New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-18
EXTENDING THE HEATHER SERVICE

il time something was done about it
-
EXTENDING THE HEATHER SERVTCE.
For more than two centuries astronomy
alone among the sciences has received patron
are and aid from the British Government
The sole reason for this exceptional favor has
been that astronomy was regarded as OF prac-
teal service in assisting the art of navigation.
Not one farthing's worth did the rate-paylng
Briton care to LnC> whether the sun he nine
or ninety millions of miles away, nor whether
the Dog Star is sOlactd by a companion orb,
nor as TO the number of satellites that dance
attendance upon Uranus But the moon, the
cllaste yet iDcOnstant mOOn-to ascertain Just
when and where she is going of nights has
been an object of s0lictude and IN occasion
of expense to Great Britain ever since the
Royal Observatory was founded. And IN re-
turn for State aid there have been thousands
Of weary hours spent and myriads OF figures
computed, and hOgsheads-full OF ink spread
ard huge library of books printed, to estab-
lish the lunar theory. IL is not quite cstab-
lshed yet, however, Only last year there was
an instance where the time of passage OF the
moon over star was computed accurately
from the Government almanac, and hour,
minute. and second were laid down in advance
with neat precision but when the time came
and the telescopes were turned upon the star,
TO the great establishment of the English OBJ
servers the moon did not pass over 1t at all.
Very recently Prof. Newcomb of Washington
has published corrections of Hansen's Lunar
Tables, in which he sets forth that another
one is to be added to the long list OF tho
moons irregularities. 1t is observed that this
deviation from rectitude takes place at inter
walls of less than 27l2 days. Some one of
the planets it is believed. attracts her
and draws her out the way. Nevertheless the
British and American Nautical Aimanacs give
the place of the moon with quite sufficient ac-
curacy 80 guide poor Jack at sea when she is
visible Moreover, her usefulness has almost
wholly ceased since seamen have been enabled
TO rely upon their chrOnOmeters. Navigation
las little more now to expect OF astronomy.
4 new science has come. or rather is coming,
10 the aid of the shipmastcr. 4 quarter of
century ago there was no such thing as a
science of the weather. Ten years AGO mete-
orolocy ranked with the pseudo-scences, and
its students were looked upon as nearly OF
class with the disciples of SpuIzhcm or Mes
der to the weathcr-prophet, and wait or start
in obedience to his signals. There is no longer
the slightest question of the value of mete-
crology to vessels in port the hope now Is to
extend its services to ships at sea. 1t is not
of course expected that the weather of the
ocean can be forctod day by day with the
| same accuracy of detail IA is the weather of
| our continent and its coasts. But the general
characteristics mt particular seasons VIII some
day be known 80 surely that navigator with
long voyage before him will always he able
to pick the route that offers the largest proba-
blitv of good weather and fayoring gales. AS
An instance of what can he gained by taking
advantage of such knowledge, a voyage once
| made by one of our naval vessels offers y case
in MONT She was almost the sicwest sailer in
the navy, and having to go from Acapulco to
San Francisco, it was generally believed be-
forehand that she would take fory-ive days
for the trip. Her navigator consulted Lieut..
Naury's charts, and from them calculated a
path by which the vessel would get a greater
advantage of wind. That path was followed /;
the winds were found in accordance with ex-
pectation, and the voyage was made in thirty
DAYS. Aside from the advantage a. 10 time,
there was also q great saving i'll the use of
steam.
Ii was recently mentioned in our news col
umns that the commanders of our naval YES
| sells had been instructed 10 make detailed daily
records of all meteorological changes while at
sea- These records are to be made with great
accuracy and completeness. The use that will
be made of them is fully described in Wash
ingtOn letter which we publish to-day. by
careful compilation charts will eventually he
made for all navigabe oceans, furnishing for
every part of each full particulars of what
currents, wind, and weather are there to be
expected at any given time of year. The
more complete the data supplied, the sooner
will this great work he accomplished. 1t could
be very much FASTENED if merchant vessels
already there are few of the owners and
captains of our merchantmen that have
promised to do their part. The Secretary of
the Navy has also, at the request of the
Secretary of War, agreed to give the
full cooperation of the navy in taking
observations of the barometer, thermometer,
and the like, at certain fixed hour of Wash
ington time, every day. The instructions that
are drawn up are such that very full meteOr0-
logical records will be thus obtained. The
hour and minute of observation are those agreed
upon in the International Meteorological Con-
gress, at which nearly all tho maritime nations
were represented; the object being to obtain
simultaneous observations all over the world by
sea and land at a fixed point of time every
| dav Tho aOrnnmppt af tha nnnuraaa