Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-08-04
The Signal Service,
ITS MODES OF oPERATIoNs-wHAT Is Be
ING ACCOMPLISHED BY 1T.

ING ACCOMPLISHED BY 1T.
prof Maury in Harper's Magazine for August.l
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 expect to do and dis
charge its full mission, under Gen. N.Y.
er's indefatigable care and skilliul man.
agement it has already achieved much
good, and more than compensated the
public for the expense of its establish.
ment. Since it was instituted last Sum-
mer ''the chief signal officer has" to
quote the words of the New York World,
thoroughly organized and equipped
system which now embraces in its sci
entifc grasp every part of the land from
Sandy Hook to the Golden Gate of Cal
ifornia, and from Key West to the Do
minion of Canada"
Three times every day synchronous
observations taken and reports made
from the stations-one at 8 a. M, one at
A p. M, and the third at midnight.
These observations are made by instru-
ments, all of which are perfectly adjust
ed to standard at Washington. They
are also all taken at the same moment ex-
actly, these observations and reports be-
ing also timed by the standard of WASH
ington time. The reports from the sta
tions are transmitted in full by telegraph.
By a combination photographic circuits,
the reports of observations made at diff
erent 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 a fixed number of words, and
time of their transmission is also fixed
number of seconds. These reports are
not telegraphed in figures, but in words
fully spelled out. There are now about
forty-fye stations for which provision
has been made, and which are in run
ming order. These have been chosen or
located at points from which reports of
observations will be most useful as indi
eating the general barometric pressure,
or the approach and force of storm warn
ings, as the atmospheric indications arise,
may be forwarded with greatest dispatch
to imperiled ports.
These stations are occupied by ex-
pert observers furnished with the best at
tainable instruments, which are every
day becoming more perfect, and to which
other instruments are being added.
The reports of observers are yet limi-
ted to simple statement of the readings
of all their instruments, and of any me-
teorological facts existing at the station
when their tri-daily report is telegraph
ed to the central office in Washington.
Each observer at the station writes his
report on manifold paper. One copy he
preserves, the other he gives to the tele-
graph operator, who telegraphs the con-
tents to Washington. The preserved
copy is voucher for the report actual
| ly sent by the observer; and if the op-
orator is careless and makes mistake,
he can not lay the blame OF the observ-
er, who has copy of his report, which
must be fac-simile of the one he has
handed to the operator. The preserved
copy is afterward forwarded to Washing
ton by the observers, rgeant, 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 tab
ulated and handed to the officer prof.
Abbe) whose duty is to write out the
synopsis and deduce the probabilities, I"
which in few minutes are to be tele-
graphed to the press all over the coun-
try.
This is a work of thirty minutes. The
bulletin of probabilities" which at pres
ent is all that is undertaken, is made out
thrice daily-in the forenoon, and after
the midnight reports have been received,
inspected and studied out by the accom-
plished gentleman and able meteorologist
who is at the head of this work.
|
The "probabilities" of the weather for
the ensuing day, so soon as written out
by the Professor, are Immediately tele-
graphed to all newspapers in the coun-
try which are willing to publish them
for the benefit of their readers.
Copies of the kilograms of ''probabili-
ties" are also instantly sent to all boards
of trade, chambers of commerce, mer-
chants exchanges, 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 by telegraph, the sergeants are pre-
pairing maps which shall show by arrows
l. IL