The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-03

what no amount of patriotic gas has as yet
effected-to face the insurgents
Intern ationnl MetcOrOlogy At Vienna.
One of the most important movements un-
dertaken by the late Meteorological Congress
at Vienna was that proposed by the Chief
Signal Officer of the United States Army In
behalf of a connected and synchronous sys-
tenn of International weather observations. 1t
has long been held by eminent scientists that
::as oyc|2aic STORMS which a cross the e.. United
States strike directly along the axial DRIFT OF
the Gulf Stream and make their way to the
British isles; but the proposition of General
Myer, if carried out, as it doubtless will be,
will not only finally decide this question, but
furnish data for calculating the time
and rate of their transit. The dis
lance from our seaboard to valentia
is about 800 miles, and, while this
may appear long distance to be correctly
predicted-for there are several things to be
considered as favoring the feasibility of such
prediction-on the smooth, liquid plain of
the ocean these revolving meteors run with
almost the regularity of speed of railway
train; no continental mass, no mountain,
nor even an island opposing their progress or
DETECTING them from their fiery track. Tho
average progressive velocity they attain is
about twenty miles an hour, or Ats statute
miles day, in our attitudes, SO that the trip
across the Atlantic ''cana" Gas some geog-
raphers call it) is more rapid than that of
steamship. On the 4th of October, 1862 Pro-
lessor Draper observed low barometer at
the Central Park, which passed away to
the eastward at one P. M. Its mean
velocity for two previous days had been
carefully noted on land and found to reach
nearly three hundred miles day This
number, divided into the number of Eng
lish miles between the American and
English weather observatories gave him
the data for the inference that it would
reach Falmouth on the 18th of the same
month, which the official reports of the
British Meteorological Office show was the
day of it's arrival, or at least we should say,
of the arrival of severe gale. In numerous
instances similar computations appear to have
been similarly verified, although, the marine
observations over SO wide an expanse of sea
being wanting, it is impossible to say
whether the arriving and the predicted
storm were identical Notwithstanding
the lack of complete transatlantic
chain of observations, taken by vessels
while sailing the course from New York to
Liverpool, it is clear, after four years tenta-
tive work, that Mr. Draper and other mete-
biologists have discovered that connection
exists between the meteorology of the two
sides of the Atlantic What that connection
is, what the paths of the hurricanes which set
out from our shores and finally spend their
fury on the British islands, and what may be
their rates of eastward advance, can only be
determined by long observation.
1t does not absolutely follow that the storm
of October 4, 1869, ever entirely crossed the
Atlantic, and, unless we had barometric read
ings from q line of vessels not more than two
hundred leagues apart, stretching over the
course from Sandy Hook to the vicinity OF
Cape Clear or Valentia, the nerus Of proof
would be incomplete Evidently, in the para
mount interests of commerce, navigation and
science, this splendid and most practical in
vestigation should be transferred from the
field Of computation (ably as it has been ham
died there) into that of precise marine obser-
walton.
This can easily and quickly be done by util-
izing the willing service of the many able and
sagacious masters of ships and steamships in
the European and American trade and chart
ing the combined data furnished by such sea-
men as they make port With the information
which could soon be extracted from such
data the Weather Bureau would be able to
give some indication as to whether the ship
about to weigh anchor was in danger of storm
or calm, and also when and where she would
be most likely to be overtaken by the cyclone.
The investment of money and labor neces-
sary to make the most out of such o beautiful
and beneficial investigation would be wise and
,afe, and we shall look for most important re-
suits from it.
OuR JANUARY THAw this time appears to
have come with the new year. The warning
Of rough and cruel winter which was given
in the freezing spell Of November appears to