The San Francisco call., 1896-08-30
Australasia Has a
Bold Weather
Sage
He Photographs the
Clouds and Secs
Six Months
Ahead

n
out OF the mysterious Antarctic, south OF
u.s. said Clement L. Wragge, Chief
Weather Forecaster OF all Australasia, at
the Palace yesterday, 1--WE are gathering
facts so that we will ere long be able to
| forecast the kinds of seasons we shall
have.
sThis will be very important informa-
ton for the herdsmen, agriculturists and
fruit-growers. If they know whether it
will be wet or q dry season and the de-
tails of the storms that are to ensue they
can govern themselves accordingly, and
millions of dollars will be saved. l have
been at the head of the Weather Bureau in
Australia since 1887. Prior TO that had
charge of the hydrographic station on
lofty Ben Nevin, in Scotland. In fact
established that station.
"Since l took hold in Australia l have
given great deal of attention to the
strange things in meteorology. The Queens
land Government. of which | am the
meteorologist, some time since desired that
l would devote considerable time getting
facts looking to the correct prophecy of the
seasons.
IT proceeded to make large number OF
cloud photographs, and l also gathered
data from observations taken by ships
covering the entire region from 40 degrees
north latitude to 55 south latitude, and
from 80 degrees east longitude to 13O west.
This takes in the Red Sea, the eastern part
of the Mediterranean, Arabia, Persia,
Afghanistan, India, Southeastern China,
Japan, Hawaii, the South Sea Islands,
Indian Ocean and the North and South
Pacific.
"The strange data collected have enabled
US to forecast the weather from one to six
teen days in advance of any given disturb
ance. We have found that when droughts
prevail in Australia abnormally heavy
rains occur in India.
'One of the things ascertained was the
scientific fact of the extraordinarily low
pressure within the limit alluded to, with
the variations as indicated, and the ex-
traordinary distribution of ice from the
Antarctic during the several seasons. All
this is most important in elucidating the
details in reference to the seasons.
..I hold. however, that, considering the
progress we have made, nothing would so
readily make clear way toward a
complete forecasting as an Antarctic
meteorological expedition. That is some
thing of great Importance. The Antarctic
is now the greatest field we have for ex-
pIoration, and at the meeting of the In
ternationai Meteorological Congress in
Paris on Septe ember Is. to which l am now
bound, shall set forth the whole matter
in full.
Queensland has wanted to start an ex-
pedition to the Antarctic, but has been
little slow, not having the money. hope
one of these expeditions will get off ere
long. The wealthy men of the world have
a chance to immortalize themselves by
outftting an expedition to the Antarctic.
''If this is done and trained meteorolo-
gists are aboard, have no doubt that all
the details will be collected which will en-
able forecasters to tell to certainty what
kind of seasons we shall have.
"As to this cloud photography may
say that photography in mete orology has
become of as much use as photography in
astronomy. 1t is absolutely indispensable,
and the facts which we are enabled to get
from the photographs are settling with
wonderful rapidity many OF the hitherto
great problems of the air.
"I am taking fifty of these cloud photos
graphs with me to Paris. They are large
and very beautiful. think when all the
data L have gathered is laid before the
scientists there they will agree with me
that we may look into the future for
months and accurately foretell what is to
happen. The mystery of what was before
the unknown will be broken as by a
SPELL"
The great Australasian weather fore
caster left last evening for Paris. He is
full OF enthusiasm regarding his discov.
cries and the project of an Antarctic exps-
dition.