Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-02-19
The Signal Service Bureau.

The report Of The Chief Signal ofhcer
Of the Army fer the year 1872 eoniain.
an immerse amount Of valuable and prae-
tical information regarding meteorological
scieuoe. Fall details are added relative
10 the progress Of the labors Of the Gov
ernmenl in tie establishment OF signal
stations, the induction Of observers, aud
the publication Of reports showing that
this important service has materially adj
vaueed 10 usefulness aud efficiency during
the past year. Ten additional stations
have bceu established within the United
States, and the total number Of points at
which observations arc now made Is sew
enty-two. from the irst station in the
Alsuii0n Islands to ;hose upon the British
coasts the reports from both OF which are
noticed. there in,ervenes nearly half a
circumference Of the carths surface.
From the ,tiiion, on the Aleutlan is a. $
comes the FIRST iuimalion Of storms or
meieoric disturbances having their orig
on the coast uf Asia The Pacific station
report the 6r,t appearance on that coast
of the Disturbances thus traced. The
connection is continued by the Rocky
Mountain stations, aad thus the news
travels in advance of the storm.
The organization of a mobili=ed corps
IT observers has been commenced. This
will be composed ofpickcd men, aad MS
object is to place at the disposal Of the gov
srn mt the power of suddenly increasing
the number of stations from which reports
are to be had IN any section Of the coun-
try whi,h may, at any season OF the year,
he especially threatened by the storms. to
pass more frequently over particular por-
tions of the territories of the United
States. 1t will be possible to occupy. in
this way, the stations Of report with very
great rapldity.
In regard to the accuracy of warnings
aud pre- Lotions, General Mycr states that
the percentage Of cautioHary signals vari-
fei, by the occurrence of the winds de-
SC rbcd within few hours after the dis
PLY of the signal, is estimated to have
been about 10 per cent. The signal. it is
explained, is whal rautionary, for warn
Ing Of probable danger.
The experiment of balloon ascent has
bc1n tried with fair results. One hun
bred and fIty-six readings were made,
establishing the fact that very delicate
instruments may thus be employed.
Arrangements for al Interchange of re.
ports have been made with Canada, and
i similar course is contemplated with tie
West India islands. 1t is believed that
many of the cyclonic storms, the indica-
tons of which are first felt by the stations
Of the United States, as then showing the
disturbances upon the Gulf Of Mexico OF
near the Atlantic Soast, and which after
ward TO be traced across the States inter.
vening TO the lakes or along the Atlantic
sea coast pass over points on these islands
from which their presence can be au-
nounced. Since January LISP, state.
mcnts OF the rivers, being in direct rela-
ton to the metcotc changes, have been
reported daily. 1t is hoped that a potion
of the great problem of the protection of
the river commerce from ice and freshes,
and OF the lower river levees FROM break.
age and overflow, will be solved through
the timely warnings that will be given.
The practical results of this branch of
the service, with all its errors and imper.
fections. can be summed, it is believed, IN
the statement that, since the Inauguration
OF its duties, no great and continuous storm
has traverSed the territory of the United
States or ragged along the length of its
lakes its gulf or sea coaa: shores. without
fair and general premouiton, given at the
great majority of the points endangered.