New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-03
TIE SIGNAL SERVICE.
GENERAL HAZEN'S REPORT.

WORK OF THE PAST YEAR BRIEFLY SUMMED UP
OPERATIONS CRIPPLED Ely INSUFFICIENT AP-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OBSERVATIONS.
WASHINGTON Nov. 2.-General William Is. Hazen,
chief signal officer has transmitted TO the Secretary
of War, his annual report OF the operations OF the
signal corps for the year 1881. After referring
briefly to the death of the late chief SIGNAL oihcer
General Myer General Hazen summaries the work
accomplished by the signal corps during the past
year as follows:
This wear has been distinguished by additional pro
eress and by decided Improvement which will briefly
Tec,te: The establishment under your sanction OF n
raising of the standard Of the personnel OF the
signal corps; the svstemizatiOn Of the duties OF
tbs SIGNAL service. the preparatian of new nsTuc-
!he slStli of t,e service. the prrpnra-
ton Of new and improved forms Tor me Tee"i RI,
t, nj SUICIDAL hn etirs for the press containing
weather information Of public Interest," th forecasts on
weather az bot or cold waves for periods exceeding
Fenv-four hours; the forecasts OF "norihers" "r the
Interior plateau the adoption 81 new storm siehl
the cautiOnary northwest for the interior "esi we
rTagement for the increase of river service arc Nder
publication Of warnings Of floods or ice eofgrsi inc
changes and Improvements IN the puhch'lon OF tho III
ternatiOnal bulletin and tine monthly weather review
with their accompanying chart; i!e increased III
formation added 10 tle i.-Iih.IS ,''. ri'.ii". ~
railway buetms the organization ot a service l"f
the special henehl oi the cotton I'LL frooi
the South the extension ol lhe sp''. a. i tl"S'
warning fruit interests of The country; theInVes
legations into tbcmOmeric standards, ana mo pa"il
trio standards thr preparation vi h'" y, ~ ,i ~
tables containing correction or attitude; the revised
the computation monthly constants for the reduction
observed barometric Presses To seq lever; the hf
electricity IN aneIuOmetry and In actinoWetry ANA ~
the last subject especially with reference 20 the I'M
sorpon OF the SUMS heat lbs the pherc the coop
Grafton ia an expedition to the summit Of Mount WHIT
lens in solar physics in neoroogJ the preparation
Of conversion tables for the English ana metric system
the cooperation in the dropping OF time balls ~ signal
mcciei r,ona napcrs the odcrg Of prizcs for
,f
aior ~ danger lines ON western rivers; the oreaniza-
zion and equipment OF two expeditons formete0rougca
a ne 20 be Stationed Al LADY Franklin Bay the
other al Point Barrow Alaska, both cooperating IN this
work with system Of stations established IN tho polar
region 10y International conferences; the establish
ment Of system OF stations OF OBJ
serTaiion in AissSa; the arrangements FOR
organizing Pacific Coast Weather Service; the display
at the Paris Electrical Exposition; the experiments Tor
improving Newspaper weather charts the Increase since
value S3f 900 per anuum without additional expense 10
United States, ana the extension ana construction oil
military telegraph lines
General Hazen then takes up each Of the above
named subjects in order, and treats it with much
fulness of detail. Referring to the weather reports
and forecasts made this year for The first time in the
interest of cotton growers, General Hazen says:
livery earnestly hope that Congress will this year PRO
vide the funds necessary fO great extension Of this
sIpcal featare OF the Signal Service, which PROMISES
with very small expenditure, such great practical ad
vantages 20 the staple interests OF the South.
value of the river reports, and says:
The opinion is again expressed that with proper sudy
OF the river floods and with stations properly placed,
reporting especial dtuger it be made al
mo impossible EOOd 20 follow river course " ia
ont notice being given In advance OF It's coming To the
loo slitCs threatened.
General Hazen then calls attention 20 the fact
that the present weather service for the Pacific
coast is inadequate and unsatisfactory, and recon-
mends that specially instructed officer Of the sig
nal Corps be stationed at San Francisco in order
that he may make particular study of Pacific
meteorology and prepare aud send ont from that
CITY indications OF weather and wind for the entire
coast. Upon the subject Of international polar re-
search General Hazen says:
The progress made by this Office In the study OF
eteOrO0gy has for several years past confirmed the
clusiOn that owing To the very mobile nature Of the
atmosphere the changes taking place one portion OF
the glObe-espeeiay the Artlc LOno-quickly affect
regions very distant thereirOm. The study Of the
weather In Europe and America cannot De successfully
prosecuted without daily map OF the whole northern
hemisphere and The great blank space the Arctle re-
on upon simultaneous international chart hD~ long
been suoIect of regret to meteorologiss. was there
fore pleased 10 have opportunity with your permits
out the promises OF predecessor aud
10 cooperate vim the international committee Polar
research which has during the past two years organized
system OF station IN both the Arctic and Antarctic
gUns.
These stations will conduct simultaneous hourly or b
hourly Observations in IneteOTOlOgy magnetism and
tides special OheeryatOns gravity durOraH earth
currents earthquakes The general object IL 10
compish observations made In concotat numerous
stations such additions 10 knowledge as cannot De
aoq by Isolated desutoy travelling parties. No
ton and neither expedition Is In any attempt
TO reach the North Pole.