The New York herald., 1878-07-09
Tnn HERALD WEATHER SERVICE
j II |
PREDICTIONS OF ATMOSPHERIC DISTURB
ANcEs ON THE EUROPEAN COASTS OF THE
ATLANTIC.

ANCES ON TIE 1uhOPEAN COASTS OF THE
ATLANTIC.
From the Diario do Barcelona
Tho readers OF the Diario win havo frequently seer
In columns sometimes from foreign newspapers
At other times in the teiesraphac section, warnings
sent by the NEW YoRx HERALD, by cable, from New
York 10 England, relating TO the approach 10 the
European coast OF barometrical de2ressions accom-
panied by less meteorological phenom
sna indicating certainday for tho arrival Of these
pcrturbations
my reader devoed to meteorological studies has
taken the trouble verify the correctness OF these
representations he must have found his task
easy one, for besides hnding IN
the greater part Of the English and in
some OF the French newspapers all the data refer
ring such phenomena, on the day appointed in the
warning and the following days, tho observations o
tho perturbatIons occurring Spain tho same
days. daily published IN the Gaccta by the Madrid
Observatory, will hare informed him of the exact full
hment OF the prophecy. But what certainly tho
great majority ignorant Of Is the manner in
which this warning service s carried on and the DATA
upon which tho Observatory which transmits them
relies obtaining suen certainty and precision Ia
prophecies mashesn attsa,y fuinlied
This is what about to mako public.
II natural enthusiasm Is fst In studying any
ociai organisation in q natieu when It attracts at.
tenson by its beneficial results, how can we fail to
feel hundred fold enthusiasm when this service, OF
an organization equally admirable and simple, tends
the benehcent end Of SAVING the lives properties
and interests of our kind, not of the nation ITSELF
but OF individuals separated by 1000 kilometres OF
ocean, And what wouid there DO strange il this
vice were the hands OF the government and Il
could count upon all the abundant and powerful of-
cial resources which the perfect administration Of
tho United States suppiy's 1t would s,ll be worthy
OF all praise, but In reaAaty knowing the
ganization OF tho public service In that country
would be asronished.'
What Is wonderful, what.Is really marvellous, what
merits reflection, and not alone the praise, but the
gratitude Of tho whole world is that this service,
which gives such practicsi rosus, that bears such
Immense advantages, is the workofa private porson-
taat is to say, individual has undertaken and
carried into practical effect with such complete
cess, wna, NO government had attempted SO great
a scale before him.
This man is the proprietor of the HERALD, who put
his capital al the disposition OF the intrepid
Stanley, OF universal lame, that he might 20 into
tne interior OF Africa 10 verify tho resting
woIl Understood tho Englishmsn Livingstone, when
no lost and Information had been heard about
had not occurred TO ary one 10 10 in search OF
him. Every one knows tho success Of Stunleys
expeditor, his meeting with Livingstone and tho
union in those regions OF the English and American
nacS
The same proprietor of tho HERALD is tho pro.
moer OF expedition TO tho North Pole, which win
soon from the United States, at his expense,
following the numerous tracks OF former expeditions
carried out with such various fortune Whe can tell
II shaii achieve thosame success as the ono 10 the
centre OF Africa
Who can fail 10 hope that from the now expedition
aries there may come a. new Stanley, whose intrepid
ity energy may obtain oOmpcnss discoveries
which may eclipse all yet made In tnat regonr All
the HERALD asks-the only aid It demsnds-is tho fur
bishipg ny the American government OF naval officers
ana men, practical and educated men eubjsct to
q
This only Is necessary ior It 10 undertake. with the
greatest enthusiasm, the planting OF Inc american
Slandard on the North Pole itself.
These useful sntcrprises, united to the recent
creation of special Ior the oretcisc of
weather In Europe and smlsslon teieErs ms
which announce II beforehand, although realized by
naE, rebound not alone 10 his own honor and
glory but the honor and glory OF the OF that
fortunate country which proudly sees the most
portp newspaper undertake enterprises of such great
glory for tne nation, in which every citizen parci-
patcs and which every American can point 10 with
And now that this digresssion is ended which must
be pardoped OF tho portnoce OF The sub
tect return to the SUBJECT theme 0i th,s article.
Tue progress by tho United s.ases Id meteoro
logical science aud the great practical application
To-day on the road OF progress but generally IL is
looked upon science which gives no results, and
he did undersiand the patience OF meteorological
sages In png up cipher upon cipher, making report
upon report ana accumulating In thousands Of vol
unes data observations which mp TO the present
have led to The verlncation OF any OF the laws
which govern amos pheric phenomena
This part true, and Is due 10 various causes.
The knowsdgc OF these laws Gan only be obtained by
years of observation; but, nevertheless, Europe VIII
always Tor obstacle the which bithes her
western coast, which is natural barrier preventing
tue Establishment of obscrvaorics IN lhis direction,
which precisely from where como thfcs-iourt OF
the perturbations when she experiences
The United States on the contrary arc favored by
nature because the greater part tncir atm
pertur1alIons follow proximatey the dreoaon from
west TO east, not, however, in manner maihe
maticaiiy certaiD aud crossing tho American Couti-
nau at n hs OF
meteorological observatorcs over this great OF
territory permits the complete study OF hess per
turba,ions ialngaoi the barometer, accompanied
by storms moro or less i0tonse, oi tho laws which
govern their movements and tuus facilitate tho Tor
telling OF tho weather likely TO be had In u dster-
mined locality o the Great Repuofc NJ each hour OF
tho day.
tion OF observalories-t model Tor ali--and tho
practical results Obtained from by agricul-
ture, navigation ana commerce OF that country, Is
large work and would carry US too far. Some day
snail explain IL in series OF articles 10
wc snail only say that any individual IN the United
States knows as soon as he gets up IN tho morning,
the KIND OF weather likely to be had durIug the day.
not alone the locality no nbabits, but IN whatever
point OF the immense Republic, because all the
papers, without exception copy tho Official data COM
municatcd from ai points about the weather on the
preceding night IL IS in this way the common pco-
pie that country completely familiarized with
that science, the results OF which visible.
Tne direction toward Europe which nearly alwsys
follows great baromc,rcai depressons, after having
crossed the American Continent, following the great
Equatorial current OF the Gull stream, winch, as
conductor OF warm waters, great
which serves them as VEHICLE IN duce some carn ,,
men, among otkers the illnsuioos Levcrrer, who
uuri bis death the director OF the Paris ODserva
tory TO establish ut Newoundiand, In union with tho
En- eisb government, an advanced OBSERVATORY which
should transmit IN regular nuuner by cable inior-
nation OF weather changes when might Affect the
English and French coasts. These warnings were
transmitted during the years 1864 and 1885, but
the idea abandoned account OF failure
10 fuln their object, aud the Engsh observers aban
doncd Newfoundland. since then no attempt OF this
knd worthy oil ihc name was made, ior the few clc
graphic notices scnt from timc TO time 10 Epglaod
ncing that Darbmctrical pressure OF sucn and
such a nature was leaving tho American const with
out stating the date Of IT'S arrival direction II
was following, and advising European observers 10
keep bright Iookoua-as II II were the dulv of
every meteorological observer and especially OF a
harbor observer 10 be always wachfu OF the smallest
symptom aud prepared To prevent dsasters-wero not
worthy OF the name.
To tho HERALD belongs the glory OF undertaking
this work seriously, and Tor the small part OF IL year
which has been opcrutson the result could not