Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-02-27
The Signal Service and its Labors.

The report Of the Chief Signal OH
Ger Of the Army, General Albert j
Myer, for the year 1872, contains mucl
valuable information in regard to the
workings Of the Signal Service. anc
some highly practical suggestions il
reference to future provision for i,s
usefulness. 1t hardly needs the detail.
General Myer furnishes to establish
the fact that the Signal Service Bureau
has materially advanced its usefulness
In the year passed. Ten additional
stations have been established in the
United States, making the whole mum.
Der OF points from which meteorolopi-
cal observations are made seventy.,wo.
"A system OF exchanging reports with
important stations in Canada is also
e"r''ed out. and this plan gives seven
aon't'ohai poih'e =" observation. Ar.
rangements Of similar
are contemplated for the exchange OF
observations by telegraph with various
points IN the West India Islands. An
observer has been sent to the Island
of st. Paul, Alaska, and another is with
the North Polar expedition o: CAPTAIN
Hall.
A comprehensive plan for the study
OF the metoric conditions of the conn
Try has been kept steadily in view in
the location of stations. From the
stations on the Alcutian Islands, and
those contemplated in the Sandwich
Islands, 1t is hoped, the first intima.
tions may be had of storms or netcoric
disturbances having their origin. per-
haps on the coasts OF Asia, or in the
equatorial regions Of the Pacific, and
destined TO extend 70 the Pacific coasts
of the United States. The Pacific
coast stations may recognize and re.
port the first appearance IN their neIgn-
borhood of the disturbances thus trac-
ed, and thus the connection is con,iuu-
80 10 the Rocky Mountain stations. and
SO on eastward. Since Jan. /, 1872.
stateme nts of the changes in the
depths OF water in the principal west
ern rivers, being in direct relation 10
the meteoric changes, have been re-
ported daily from all stations estab- |
iished on those rivers. 1t is hoped |
hat as the number of stations in.
reases, and communications with tho
'oper authorities is organized por-
IN of the great problem Of the pro-
'tion OF the river commerce from ice
Il fTeshets, and Of the lower river
lees from breakage and overflow,
VI the consequent disasters, will be
SEED.
comparison Of the tri-dailv tore-
cas- or probabilities" no they have
oee'tyled, with the meteoric condi-
tiohterward reported, gives an aver
age t69 per cent, Us verified up 10
Nov. 1871. From that date to Oct.
l, Is, the average of verilication
was ',p per cent. If regard be had |
! to thopredictions verified within a
few hot after the time for whic h they |
were ne, the percentage is found to
be no lie than 81 per cent. The per-
centaSe cautionary signals verified
by the oerance of the winds desc1ib-
ed within few hours after the display
OF the sisl. either at the port where
: the algnalas displayed or within
z radius Of hundred miles, is esti-
4 mated TO lie been about 20 per cent.
, A large 1T of the report is filed
$ with the Calls Of the methods in
e which the Forts are collected, and
!, with variOumatters connected with
7 field telegraF and the branches of
: training intirtely associated with the
5 military usehess of the Bureau.
3 Sergent Geor c. Schaffer, Jr., con-
J tributes rept of a balloon ascen-
1 sion made witSamuel A. King, the
: we'll known Boon eronaut, Sep. 8,
r 1872, and a caprehensive map and
0 diagram gives results Of one hun
!; dred and fifty-si,eadings made during
b the voyage. Thisxperiment is thought
(! to have establish the fact that very
r delicate instrum,ts may be employed
o in balloons. A eport is also given
n Of an interesting cries Of observations
g made simultaneously from the summit
+ and base Of Mt. Washington, in May
last, by Sergent =. r. 1hornett and
e Sergeant Theodor Smit. The i'm
i portance Of the station atthe summit
: Of Mount Washington (established
4 Dec. Is, 1870 is recognized by Gen
n eral Ayer, and the deshbleness ol
establishing new moan6n stations
d along the Appalachian cain and in
p the Rocky Mountains, il spoken Of
II Professor Cleveland Abb, First Lieu
= tenant Robert Craig, al Professo
n Thompson B. Aaury hae alternatet
Il in preparing the official dductions AM
d probabilities"
Y The station in Boston in charge
le OF Sergeant H. E. Cole, { whom th'
l. report speaks in commenntory terms
h Sergeant Theodore Smih, who va
b. formerly stationed on 4ount Wast
!. ington. is now in ch.rgeDf the Wash