Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-08-28
STORMS TOLD BY A CLOCK
Ingenious and simple Method OF An
nouncing Weather Changes.

Ingenious and simple Method OF An
nouncing Weather Changes.
An ingenious device for foretelling
atmospheric disturbances has been
constructed by tn. Flournoy, q well
known engineer. NJ Ienger, director
of the observatory at Prague, recently
announced that allremarkable changes
in the weather, and especially earth
uuakes and volcanic ernptiOns, were
due to solar spots, and such expert
ments as have been made seem to
show that he is correct. Even ii we
admit, however, that these spots are
simply gigantic cyclones which APP
pear periodically on the face of the
sun and are reproduced on our earth,
we cannot, except in rare instances,
have the satisfaction of studying these
spots and determining from them
what kind of weather will be. The
plain reason is because few of us pos
sess telescopes, and, even if we did
possess them, not many of us are suf-
iiciently versed in the mysteries OF
astronomy to use them properly.
Mr.. Flournoy doubtless recognized
this fact, and the idea occurred to him
that the ordinary barometer might be
made more seryiceable for purposes
of prediction than it has been hither-
to. The barometer, as we oil know, is
an instrument or balance which meas
ures and weighs the atmospheric
pressure. When the barometer falls,
we know that the pressure has dim
inished, the cause being the inability
of the air to hold i'll suspension the
vapor which is about to turn into rain.
When the mercury falls with rush
we look out for tempests, cyclones
and other atmospheric commissions.
Guided by these sudden variations
of the mercury, Mr.. Flournoy con-
structed IN improved barometer, the
improvement consisting in clockwork
arrangement the object of which is to
announce the near approach OF cy-
clone. The arrangement is very sim
pie. All that is necessary is to join
the small tube of an ordinary barom-
eter to tube of equal diameter, by
means of small communicating duct
On the mercury in the two tubes rest
two floats bearing two metallic rods
which are joined to system of cleo
trio clockwork. One OF these rods is
furnished with metallic clest which
is placed between two cleats on the
second rod.
In ordinary weather, the level Of the
mercury being equal in both tubes, in
accordance with the principle of COM
municating vessels, the cleats cannot
touch each other, and the clockwork
is silent. When, however, there is a
sudden depression of the atmosphere
and an approach of tempest is thus
announced, the level is altered, the
change being due to the narrow
diameter of the communicating tube,
the metallic cleats approach each other,
contact takes place and the electric
bell or clock strikes sharply. Any one,
it is claimed, can in this simple way
obtain prompt and reliable informa-
ton i'll regard to coming storms.
According to French paper the
Washington authorities have long de-
sired to make their weather predic-
tions more popular, and one of them
conceived the idea of stamping the re,
ports on all letters going through the
mails. The plan is to avoid altogether
the use of technical language and to
make the predictions soplain that any
one can understand them. This is
clearly move in the right direction.
A large sum of money is spent annu-
ally on these weather predictions, and
it is desirable that the people shall rs
far as possible obtain the benefit of
them.