The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-17

dustry Included in the Enterprise.
Announcement has just been made of
the abandonment of the remarkable sys-
TEN OF meteorological stations. extending
in chain from the Pacific over both
Cordiileras of the Andes to the valley of
the Amazon. which have been maintained
in connection with the Peruvian station
of the Harvard College Observatory. With
itself all are to be given up. the objects
for which they were established having
been in large part attained.
Observations have been continuously
made for over a decade and since the
phenomena OF climate and weather are SC
mucn more stable. taking one year with
another. in Peru than in 4 country like
our own. Tor example. it is believed that
they viii furnish a basis for a fairly COM
plete knowledge of the meteorological
conditions prevailing throughout this
region OF the Andes. The barometer for
example. shows in Peru no such irregu-
larities as in our northern ATTITUDES
There is simply a double diurnal change.
twice each day reaching a maximum and
twice a minimum. January differs from,
July, but day in one January or July is
remarkably like q day in another.
Among these various Peruvian stations
thai of I'll Mist some ten or dozen miles
from the city OF Arequipa, is notable as
bsiHg the highest point at which eontinu-
Gus meteorological observations have ever
been taken-19.2 200 feet above the level of
the sea. The station is on the very sum
init Of The mountain: some $500 feet lower
is another station called the Mont Blanc
station, as being at the same altitude as
Mont Blanc in Switzerland, where the OBJ
se-vatory at MeudOn, assisted by the
French Academy for a time endeavored
TO maintain observations.
II is notable. in this connection, that
the record of height in meteorological OBJ
servations has been held for many years
by American scientists. For a number
of years the highest mountain station in
the world was that of the United States
Government at Mount Washington 6,219
feet above the sea level. Mr.. j. II. Hunt
inston had previously proved the possi-
bility of continuous winter work at high
attitudes by experiments on Moosilauke,
another New Hampshire mountaiD-eXpe
riments which he was repeating on Mount
Washington when the Government took up
his work and placed a stan OF observers
there.
Observations at Mount Washington.
Observations are still carried on at
Mount Washington during the warmer
months, but the winter work has been
abandoned. In 1874, however. the Gov
ernmert started a meteorological station
on Pixies Peak-which bears about the
same relation, by the way, to Colorado
Springs in its dominating Isolation in the
landscape as Ell Misti does to Arequipa
The observations at Pixies Peak. as gath
cred during fifteen years. were turned
over To the Harvard OtuTyatory by the
Government. and published in 1888 by the
former in its Annals in a substantial
volume of 500 pages. General Greely's
preface, as Chief Signal Offlcer calls at
tention to the fact that in that year the
next highest meteorological observations
-Leh in Ladakh and Z niblick, in Aus
tria-were at elevations of II SOB feet and
1874 feet, respectively. above the level
of the sea. It may be added that all such
European mountain stations had cen
suggested by the work of American me-
teorologists, Just as more recently the
methods in use at the Blue Hill Station
of the Harvard Observatory, near Boston
for exploring the conditions of the free
air by means OF kites have been adopted
by German and English meteorologists.
The line of stations in which Arequipa
and FL Misti are central points marked
at the time il was established, the begin
ming of regular meteorological work in
Peru. An occasional traveller had rlale
Photographic study OF the Southern heav-
ems; except at Arequipa, therefore, it has
been unable to spare trained observers to
have charge of work which was only sec
endsry to its principal objects. II has
had TO rely on such fairly intelligent Pc
ruvians as IL could find at the various
points-in one case, for example station
master on the line of the railroad, who
was glad to add even a small sum to his
slender wages; In another a prosperous
farmer who took up his task gratuitously
, with a real interest in its scientific value
to assume the responsibility OF wa. hing
and keeping in order the various delicate
self-recerding instruments, for -neaJIring
wind velocity and direction, atmospheric
pressure, humidity, and tempera tire,
which was distributed al the various sta
lions. But the instrument and the ohser-
er in all cases furnished mutual check;
and the work if not everywhere scientific
ally exact has no less its real value, even
where least carefully done. as practical
pioneer work in a region unknown 10 the
metvorologist.
FL Misti was, Of course. the greatest
problem. To carry up the material for
the shelter for the observer who every
now and then must struggle up from
Arequipa to set in order the instruments
and bring back their records. and to bring
the instruments themselves without
breaking over a route which stretched out
thirty-ive miles in a constant zigzag up
the steep volcanic sand, was task which
the easy-going Peruvians prophesied
would be impossible. 1t was accomplished,
however. in safety, by the aid of twenty
mules and twenty Indians. in addition to
q party of nearly dozen from the OBJ
servatory-'ffty of US in ALL as one
member of the expedition smilingly said
the other day.
II was impossible with such resources
as the observatory could spare for this
single station to continue trained obser-
81 yer on the summit. Indeed the most that
could have been done In any Circumstance
es. and only by the expenditure of a good
many thousand dollars-an expenditure.
. to make. If the necessary funds can be
secured-would have been to secure
couple of hardy Indians. of fair intelli-
gence. to live six months alternate on
the pountain. with an assistant from
below to make the ascent perhaps once a
week 10 see that they were keeping the
instruments in reasonable order. The
"soroche," as the mountain sickness due
TO the decrease of atmospheric pressure
is called in Peru, would be fatal TO any
white man, Peruvian or American, who
attempted 10 pass any length.o time at
such an altitude.
Lengthy Obseryafion Iune