The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-03
A Year Of storms.

The year of grace 1871 will long be re-
membered as the year OF local storms. After
several years of drought, these storms are
needed to restore the equilibrium, to ad-
Just the balances OF nature, aud to veri-
fy the law OF the compensation OF forces.
But a believer in the doctrines OF special
providences might well be excused for main
tanning the proposition that these storms have
been sent for the special benefit OF General
Myer and his assistants in Washington, who
have the Signal Bureau in charge. No
sooner are the conditions favorable to the
study Of meteorology perfected, no sooner is
telegraphy made applicable to cyclonology,
than storms of greater or less violence be-
come literally OF daily occurrence. The
field Of observation being continental, and
the material for study being inexbaustible
and peculiarly abundant this year, it cannot
be doubted that meteorological science will
receive from. America more ample and more
important additions, than from all other
sources combined.
1t is to be regretted that the reports of
probabilities, made out each day by Pro-
iessor Abbe, are given in terms not readily
comprehended by the general public. Take.
for example, the weather report OF any day
of the week, and it will be found that the
areas described are irregular and ill-defned
This is not always the case, but it is gene
rally 80. Professor Able, probably, is guild
ed by isobarometric lines, while the public,
in all geographical measurements, are ac-
customed to lines OF latitude aud longitude.
A little more defniteness in. this respect is
much to be desired 1t would be well, also,
il the Bureau would inform the public each
day of the extent to which jts reports OF
weather prognostics have been verified.
Very frequently these veritications are sur
prisingly accurate, but the public have in-
adequate means OF knowing the fact. Even
those editors who pay attention to meteorolo-
gy have to wait several days for newspaper
verifcations or the .reverse-unless, indeed,
storm of extraordinary violence occurs.
Professor T. B. Maury, competent, aad
doubtless an impartial, witness Of the
operations of the Bureau, informs US that so
per cent ofthe probabilities have been fully
verified, rs per cent. partially 80, while rs
per cent were erroneous. He also informs
us that the Bureau contemplates the erec-
ton of storm signals at all important points
along the coast and in the principal cities of
the interior. When this is done, the yerii-
cation, or non-verifcation, OF probabilities
will be published. Other important extern
sions to the service Of the Bureau are prom
ised.
The value of exact meteorological proVi-
sion to all departments OF industry, and
especially to commerce, need not be dwelt
upon. Foreknowledge Of the weather is use
iul even to picnic parties. We recognise in
the Signal Bureau source Of untold ulti-
mate benefit to society, and Of infinite honor
to the country as centre OF positive knowl-
edge OF science. And while the timld may
bewail the prevalence Of storms, sent appa-
rently for the benefit Of the newly-establsh-
ed Bureau, it would be well for them to re-
member how greatly the cause OF science is
served by these storms, and that violent and
numerous as they have been, the destruc-
tion to property has not been proportiouate-
" great, and the loss OF life has really been
trining, almost miraculo1sly so, except in