American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-12-06

nearly completed. .Const charts Nos. 3 ana !
Ertr have beel finished.
REPORT or THE CHIEF bF ORDNANCE.
"The construction of the new buildings at
Rock Island Arsenal has progressed in salts
factory manner, and, with the aid of the new
appropriations asked for, the workshops will
sSGm be IN ma condition to reeeiEe Their ma
"D,r,ng the last fiscal year there were
manufactured ut the National Armory 2O.O05
Springhe,d rifles and Under me law author
mngalina $50 Z. former have been n prSs
duccd at much less cost than heretofore,
owing to the increased number manufactured
and the improvement OF the plans employed;
and as there is now available a larger proper
tion than usual for the present year. it is CON
fidcntly expected that the cost will yet he
further reduced in the future. There were in
6,io carbinc- Mt the armors and ,nrscnals, a
sretehcd,t sniall rurnher, considering the
Wants s. Il ,nf rrsSnt and the calls that may
REPORT OF THf CHfEf sIGHAE bFF1cER.
The chief sigIial 9iiiSer reports that the
military signaling and tclcgraphy, mcteorol-
ogy and the Signal Service duties at stations
of observation and report, together with the
drills of the Signal Corps with arms, has con-
tinucd AT the School of instruction and Prac-
tice ut Fort whipple, Va. The apparatus
needed for the study and exercise, with in
struments: for practice in the meteorological
duties at statipns e aobsereatt9n; the EQUIP,
With the field telegraph train; the construc-
ton drill for permanent telegraph lines and
the duties on signal and telegraphic stations
is full, and has been improved by useful addi-
tions.
"The officers Of, the Sigma, sertiee pns. the
course OF drill did Instruction. and serve reg
hlarly at the post of Fort whpple before be-
ing put upon any other duty. There have
been instructed during the year ~ men as as
sistant observers and nine for promotion to
the grade of Sergeant.
"Onc hundred and seventy stations have
been maintained during the year to fill the sys-
fem of stations of Observations from which rf-
ports are deemed necessary to enable proper
warnings to be given OF the approach and
force of storms, and OF other III cteOriu changes,
for the beneht OF agricultural and coiiimercial
interests.
hitherto described Sunset Stations at
which single observation is taken daily, at
the time of sunset, by citizens employed for
this purpose, have heeh continued in opera
ton.
"The issue for publication of the official de-
auctions or forecasts had at the Office of the
sis and Indications, has continued during the
Of ah as sf sa the ed rn~
period. The total number of the reports thus
furnished at the hours of one a. m, 1880 a. m,
and 30 p. M, daily, has been 1.0a5. =
.'Thc wide diffusion given these brts may
be judged from the fact that they appear daily
E IN almost w every neWspaper in the limited
thus published are examined in reference to
accuracy of preannouncemeDt of the state of
custom, the changes of the barometer, Their
mometcr and arerEe wind-directiont to htppcri);
the average percentage of accuracy is found
to be 90.1 per cent verified. A minute analysis
of the same foretast and Il careful comparison
with the weather and tho INSTRUMENTAL changes
above referred to, aftcrward occurring within
the time and within the district to which each
forecast has had reference, has given an aver
age percentage of accuracy of S6.6 per cent.
An average of 30 per cent to follow this COM
parison is also believed to he attainable-
by an arrangement with the Post-Ofce
Department, 6,l42 printed Farmers Bullo-
tins on which appear daily the forecasts of
this office, have been distributed and dis.
played in frames daily at as tiiaiis different
post-ofiiees in different cities, villages and
hamlets In different States, for the use of the
agricultural population throughout the United
States.
"a Weather Case, or Farmers Weather
Indicator an instrument arranged to exhibit
together on a simple plan the meteorological
indications of several instruments, and in
such way that they can be easily noted by any
one, is in preparation for general issue.