The Portland daily press., 1882-01-10
$226e.6S
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CHARLES S. FoBEs, Trea'
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
TO the Officers and Members Of the Board Of
Trade:
The duties of the signal Office have been pei.
formed with their usual regularity and we ma
nothing to criticise in the work or conduct OF
the local officers. But we are aware OF the
opinion before expressed to you that the storm
signals as hitherto displayed are OF little value
to navigation and would often If regarded in
terfere with the safe and profitable movement
of vessels. One great fanlt in the signals is
that they have regard to winds only and not at
all to rain or snow AS thick weather is more
to be dreaded on the coast than clear Wlnd.
the former should be taken into account as
well as the latter. Under the present system,
for example, violent easterly storm might De
expected to set in tonight at II o'clock to con-
tinue two DAYS, but as the wind is not expected
to reach velocity of % miles per hour sbefore
tomorrow noon, no signal OF warning OF the
approaching storm will be given before to-
morrow morning. The absurdity OF such a
system has had its effect in bringing the signals
into disfavor with those interested in naviga-
ton. Portland is represented as one OF the
most important stations on the coast, where
from its eastern position the predictions nave
their fullest notifications and the signals the
greatest value. This wide difference in opln-
ion between Washington and Portland indi-
Gates that something is wrong
g. III. FARLEY, Chairman
for Meteorological Committee
PORT WARDEN REPORT.
We have visited officially during the past
year 118 vessels, viz:-34 European steamships,
1English), American sailing ships, II forei gn
banks and 10 American barks, 10 foreign brlgs,
II American briggs, foreign schooners, II
American schooners, 10 coasting vessels-mak-
ing in all 6S foreign, 40 American and 10 coast
ing vessels 49,. :. 4ha ahovs
named vessels mostly in good order, with some
exceptions, chiefly on the late arrivals OF
steamships that were exposed to the terrible
stornas the last few months.
We have attended carefully to the discharge
of the European ships, and have generally
found their cargoes well stored and dunnaged.
Since the death of Capt Joseph Mountford,
in accordance with with your Recommendation,
I appointed BENZ. W. Jones to assist me in
the various duties of port warden, who has con-
tinued to act with me in the performance OF
said duties up to the present time.
JOHN HAsTY, Port Warden.
THE MERCHANTS EXCHANGE
The Exchange has been well served through
cut the year by the Western Union Telegraph
Company; and while the bulletins have had
an average of 40 kilograms day on all the
fluctuations of the principal markets in this
country and in Europe, the marine news,
weather reports and important events OF COM
mon public interest Sits files of newspapers and
records of the port statistics, &c, have been
well and fully kept up throughout the year.
Its patronage 1 regret to say has not been
creditable to city of the size, business i'm
portance end pretentions of Portland, and
there is need of missionary labor in its behalf.
Respectfully submitted,
M. n. RICE,
Chairman of Directors.
January 8, 1882.
After the reading of the reports the follow
ing gentlemen were chosen for the ensuing
year:
President-Samuel j. Anderson.
Vice Presidents-Israel Washburn, Wood
bury S. Dana, Geo. p. Wescott.
Directors-T G. Hersey, Geo. W. Wood
man, Chas. Mclaughlin, James z. Baxter,
Joseph E. Blabon, Willard Ell. Woodbury.,
| Jacob S. Winslow.
| Secretary-M. N. Rich.
| Treasurer-Chas S. Fobes
| Port Wardens-John Hasty, Benz. W. Jones.
| The question of increasing the interest and
membership in the Merchants Exchange hav.
| ing been brought up, remarks strongly in favor
of making united effort to increase the mem
bership of both the Board of Trade and the
Exchange were made by Capt. ]. s. Winslow
Chas Mclaughlin, Esq, VIM, Allen, Jr.
| Hon. Geo. P. Wescott, Hon. Geo. W. Wood
man, and I. G. Hersey, Esq.