The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-10-02

Switzerland, Turkey and Canada. There
was one point which seemed draw
Dack to the completeness of this work.
vast stretches of water--thousands and
thousands OF miles--intervened between
points Ut observation so, at the insti-
CATION OF the United States Signal Ser
vice Bureau, the ships of the American
navy were directed to make daily obser-
vatiOns Of the atmospheric conditions,
and send the reports to the SIGNAL Blu
reau. The Portuguese Government
adopted the same plan with it's navy.
Then the transatlantic steamship com
panies were interested in the idea, and
on each day observations are made at
sea by one hundred separate vessels,
including the ships Of the Pacific Mail,
White Star Line, Occidental and Orien-
tai Steamship Companies, American and
Red Star and Allan Lines.
Altogether 557 daily observations are
taken in as many different parts of the
globe, and sent semi-monthly to the
United States Signal Office.
The Chief Signal Officer announced
in his report that the work of the col
lection Of the reports has, in the year
just passed, SO far progressed as to have
attained one principal result for which
it was set on foot. On July l, 1873, it
became possible, for the first time in
the history of the Office, to commence
the issue, on that date, of a daily inter-
national weather map, charted daily
and issued daily, each chart based upon
the data appearing upon the 1nterna-
tiOnal Bulletin of Simultaneous Reports
of similar date. The charting extends
round the world, and embraces for its
area the whole Northern Hemisphere.
The daily issue of chart of this kind,
thus daily issued for the first time by
the United States, is without prece-
dent in history. 1t exhibits the CO.
operation, for single purpose, of the
civilized powers of the world north Of
the equator.
The questions as to the translations
of storms from continent to continent,
and of the times and directions they
may take in such movements; the
movement of areas Of high and low
barometer; the conditions of temper;l-
ture, pressure and wind direction ex-
listing around the earth at a fixed in
slant of time, permitting thus the effects
of day and night to be contrasted; the
distribution and amount of rainfall, and
other studies, many and valuable, only
suggested by this enumeration, may be
by such studies settled. 1t seems not
impossible that in the future questions
of climatology, and perhaps others bear
ing upon the prediction of weather
changes far in advance of the time at
which these changes may happen, or
questions of the character of coming
seasons even, may be answered by the
researches these charts will make prac-
ticable.
As means of better combining the
work and the interests of the several
nations, of certainly securing that CO.
operation at sea which will enable the
lines of the charting to be drawn as
fully and as well over oceans as over
continents, and which will give the
world ultimately a knowledge as prac-
teal of the movement of areas of dis
turbance in the midst of the seas as is
now had of such movements on some
continents, the undertaking is of much
Importance.
Even the establishment of permanent
ocean stations in lines traversing the
oceans over or near the telegraphic
cables, and in telegraphic communica-
ton with either continent, is not con-
sidered impracticable.
Even if predictions are not directly
practicable, research has already gone
far enough to indicate the paths through
which to learn what sequences will be
found on our own Western coasts, consc-
quently on conditions reported as exist
ing on or near the Eastern coast of
Asia or on the Pacific Ocean.
Similar studies will have reference to
our own Southern and Eastern coasts
and to the Western coasts Of the Euro
pean Continent. The time can not be
far distant when vessels leaving an
Atlantic port may be informed whether
any notable disturbances exist at sea,
and where it is likely to threaten the
voyage.
The Chief of the Signal Service
Bureau says: There are grounds to
hope also that the atmospheric condi-
tons and changes of condition can be
charted with sufficient accuracy over
any extent of the earth's surface. If
the hope has fruition meteorological
barriers will, as against study, prac-
tically cease to exist.-Phi'adeI'hio