The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-08-04
Operations of the Signal Service
Bureau.

Although the Signal Service is yet in
its infancy, and must be patiently
nursed and cherished by the people for
some years before it can be expected to
do and discharga its full mission, under
General Myers indefatigable care and
skillful management it has achieved
much good, and more than COM
pensated the public for the expenses of
its establishment. Since it was instituted
last summer % the chief signal officer
has" to quote the words of the New
York World, " thoroughly organized and
equipped a system which now embraces
in its scientific grasp every part Of the
land from Sandy Hook to the Golden
Gate of California, from Key West to
the Dominion of Canada
Three times every day synchronous
observations are taken and reports
made from the stations-one at A. NJ,
one at 4 p. ", and the third at midnight
These observations are made by instru
ments all of which are perfectly adjus-
ted to a standard at Washington. They
are also all taken at the same moment
exactly, these observations and reports
being also timed by the standard of
Washington time. The reports from the
stations are transmitted III full by tele-
graph. BY combination Of telegraphic
circuits, the reports of observations
made at different points spontaneously
are rapidly transmitted to the different
cities at which they are to be published.
They. are however, all sent of course to
the central Office in Washington. These
reports are limited to fixed number of
L. Il +lo4 st ,ot,
sion is also a fixed number Of seconds.
These reports are not telegraphed in
figures, but in aoords fully spelled oft.
There are now about forty-five stations
for which provision has been made, and
which are in running order. These have
been chosen or located at points from
which reports of observations will be
most useful as indicating the general
barometric pressure, or the approach,
the force Of storms, and from which
storm warnings, as the atmospheric in
dications arise, may be forwarded with
greatest dispatch to imperiled ports.
These stations are occupied by expert
observers furnished with the best at
tainable instruments, which are every
day becoming more perfect, and 10
which other instruments are being add
ed.
The reports of observers are as yet
limited to simple statement of the
readings of all their instruments, and
Of any meteorological facts existing at
the station when their tri-daily report
telegraphed TO the central office in
Washington.
Each observer at the station writes his
report on magnyod paper. One copy he
preserves another he gives to the tele-
graph operator, who telegraphs the con-
tents to Washington. The preserved
copy is voucher for the report actually
sent by the observer and if the opera
tor is careless and makes mistake, he
can not lay the blame on the observer,
who has a copy Of his report, which
must be facsimile of the one he has
handed to the operator. The preserved
copy is afterward forwarded to the OF
server-sergeant to the office in Washing.
ton, where it is filed, and finally bound
up in volume for future reference.
When all the reports from the various
stations have been received they are
tabulated and handed to the officer
professor Abbe) whose duty it is to
write out the synopsis and deduce the
probabilities, which in a few minutes
are to be telegraphed to the press all
over the country.
This is the work of thirty minutes.
The bulletin of probabilities" which
at present is all that is undertaken, is
made out thrice daily-in the forenoon,
afternoon, and after the midnight re
ports have been received, inspected, and
studied out by the accomplished gentle
man and able meteorologlst who is at
the head of this work.
The probabilities" of the weather
for the ensuing day, as soon as written
out by the Professor, are Immediately
telegraphed to all newspapers in the
country which are willing to publish
them for the benefit of their readers.
Copies of the kilograms of "probabili-
ties" are also sent to all boards of trade,
chambers of commerce, merchants eX-
changes, scientific societies, ETC., and to
conspicuous places, especially sea-ports,
all over the country.
While the Professor is preparing his
bulletins from the reports just furnished
him 10y telegraph the sergeants are pre-
pairing maps which will snow by arrows
and numbers exactly what was the me-
teorologic condition of the whole coun-
try when the last reports were sent in.
These maps are printed in quantities,
and give all the signal stations. A
dozen copies are laid on the table with
sheets OF carbon paper between them,
and arrow stamps strike in them (by