New-York tribune., 1871-07-12
THE ECLERK OF THE WEATHER

AN HOUR WITH THE SUCCESSOR OF EOLUS.
CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS SINCE JUSE-THE
BUSINESS OF THE SIGNAL coRPs-rHE IN
STRUMENTS-TAKING OBSERVATIONS TIE
THEORY OF STORMS.
fRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, July I'll have discovered the
"Cerk of the Weather." Unlike his rlustrous prede-
office (who, think must have served under one
Of the early Administrations, as is only few months
ago that officer of the army assigned to this duty
and careful search through the late reports of the
Smithsonian Institution fails to disclose the name OF
Prof Eolus). No longer
g. oelsd sedei lEoss arN,
Ssptra trens,"
though he stin
go molItqu> aanos ei tempsrsi ras-
LWctant rentos terpestatesqve soAoras"
Having received my impressions concerning the Office
and the Of conducting business there from the
report OF Mrs Jupers famous visit from which these
extracts made not at all prepared for the cor
dial reception received TO nd that great reyQ
luons had taken place and so many improvements had
been made since that report first printed Instead
of vast cave within which the winds and storms are
confined, bound down with chains and beld in suDJec-
tiOn by the weight of lofty mountains piled upon
them" found ordinary three-story brick dwelling
the fat roof of which had been buit sort of Summer
house, supporting it's top certain black oddooking
machines-immense weather-cocks, curious wnd-mills
with little cups the ends Of their long, slender arms
and aring tunnels such may be seen around stlll
house grocery except that these were larger
From upper window issued dozen telegraph
wires which having crossed thG street, separated and
took diverse directions No loud complaints deafen
ing roar Of imprisoned winds issued from boed and
barred iron DOORS but the entrance stood invtngly
open.
INTERIOR
Within everything mysteriously plain and COM
mon-place A parlor has been converted into Office
by the introduction Of two three desks at which sat
many gentlemen engaged in writing. Some curously-
wrought implements standing in alone sug-
gesed the character OF the place Nor the presence
Of the clerk himself any more imposing. room which,
with its books and tables had nothing TO distinguish 1t
from thou,and other Government offices in this city,
occupied by quiet gentlemanly officer OF the army
TO whom presented Gen. Myer, the Chief Signal
officer, sits "high throne" and bears aloft no
"scepter," and yet his command over the winds ana
much greater than that of his predecessor in
office, with all his clustering fuss and show as his man
gentler than those Of lEolus were.
There is nothing of mystery about the Chief Signal
Office when you are in Visitors are cordially wei
coined and accompanied by gentlemanly officers CON
Quoted to every department where all the instruments
are carefully explained and questions cheerfully an
swercd The business of every signal station In the
country well of the central station In washington
is divided branches the making OF observations
TO send to all of the stations and the reception OF
reports and the publication Of them for the public USE
Besides this in the Office the reports, they are re-
ceived are arranged that they may be scientifically
examined and deductions made
THE 1NsTRUMESTs-THE BAROMETER.
First Of all the observations must be made. The In
struments used are barometer, Thermometer Nahe'
thermometer IAN for measuring the velocity
and force the wind rain-gauge and hygrometer an
instrument for measuring the humidity of the atmos-
phere The baromeers issued to the observers are supe
ror instruments of the ordinary form; they are care
fully compared with the standard in the Washington
Office and the instrumental error ascertained All read
nes OF the barometer taken for eleraphc transmission
are corrected by the for temperature elevation
and instrumental error. Careful instructions are also
given as location Of the instrument and the methOd
of making observations. number OF setreglsterhg
barometers areon trial the central Office here Though
VARYING greatly construction they nearly the same
in pripcipe The essential parts syphon barometer
with float on the surface of the mercury in the short
leg Of the tube To this is attached by means of mechan
less complex, pencil or pointed piece OF
which marks upon card either by means OF con-
tnuOus line by dots little holes the exact hight OF
the mercury during each Of the twenty-four hours.
clock attached, the card along that its whole
length passes the pencil in twentyOur hours. In
some Of the instruments the card is placed on cylinder
which Tevoves day. and in others the marks are
made by means Of an electric battery.
Tie reading of the barometer and also OF the wet
aud dry bulb thermometers, registered by means Of
photography. A piece of glass is prepared and placed
frame in the camera, the frame being drawn
clOcl1-worB, that the whole length OF the
glass passes given point once day. Before
the glass is placed board with three long, narrow
openings in it, Before the first Of these Is placed the
barometer in such a position that the surface Of the
mercury is little below the center of the glass little
further along placed the wetbulb thermometer and
lastly the drybub Behind the instruments is
placed a lamp. As the glass is drawn along the light
through the openings acts upon the sensitive surface of
the glass but lower part of each opening Is closed
by the mercury in the instruments, their length, as
shown Oh the negative" constantly varies, each
change being distinctly photographed. This process,
Though successful not tried until February last and
Is probably susceptible Of much improvement. The |
monthly records Of each egserng instrument
bound together and preserved for reference.
THERMOMETERS.
The thermometers used ordinary, standard mstru-
,pep carefully corrected by comparison with that from
which the record made here. Observer sergeans are
also supplied with thermometers, which register the
highest and lowest readings Of the day. They are OF the
ordinary kind one filed with mercury on the surface of
which is placed bit of metal the mercury rises it
pushes this index before it, but on falling leaves at
the CHEST point the other is filed with alcohol and
the index this made of porcelain As the liquid re-
cedes tho index drawn along by means OF the atrac-
ton between them, but whenit rises 1t passes the index,
leaving it at the lowest point Each day the index is
paced on the surface Of the mercury alcohol the one
by means of magnet and the other by raising one end
OF the instrument.
HYGRoMETERs.
The bvgrometer consists of two thermometers placed
opposite each other the frame The bulb of one
is covered with muslin and is connected with little
cstern OF water below by means OF some BITS OF cotton
warn The water is thus raised by means OF capillary
attraction so that the bulb is always wet The rapdty
with which evaporation takes place from the muslin on
the bulb is indicated by the different readings OF the Two
thermometers and the amount Of moisture In the air Is
computed from this by the aid of tables prepared by
vary {nOpnious little instrument which ObVi-