The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-11-09
COOP REPORT.

was known as the main promoter OF
the signal service, and it was feared in
some quarters that the service would
d~eteriorate under the guidance of q
purely military chief. Such, however.
is not the case. The standard has not
only been maintained. but in our hum
BILE judgment, it has been raised won
derfully. There have been added so
many new and valuable features that
space alone forbids the presenting of
the list. But prominent among which
are the two expeditions in the arctic
regions. one stationed ut Lady Frank
lin bay. the other at Point Barrow,
Alaska.
"A series Of experiments has been
made with sun-fashes, with a view of
improving upon the forms Of hello
graph to be adopted for the general
uses OF the army, and it is believed
that the improved heliograph selected
combines great simplicity with eficien-
cy, and possesses many practical adyan-
tages, so far as known, over similar
instruments in other services.n
As to instruction, Gen. Hazen says
that "A comparison Of the course of
study now ms tituted with the course
previously adopted as shown In prior
reports from this office, exhibits a great
and necessary increase, both in theor-
etical and practical instruction. The
course of study and practice has been
extended, a period averaging six
months, to one of one year. Military
surveying. with the use of Instruments
and mapping, is an entirely new
addition"
"The legislation Of the act approved
June 16, 1880, increasing the enlisted
force of the signal corps by fifty addi-
tional men, has been and will be pro-
ductive OF good results. This and pre-
vious legislation has fixed the service
on an honorable footing, and opened a
reputable career to the best class Of
young American citizens. The appli-
cations for enlistment are numerous.
The severe examinations are success
fully undergone. The clause providing
THAT two sergeants may in each year
be appointed to be second l~ieutenants, -
gives that stimulus of permanent SER
vice and promised reward SO long and
earnestly sought for.
Gen. Hazen says: 81 have undertake
en- the thorough ~systematizing Of the
work in the property and discussing d.
vision Of this office, and to secure the
more economical expenditure of, and
more ample checks upon, the disburs-
ments of public money. Much has
been already accomplished, and it is be-
lived that large savings can yet be
made in the efficient administration of
the bureau, by still further substituting
the mail for the telegraph, by a more
careful condensation of sentences used
in telegraphing; by revision and substi-
tuition of, arbitrary cipher codes; and
by the proper omission Of certain tele-
graphic reports. By a complete revi-
sion of all the Geographic circuits used
by the bureau, without an actual re-
duction of the pay roll of the telegraph
company, we have, without any addi-
tional cost, secured service in providing
information for all the large cities that
is essentially necessary to them, and was
constantly called.. for, and that would
otherwise have cost thirty thousand
dollars. This is practically a saving of
that amount. 1 have since endeavored
also, by making the assignment of OBJ
servers at stations more permanent, to
reduce by a large sum the cost of trans
p~ortation of these men from place to
place. On account of the very rapid
enlargement of the service of this bu-
reau, the amount thus saved to the
United States will not appear as large
in my annual estimates as 1t otherwise
would, but l will still endeavor to re-
duce them by seventy-fvs thousand
dollars for the two items, the mainten-
ance Of the weather bureau and tele-
graph lines, below the cost Of the past
current year, and I have reasonable
hopes at a later period t o make still
larger savings"
A very important change is made in
the matter Of time. Hereafter only
Washington time will be used in OBJ
serving earthquakes, thunder storms,
meteors, etc.
On the subject of international polar
research. Gen. Hazen says: "The pro-
gress made by this office in the study of
meteorology has for several years past
confirmed the conclusion that, owing,
to the very mobile nature of the at
mosphere, the changes taking place on
one portion of the globe especially the
arctic zoDe-quickly affect regions very
distant therefrom. The study Of the
weather in Europe and America AN
not be successfully prosecuted without
a daily map of the whole northern
hemisphere, and the great blank a
OF the arctic region upon our simulta-
neous International chart has long been
a subject of regret to meteorologists.
| was, therefore, pleased to have an
opportunity, with Your permission, to
carry out the promises of my predeces-
sor, and to cooperate with the interna-
tional committee on polar research,
which has during the past two years
organized a system of stations in both
the arctic and antarctic regions.n .