Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-22
The Signal Service.

deneIai Drum, ac1ng cnle1 signal 0nlcer, has
made the annual report OF that service. He re-
ports that the established course of drill and IN
ructfon has been continued at the school OF
instruction at Fort Whiepie. The apparatus
for study, exercises and drill is full and has
been improved by useful additions The course
at Fort Whipple Is Intended TO fur
by special Instruction for the special duties OF
the signal service. The officers or the service
pass the course Of drill and instruction before
pelng put upon any duties IL Is recommended
that al officers or the army intended to be In
structed as acting signal officers or as tempo
rary instructors be Instructed here before being
put on detached duty. During the year
eight commissioned oflleers have been
under instructions, of whom six COM
still under Instructions. There have been IN
structed during the year So enlisted men or as
sistant observers four for promotion to the
grade OF cop0ral, and one for promotion to SER
| geant. The drills occur regularly, and all men
On duty here are required to attend. The III
crease OF the force 70 500 men cauuot but pro-
duce goo0. For The benenJ OF agricultural ana
commercial interests one hundred and ninety
SIN stations have been maintained During the
year to enable proper warnings 10 be given OF
lie approach aud force or stor.aS, and OF other
meteorc changes. Twenty -eight stations de-
scribed as sunset stations" at which single
Cbservation is taken, daily, at the time OF sua-
SET, by CtIZeIS tlnpOye ed Tor this purpose, have
re continued III operation.
one of the difficulties In determining probable
mo,etIc conditions On the eastern SeahOard
his been that ibis Office could not obtain
weather obsery atoms from pslnts beyond the
eA II lie limit OF the coast; and that commerce
may be further beneiilted, propo 5ftlons VIA be
mace 10 have the vessels engaged in The coast
Ing trade Of the United States furnish th,s Of
flee with transcripts CT their logs; TO enable
vessels TO furnish these With the least trouble
and exp ,nse, blank forms will be issued for thai
purpose fl OIL the signal Office
The daily exchange OF teiegrarhtc reports
with the Chief meteorological office OF the Do
m1nlon or Canada has been continued. The
series OF daily Geographic reports from stations
In lie West Indies, extending rom CuOl by
Jamaica to BarbadoeS and the "indSard
OF especial danger. These reports are, at times,
OF Importance for the pre-announcemenJ OF cy-
clones approaching the Gulf OF Mexico and
thleatt MI 6 the coast Of the United States.
WI hen lne forecasts OF Indications pub
listed are examined In reference to accuracy
OF pre-anrOuncement Of the state CT the weather
only, DOT tie fOrestating as Is the custom the
Changes OF the barometer, thermometer ard
average wind direction 10 happen,) the average
per centage OF accuracy Is found 10 De ninety
ana three-tenths per cent. minute analysis
OF the same forecast and careful comparison
with the weather ana Oth,r instrumental
changes ABOVE referred TO, afterWard occurring
within the time and within the district to which
each fore cast has had reference has given an
average per centage OF accuracy OF eighty-SiX
ard Il u tfntt per cent. An average OF ninety
per cent TO Io.low this comparison 10 believed u
De attainable.
The display Of cautionary day and night
signals upon the lakes and the great ports Of
tie United States upon the Atlantic ana Gull
coasts, has been made Systematically on Occa-
s1onS OF supposed especial danger at enc nun
died and two different sea and lake ports and
cities. OF the total number or caGtionary sig
nails thus displayed, eighty-three and four
tenths (s3.4) per ceLt. have afterwards been
reported as justified.
Hereafter special attention will be given to
the sugar regions from the 1st Of october to the
1st Of February of each year. The warnings
viii be given as early as they can be- with rea
sonabe safety; II possible, three days In al
vance. This Information will be furnished ID
interested parties and to the press OF New Or
leans and sent by telegraph from that city 10
the early taking OF steps to largely increase tue
usctuintss OF this service to The great co.,
ten interests OF the south, and to that
enc correspondence Will soon be had with tue
representatives Oh tie cotton exchanges to take
into consideration the advlSabiuty OF establish
iIg large number OF auxiliary stations in the
cotton belt TO take rainfall and temperatures
observations, and also TO select the most advan-
tageous sites for such stations. which must be
la telegraphic communication with the cities or
the south. SO that all cotton exchanges may re-
Give daily Information by telegraph of the met
geological conditions affecting the cotton crop
ffom April lst to October 1st or each year.
In pursuance OF the acts OF Congress- author
iZ1bg the construction and operation Of teie-
grt phic lines in the interior and upon the from
tier, important extensions have been made
during tie year. to the lines in Texas, the In
Clan territory, and In Washington Montana
aEd Dakota territories. total length of 5.5lS
miles OF line, including Clio miles on the sea
coast. was Ia Operation and maintained In Jn
care OF officers and enlisted men Of the signal
corps June seth, 1880. The lines have proven
OF great value In indian wars, and the neteor-
Ologioal Inform alton such lines make avail able
Is GstIul fer other duties OF the signal service
The chief signal officer anticipates the best
results to the signal service from the re:en
legislation, and recommends that there be iusJ
provision by legislation, ior the permanent en-
Payment and grades Ok the officers OF the corpY
1t is hoped that there may be no failure Ia the
Appropriation Tor the service OF the am pants
Estimated Tor the ensuing year: they have been
eSlln. ated With careful economy.
The results OF the past give announcement
Tor Tie future or the service The advance mas
been STEADY and satisfactory. There is 10
longer question after ten years OF practice. as
TO the useful pre- announcement OF meteoric
changes. The Ee!d OF usefulness wtdens vita
each advance. ACdded to what has been done
hitherto, the way opens clear to all In every
agrlcuitura! interest The cooperation Of SCI
entific men al home and abroad has been con
tinued: The popular confidence and the sup
port CT the press have been steady ard cOnsid-
crate. There is the assurance OF success 10
achieving public good TO encourage earnest
labor. Appropriate reference Is made IN closing
TO TIE death OF Gen. Albert j. Myer.