The New York herald., 1878-09-27
Our weather Service in Europe.

and race day.
Our Weather Service in Europe.
In the number of things that are cabled
to and fro between America and Europe
there are many that are of no great conse-
quence. In the kilograms received on this
side 1t is probable that there is every day
some fact of great actual or possible mo-
ment; but the correspondents add to it a
dribble of news that sometimes stirs the
i'm patience Of the reader. But the reader
would recover his temper if he should COM
pare the cable column in any New York
paper with the chronicle of small beer that
is sent from this side to London. Some
time ago it occurred to us that we would
help London in this particular. We
thought we would send them some news
of substantial value. AS it appeared to be
of great interest to them to know the price
of wheat and the price of cotton, and when
cargoes of these sailed for Europe, and when
other ships with other cargoes sailed, we
determined to give them an intimation from
time to time OF the departure of storms that
bade fair to be severe ones for it seemed to
us that the news of q storm that might send
hundred ships to the bottom would be Of
at least as much value as the news Of the
departure of feet-to put things on
strictly commercial basis. Accordingly we
sent to England from time to time news of
the storms they were to have there at fixed
periods in the future-intimations of the
movements of storms that had actually left
our coasts and that would reach the British
or French coasts on days named by us.
Our warnings thus sent cover now a
somewhat extended period and were very
numerous. There never vas an absolute
failure in these predictions. Eighty per
cent of them-as O French meteorologist
pointed out at the Paris Congress were
literally verified by the facts. In the re-
mainder there were slight lapses of date-a
storm came day or two earlier or later
than we had announced. Everybody will
understand that we had no commercial in
terest at stake in this small service to our
neighbors. We gave them friendly hints
to take care. We sent also news that might
be spread abroad in Europe and reach
|
the HERALD as the greatest ship news record
in the world is interested in those captains.
But it was rather q comical spectacle to see
the use they made on the other side of
our predictions. They doubted them, of
course they laughed at them they even
sneered about them. Newspapers printed
the predictions in small type in out Of the
way corners, as il, considering that they
were probably explosive, they wanted them
to do as little harm as possible when they
went off. But the predictions came true
and that made John Bull like them less
than ever. 1t was definite piece Of inn
pertinence for an American prediction to
come true, because it had no right to disap-
point the reasonable expectations Of the
public that it would fail.
English meteorologists especially official
ones attacked our storm warnings with the
admirable pugnacity of their race. They
proved the falsity Of our predictions in the
very height of the storms we had predicted,
and did not know enough to get in out Of
the rain wo had told them would certainly
come. But there is final good quality in
our cousin. There is justice in him if you
can ever get through the shell of hard pref
udices that covers him, and the we'll sus-
tanned fire and just aim of our kilograms
has finally compelled him to come to terms.
by George, says no, we're done,
For they've fired a lee gun.
And tho Yankees struck up
Yankee Doodle Dandy OF
In the article from the London Times, of
which an account is given in our news col
umns, it will be seen how completely lead
ers of thought on the other side have ac-
cepted all the theories on which our
weather service was operated for their ad-
vantage, and it will be seen that they make
proposition that may lead to the eventual
organization of an extensive service of the
same nature conducted under the auspices
OF the British government. Better late than
never John.
The Rine Team OF rs.