The New York herald., 1873-11-17
REPORT or THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER.
Sfatistics or the Signal servIce-PracffcaI
Recommendations by ''Old Probabfif-
ties'' for the Extension and Perfecting
OF this Popular rInstitutioIf..
WASHINGTON, D. C., no


OF this Popular rInstitutiosf..
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. f6 1873.
The following Is synopsis OF the report OF the
Chsef Signal 0fficcr for the year ending september
3o IS7S:-
He reports that systematic and continuous IN
structoD Of the army in military signalling and tel
egrapny during the past year has been gwen at the
Signal School OF instruction and Practice, at Fort
Whpple, Va, and In the Department OF the Mis-
souri,.
One OF the officers at the Military Academy at
West Point Is designated as Instructor OF Military
Signals and Teiegraphing, bat makes no re-
port TO the CHIEF signal Onlcer, who can
not, therefore, estimate what proportion OF
study and practice allotted to the several titles.
During the past year, as in tnat previous, 1t has
been apparent that some OF the most powerful
foreign governments have been directing special
attention to the system OF the Signal ONCE in ref
erence to the branches of military science under
Its charge, and have taken pains to procure the
minute details OF equipment and apparatus. The
recommendation made in previous reports that
special instruction at the Military Academy should
he provided for with merit value given It, affect
ing the standing OF the cadets, is renewed, and 1T
Is also suggested that, TO secure accuracy and
uniformity, the oflcer TO be In future charged with
that instruction should have passed through the
course at Fort Whppe,
six commissioned OmcerS nave received lDStTuC-
ton at Fort Whipple during the year. Sixty-seven
private soldiers have been instructed as candl-
dates for promotion 70 the grade OF observer
sergeant, and l27 az assistants to observer
sergeants IL Is recommended that a system OF
details be established by which officers OF the
army shall have the benefit OF this thorough and
wel-apponted school Tor instruction in the duties
OF the Held signal service. The post has, during
the year, assumed q character Of permanence
much desired The field telegraph train has been
improved and drills with IL are regular and salts
factory. The drills OF the Signal Service detach-
ment, with signal equipments and with as Wen
as without arms, has been thorough and through
increased advantages, as. weu 2s numbers DIS
cipIne mas been promoted. ihe system ,y 81 GUY
training. besides imparting accurate understand
Ing OF, ana familiarity with, the special branches
for which 1t has been established.
Recruiting for the Signal Service has been sue
cessiully and inexpensively conducted the stand
ard OF requirement being malntained by strict ex-
animation OF those Offering themselves for enlist
ment After selection and enlistment tue men are
At once placed under course OF drill and lnstruc-
tl0n. Later, az after q second examination,
those especially designated for duty at stations are
drilled examined, Instructed, tested by practice,
instructed IN the higher branches pertaining to
the service, again examined and again tested be-
fore being entrusted with the management OF
stations OF observation The Chief signal omcer
Is, by experience, convinced that the success OF
WORK entrusted to him depends in great part upon
the drill and discipline by which the men executing
Its details are made good soldiers
The former recommendation, for the establish
ment by law OF q permanent Signal corps, or i0r
such legislation at least as will secure recognized
permanencY for It's details, Is renewed and earn
estly urged The extent Of the service and its
national Importance now seem TO require that 1t
should be guarded against the accidents and I'M
perfect working to which an organization depend
Ing upon temporary detail is always liable.
WEATHER DISPATCHES.
The whole number OF stations from which the
ONCE now receives its stated meteor1c reports Is
92 OF which rs are the regular stations in the Uni
ted STATES; IL are In Canada and three III the West
Indies.
or the stations in the United States ID have been
added during the year, and OF the Canadian, from
xayhtr trh ran
exchange with the Dominion Meteorological
Bureau, four are new. The regular telegraphlc
from Kingston, Jamaica, on september Is and
from Santiago de Cuba on September 2a. Three
loupe and Barbados, will be equipped as soon as
observers can be designated. There Is no inter-
national arrangement with the authorities oil any
oil these islands, which TACT Is greatly regretted
nor there at present any return OF weather tele-
grams provided for or ofcially requested. Steps
are in contemp mplatlon by which, II Is hoped neceS-
sary arrangements will be effected.
The display OF bulletins and weather charts at
stations the supply OF prompt and gratultous In
signated points OF day or night signals at times OF
probable special danger or the benefit OF shipping
The total number OF tabuated bulletins issued and
distributed at the several lake, seacoast ana river
ports and inland cities have been l43.0o7, exclud
ing the river bulletins OF changes in depth of water
OF principal rivers. The total number OF weather
charts issued and distributed has been S2o no. and
the press reports exclusive OF the publica-
tion Of the synopses and probabilities) have
been 23224. Nine thousand four hundred
and two copies OF the weekly Weather Chroni-
cle, and 8. 100 OF the monthly Weather Review
have been furnished and gratultousy distributed
to the press, agricultural and commercial assocla-
tions Institutions OF learning and scientific per-
sons.
The ONCE has, under the direction OF the Secre-
tary OF War, continued its exertions to solve for
the special benefit OF the agricultural interests the
problem OF giving promptly the information con-
tanned in the daily weather reports to the
reached by telegraph, and for which the copies
published py the press do not arrive in time ior
use. The plan adopted has been to divide the ter
rtory or the United states into DISTRICTS each dts
trlct having distributing point at or near the
cenre from which two printed copies OF the sy-
nopses and probabilities are forwarded by mail to
all post of1lces within the district and which can
be reached by rail, steamer or mail coach by four
L. M. OF the same day.
This plan has been put in operation with the CO.
operation OF the Post Office Department, the bulle
tins being exhibited in frames by each postmaster
at each post office as soon rs received, and
now provides Tor the regular distribution
daily Of $3.50 printed copies OF the weather report
for display at 449I different post offices. 1t Will be
extended as rapidly as expedient. The work has
Siven satisfaction to the farming and interior pop
ulation reached.
Numerous communications received at the officc
evidence the tact that IN many localities farming
ana other agricultural operations are conducted
with reference to the atmospheric conditions an
nounced in these reports as probably to occur The
immense agricultural interests OF the United states
and the great results to be attained II they can be
thus benefited have rendered this success pecu-
liarly gratifying. The whole number OF these spe-
cal bulletins, so far printed and distributed, Is
S95,0l4
there are 10 special river stations from which
reports or the depth OF water in the principal
rivers OF the United States are daily made by
telegraph at particular seasons during which dan.
ger from freshets may be anticipated. River re-
ports are also had from 20 OF the regular sta
tions. These data are widely published and dis
triDuted along the lines OF the rivers The reports
thus had enabled many dangers, otherwise apt to
follow rapid rises in the rivers, TO be guarded
against, and contribute, by the constant aud ac-
curate knowledge given OF the depth OF water in
the channels, TO the convenience and safety OF tho
river commerce. The benefits resulting from these
been iuily acknowledged by the various interests
they have advanced. The total number OF special
river bulletins issued has been 23.2l0
BY the different modes OF publication adopted
for the service, each Of which has been arranged
with definite purpose, and including that had
through the public press. 1t is estimated that the
information emanating from this ONCE reaches
daily one-third OF the households In the United
STATES.
The ONCE is In regular communication with Lei