at once to know that the Signal Office
will display only one signal, and that one
signal will DC elevated only in the case OF
probable danger There will be no safety
signal.
We give below, however, the official text,
which, il carefully weighed and pondered,
can leave no uncertainty in the mind OF any
one, as to the meaning and use of the signal:
THE CAUTIoNARY SIGNAL.-The Cautionary
Signal of the Signal Service, United States
army-a red flag with black square in the CEN
tre by day, aud u red light by nght-dlsplayed
at the office of tie observer, and other proml-
nent places throughout any city, signifies:
|. That from The information had at the
Central office, in Washington, probability Of
stormy CT dangerous weather has been deduceu
for The port or place at which the Cautionary
Signal is displayed, or in that vicinity.
3 That the danger appears TO be So great as
to demand preCauton on the part of naviga-
tors and others lntertSted-Such as an eXami-
nation of vessels or other structures TO be en-
dangered by O stOrm-the inspection OF crews,
rigging, &C., and general preparation Tor
rough weather.
3. 1t calls for frequent examination of local
barometers and other instruments, by snip
captains, or others Interested, and the study
OF local signs OF the weather, as clouds, &C.,
&c. By this means those who are expert may
often be confirmed as 10 the Ieed Of The pre-
caution TO which the Caulionary Signal calls
attention, or may determine that Tie danger
is overestimaled or past.
This red flag or red light, known as the
Cautionary Signal, is displayed when the in
formation in the possession Of the office IN
duces The belief that dangerous winds are
approaching.
This term, dangerous winds, has mean
ing varying somewhat with the locality in
which the winds occur. Thus, the severe
gales of the Atlantic Ocean, which some
times attain the hurricane velocity OF so, 10
or 10 miles an hour, are seldom equalled on
the lakes. But on the lakes, where the sea
room is limited, winds that are reported
from the lake coast as ''brisk," ii. e., from
Is to 25 miles an hour, in which ship on
the ocean would carry all her canvass,) fire.
quently become dangerous 10 navigation.
Moreover, it is important to remember, also,