Huntsville gazette., 1886-11-27
7 .--S.
THE WEATHER BUREAU.

Gated by Practical iResults-Further Ex-
tensions Desirable.
WAsHINGToNs Nov 2l.-General. w. b.
Hazen, Chief Signal officer, has transmit
ted to the Secretary of War his annual re-
port. showing the operations of his bureau
during the last fiscal year. The report
begins w1th-a statement of the value OF
the instruction afforded at Fort Myer, and
the service of the signal corps attached tc
Genearl Miles command during. the Gero-
nimo campaign are cited as evidence of the
utility and necessity of trained Tsiglfar otfi-
GERS Regret is-expressed at the action OF
Congress in failing TO provide for eontin-
nance of Fort Myer as a post of instruc-
tion. On this subject General Hazen says:
'The present plan must inevitably bring
into the service many men not tit for it.
and this fact cannot be learned until much
time and money is lost, and the service i'm
paired.
Concerning the work of the meteorologi-
cal division the report says: Many very
important laws have been recently de-
duced theoretically and confirmed by OBJ
serverations and experiments. Solar anG
terrestrial radiation, the conditions deter
mining temperature; the rel lions be-
tween the amount of solar heat received
by different parts of the earth's surface
and the corresponding resulting tempera-
ture; the effect Of the DETECTING forces OF
the earths rotation on the mechanics OF
atmosphere. and the theory of the general
motion of the atmosphere, and OK cyclones.
tornadoes. etc, are subjects which have
recently received much attention.
ut is stated that the plan Of securing az
observers young men qualified by educa-
tion for the pursuit ofFScientific studies.
and thus raising the standard OF the enlist
ed force of the signal corps, has now been
in operation five years, and OF the 31S en-
listments made during that time ninety
seven were college graduates; and it has
proved Of benefit to the service,
WEATHER FORECASTS. . Ivy.
Touching the weather forecasts anc
special warnings issued during the year. IT
is said that the increasing demand Tor
these forecasts may be taken as evidence
Of their value. The officers are unable 10
comply with the numerous requests re
ceived from cities towns and corporations
for the special warnings, owing to the lin
tied appropriations for this branch OF the
service.
General Hazen says that the progress
made in indicating the approach OF cold
waves has been highly satisfactory and
he is convinced that property to the value
of many millions Of dollars has been saved
through the agency of this service. The
cold wave signal is now displayed by or
ders from the central office at 200 cities
and towns in the United States. and from
these points distlibuted-bv telephone and
;Irrtf railways to about 10000 stations. An
appropriation Of 5000 is recommended
for the extension of the service and tic
opinion is expressed that no appropriation
would be more acceptable to the people.
OF the 1.o65 cold wave signals displayed
during the year. 9ll or ej.5 per cent. werr
justified
The number Of signal stations in opera
ton June 80 1886 in the United States was
f52 These include the telegraph stations,
display, special river. cotton region and
twelve repair stations. In addition, re-
ports are received from twenty-four Cana
dian stations by the cooperation 0f-ti:e
Canadian neurological service. The Office
has continued to cooperate with foreign
observers in collecting simultaneous me-
tcorological reports, and in this work re
ports have been received from 294 foreign
stations and 616 naval and merchant mar
inc vessels.
SYSTEM OF WARNING
Being desirous Of ascertainiDg the opin
ION OF the public as to the value of the svs
tenn of warnings and indications by the-dis-
plav Of flags the chief signal officer SAYS
he addressed a circular letter to those IN
charge Of the display of those signals at
various points requesting that they report
to what extent they give substitution.
More than go replies were received COM
mending in the highest terms this new
feature of the signal service which gives
to many cities and towns the advantages
of signal service station without expense
to the Government. An appropriation oi
$4,000 is recommended TO enable thebn-
reau to furnish flags and transmit telc-
grams TO these volunteerstations.
Of the utility Of the food warnings fur
nished by the Signal Service. the report
says careful estimate shows that prop
ertv valued at S12s,0G0 was saved al z
single station NASHVILLE, Tenn, by the
food warnings OF the Signal Service in the
Cumberland river during March apd ADTia
Of the current year. The expense to the .
Government in communicating the above
warnings to all stations Of that system. ~
Guiding pay OF. river observers, was s21sos
This single example illustrates what is
being done in the whole system
The system OF SeacOdSt Telegraph uhSS
is said TO be Of great value, and its ex-
tension along the entire Atlantic coast IS
recommended.
OF the State weather services. Gener;u
Hazen saws: :.The plan of organizing State
weather services, cooperating with the
Signal Service. has met with encourage
ment during the year. and the evident
value Of such organizations in affording
means for the rapid and economical dis
tribution Of the weather forecasts and .
frost and cold wave warnings OF this serv-
ice has led me to arrange for establishment
Of similar service in States where they are ,
not now in operation.
The chief signal officer hopes that Con
cross at its next session will recognize the
successful work performed oy Lieutenant
Greelv and his party in providing prone
fions OF the survivors and support Tor the
families of those who lost their lives whlse
serving with this expedition
The report closes with recommendations
iooking to the establishment OF additional
cautionarv stations on the lakes and the
PURCHASE. at a cost Of sl08.000, of new
building for the accommodation OF the ou-
reau.