Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-10-30
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Appointments by the President ana
Secretary Of the Trcasury.-Aanpal
Report of the Chief Sigual OHicer.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 90.
Mt made the following appoint

WASHINGTON, Oct. 90.
The President made the following appoint
ments today:
VIM. A. Mahoney to be collector Of Gus
toms of the district of Fernandina, Fla.
Geo, A. Hessen to be surveyor of customs
Of the port of Memphis.
The secretary Of the treasury today ap-
pointed L. NJ. Montgomery of Maryland, to
be special inspector of customs for duty on
the lsthmus of Panama.
The annual report Of the chief signal OH
Ger is made public bv the secretary of war
today. The following are the most impor-
sant facts The course Of instruction pur-
sued at Fort Myer has been enlarged and
otherwise improved and it now provides for
the theoretical and practical instruction Of
officers and men Of the signal service in the
duties required by the signal corps in time Of
war, Its theory 10 that all connected with
the signal corps shall be constantly available
for all brands Of military service for which
the signal service is maintained. The signal
corps and telegraph train are now recognized
by all foreign powers as most essential In
modern warfare. In active service the duties
require the men to be mounted and the trains
must be moved by horses, During the past
two years not one animal has been at my
command available for this mounted instruc-
ton. A field train should be fully equipped
in order men may be taught to ride and
man9uvre telegraph train in the field. The
course of instruction for officers charged with
the preparation of weather predictions, the
announcement of approaching frost and the
order OF storm signals has been enlarged and
now embraces course of lectures by the
most distinguished professors of meteorologv
in the country. A course of instructions In
military surveying, field sketching and topo-
GRAPHICAL drawing has also been added with
view Of increasing the efficiency of signal
officers in time of war. II is my intention in
time to have all the officers of the signal
corps instructed in meteorology, but at
present it is necessary to rely in part upon
the services of officers detailed who have by
long experience become proficient in the
most important duties of this service A
special bulletin has been issued daily except
Sundays at 10 A. NJ. This bulletin contains
more general account Of meteorological
conditions than 10 possible TO express In the
limited space allotted to indications. 1t in
forms the public Of approaching cold waves,
storms, frosts, extreme temperatures, ETC.,
and contains forecasts of the weather appli-
cable to the succeeding forty-two hours or
the following day. The increase of stations
in the west and northwest and In British
America would lead to still further improve
me"' III .his Important pranch OF signal SER
vice work. vi the 946 cold wave signals dis
played during the year SIC, or sc per cent,
were justified. Work in this important d.
vision OF the office requires special study and
experience to insure the best results, and as
sistants who are required TO make these de-
ductions should devote their whole time to
meteorological study. The force available
for the work is, however, 40 limited as not to
admit OF such assignments. Assistants who
have had the most experience in the prepara-
uon OF weather forecasts are officers detailed
from the line OF the army and If this service