The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-11-27
THE WEATHER BUREAU.

OftCer-Ihe Nalue OF the SSENiSo 90
Gated by Practical Results-Further Ex'
tensions Desirable.
WAsHINGToN, Nov. 2t-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 reporb
begins with a statement of the value OF
the instruction afforded at Fort Myer, and
the service of the signal corps attachedto
Genearl Miles command during the Gero-
nimo campaign are cited as evidence OF the
utility and necessity of trained signal ON
GERS. Regret is expressed at the action OF
Congress in failing to provide for contin-
uance of Fort Myer as a post Of instruc-
ton. On this subject General Hazen says;
1.-THE present plan must inevitably bring
into the service many men not hit Tor IL,
and this fact cannot be learned until much
time and money is lost, and the service I'M
paired"
Concerning the work of the meteorologl-
cal division the report says: "Many very
important laws have been recently de-
duced theoretically and confirmed by OBJ
serverations and experiments. Solar and
terrestrial radiation, the conditions deter
mining temperature; the relations 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 earth's rotation on the mechanics OF
atmosphere and the theory Of the general
motion of the atmosphere, and of cyclones
tornadoes, etc, are subjects which have
recently received much attention.
at is stated that the plan of securing as
observers young men qualified by educa-
ton for the pursuit of scientific 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 37S en-
listments made during that time ninety
seven were college graduates; and it has
proved of benefit to the service"
WEATHER FORECASTS.
Touching the weather forecasts and
special warnings issued during the year, it
is said that the increasing demand for
these forecasts may be taken as evidence
of their value The officers are unable to
| comply with the numerous requests re-
ceived from cities, towns and corporations
for the special warnings. owing to the linn
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 300 cities
and towns in the United States, and from
! these points distributed by telephone and
! and railways to about 10000 stations, An
appropriation of 5000 is recommended
for the extension Of the service and the
| opinion is expressed that no appropriation
would be more acceptable to the people
OF the LOGS cold wave signals displayed
during the year, Sll, or S55 per cent, were
! justified.
The number of signal stations in opera
ton June so, 1886. in the United States was
452. 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 Of the
Canadian neurological service. The Office
has continued to cooperate with foreign
observers in collecting simultaneous me-
neurological reports, and in this work re-
ports have been received from 294 foreign
stations and GIG naval and merchant mar
inc vessels.
SYSTEM OF WARNING.
Being DESTROYS Of ascertaining the opin-
ION of the public as to the value of the sys-
TEN of warnings and indications by the dis
play 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 satisfaction.
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 OF
$4,000 is recommended to enable the bu-
reau to furnish flags and transmit tele-
grams to these volunteer stations.
Of the utility of the food warnings fur
nished by the Signal Service, the report
saws a careful estimate shows that prop
erty valued at Sl2SO0O was saved at q
single station Nashville Tenn, by the
food warnings of the Signal Service in the
Cumberland river during March and April
of the current year. The expense to the
Government in communicating the above
warnings W all SldJlOllo VI Jlleib - oNCllL' III
GLIDING pay of river observers, was S!1 50.
This single example illustrates what is
being done in the whole system.
The system Of seacoast telegraph lines
is said to be Of great value, and its eX-
tension along the entire Atlantic coast is
recommended.
Of the State weather services, General
Hazen says: "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
gress at its next session will recognize the
successful work performed by Lieutenant
, Greedy and his party in providing promo
tons of the survivors and support for the
families of those who lost their lives while