The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-05
A Review of the Storm Warnings for
Europe by Mr.. Scott, F. R. S.
CRITICISM AND CONTRADICTION.
Only Forty-fve Per Cent OF the Pred'c-
tons Admitted as Fulfilled.
A CURIOUS COMPARISON.

While the merchants, farmers and seamen OF Eu'
rope reaping the advantages oil the rehaoe ana
tlmey storm predictions caoled by the HERALD
Weather Bureau for their benefit and the press was
recording successes OF the HERALD IN rs new and
important journalistic enterprise, criticism mas
been prepared by Secretary OF tho Meteorological
Council London on the HERALD predictions TO prove
that The percentage OF fuinmenis OF 'the American
storm warntngs Is compar atvey small ana that The
public estimate OF OF the system 10 not Dust-
ned by lis operation Tho OF this ofical opinion
First-rhat IL Is impossible trace the course OF
storm path westward from the coasts vi the British
Islands, from the information IN possession Of the
Meteorological once. London, until many months
after tho occurrence.
second-Tbat forthcoming paper tho weather
for August 1873 will show how difficult u Is TO pre-
dict the courses leaving the American Con-
tinent
TA,rd--That Professor Dove, IN ms 'Gesstz der
Sturme." published in 1857. says:-"It Is evident
that The con necton between storm IN The temper
ate zone and original cyclone in the torrd zone 10
which It owes lis origin necessarily be trace
able as q continuously advanc ng minimum In the
lower strata OF the atmosphere I"
Fouyth--That although the Investigations OF Cap
Toynbec and others prove that depressions are
met crossing Atlantic by vessels bound westward,
this TACT does .not prove anything 70 the possi-
bil,ty o. moteorologist In the United states beng
able say which Of several gales passing out 10
from the American coast will be likely TO travel
across the Atlantic with unimpaircd energy"
FJflh--That Professor Looms does not believe the
thing be done.
Mr. Robert H. Scott, +. r. s., Secretary 10 the
Meteorological Council has undertaken "privase IN
quiryn into tho results OF the HERALD predictions
eAbcd during the eleven months ending December,
cd tha cd IN 40
, Magazine for March.
After recounting tho failure OF all the attempts TO
derive useful Information from cable messages based
on observations taken at Hearts Content Newiound
land, between January, 1868, and November, 1871 and
common ting uniavoraby Professor Draper's theory
that storms cross the and the unsuccessful
attempt of the United States Signal service to
the British coasts IN 1874 he goes on 20 say, with
reference 10 the HERALD predictions3-
Such state the question when. in February
1877 Mr. j. Bennett the proprietor Of the
HERALD commenced sending occasional warnings
Europe. which have been puosned in the spapsrs.
The office, the brst Of
warnings opened nunicaous WITH the London office
the NEW YORK HERALD and received most ready
since that date have received almost without
ntemission OF each storm warning telegram which
has itted TO this country from New York
have instituted careful comparison between these
these ISLANDS, and the main facts OF this
In following tables the he dings Of which
explain themselves he general result OF the comparison
- hat during the entire OF ne ry eleven months
received conveying warnings OF
forty nerent Disturbances Classifying these warnings
under viz A. absolute SUGGEST Is, partial
nnd:-
Casa No Of Instances Peroensoge
q