The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-11-05
Old Probabilities.

There are 62 signal stations in the Uni
ted States, the extreme outposts being
Portland, Maine ; Key West, Florida
Galveston, San Diego, Portland, Oregon
and Duluth. Each station is furnished
with a barometer, thermometer, anemo
meter, and clock.
The barometer is the Greens standard
and is always carefully compared with
the standard in the Office before issue for
use. 1t is placed in room of uniform
temperature. not heated or too much ex.
posed to tha sun. When not in use the
cover is kept closed. When an observa-
tion is taken it is opened, and the bar,
ometer slipped back into the box.
Tho thermometer is hung at hight o.
the eye, in the open air, facing the north
in such manner that it is always in the
shade. 1t is placed so as to avoid the
light reflected from surrounding objects
and protected from rain, snow and hail.
The hyyronieter is an instrument used
in determining the degree of moisture il
the atmosphere. 1t is ploced in the same
shelter as the thermometer, and near it.
The anemometer is an instrument USED
to mesure the force and velocity of the
wind. 1t is composed Of little saucers
travelling around perpendicular bar
each after the other, like dog trying tc
catch his tail. The thermometer is fxed
in vertical position upon a post of suffi
cient hight to bring 1t on level with the
eye of the observer, and must be in ar
exposed position, so as to receive
the full force of the wind.
The wind-yane is worked on the samt
principle as are weathercocks. 1t is,how-
ever. Of scientific construction, and by
means of Il dial at the base, gives with il
great exactness the direction Of the wind
in any point Of the compass.
The rain glage is placed with the toI
OF the funnel-shaped collector foot above
the surface Of the ground, firmly fixed
in vertical position. 1t is examined
daily the amount of water it contains
carefully measured with granduated rod
clock, which is a good one, keeps Wash.
ington time.
With these instruments, none Of which
are complicated, the humidity Of the at
mosphere, force, velocity and direction O
the wind, state of the thermometer, aDC
all particulars about the weather, includ
ing the inches of rainfall, are ascertainet
in every part Of the United States.
Observations are made at the severa
stations three times each twenty -iou
hours morning, evening and midway
AS the clocks are all set by Washington
time in each Of the sixty-two stations, al
the observations are taken at the sam,
instant. BY IL P. NJ, everything being
ready at the telegraph office, wire il
each circuit is surrendered by the tele
graph company for about ten minutes
and the reports come rattling in. Ii
about 40 minutes from the time they
commenced coming they are all received
when the are marked on map of tn,
United STAGES. The state of the barome
ter, thermometer, direction of the winds
&C., &c, over the whole country are seeI
at glance, and upon this as basis, the
probabilities" for the next twenty -iou
hours are calculated. She reports ar
received translated, set up for the map
maps Autographed and printed, and rea'
for distribution and the whole report il
course of transmission over the countr
within an hour.