The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-08
WAY UP In FHE UPPER AIR
MARVELLOUS STUDIES MADE IN
SCIENTIFIC
Knowr.dg. Blu. Scholar. are surn

In spite OF the apparently marvellous
strides that have been made in scien-
tific knowledge those who have accom-
plished the most in that line will tell
us that the scholar, the investigator, is
still cropping. He is, however, cropping
hopefully and to some purpose, eaca
new advance seeming to throw light
further than it was thrown before. We
have sounded the earth and the sea, in
a way. We have certain familiarity
with atmospheric phenomena. Our ac-
tual knowledge at least makes US clev-
er guessers but what we really know
as compared with the knowledge that
yet defies US is very limited. The tele-
scope and the spectrOscope have en-
abled US to project our vision a little
farther and to impart to our analysis a
larger measure of probability: still,
when all is said and done they leave us
very near the earth.
To know the forces that are outside
and beyond US, their movements and
relations to terrestrial interests, would
be knowledge, both Illuminating and
practical, and something along this
4lhC 10 ouS6ESICh ny I lOACSSOA a. ASt g."
renee Rotch in his project to supple
ment our present knowledge of atmO-
spheric currents above the inter
tropical zone in way to ascertain the
regular circulation of the trade winds
and the anti-trade winds, upon which
depend accurate deductions concerning
weather changes and cyclones in the
middle and high ATTITUDES of the globe.
While the details are still to be work.
ed out the idea is one which seems at
tractive to the scientific men of all
countries. especially those which pos
sess large maritime interests.
Navigation is popularity regarded as
approximately an exact science. We
have gagged and measured and sound
ed and charted the ocean so infinitely
that the skilled navigator is not per-
nnitted to have an excuse for going
astray on its surface. But all that
study, or at least by far the greater
part of 1t, has been bestowed on the
lower hemisphere of the science. We
have yet to attain a satisfactory read
ing of the upper and controlling air
currents. We can understand the lower
phenomena which they produce, but we
have. made small progress in our at
tempts to get up to first principles. Yet
recent evidence tends to show that
there are fixed movements of these cur
rents, dependable quantities, which
greater knowledge would render avail
able as working hypothesis for the
better regulation of the practical af-
fairs Of our planet
Less than twenty years ago it was
discerned, through the great earth
quake disturbances in the Java seas,
that there was a powerful perpetual
current travelling at a high rate of
speed from east to west, many miles
above the level of previous aerial ex-
plorations The methods of determin-
ing the upper phenomena are by kites
and small balloons. The more that can
be learned of trades and anti-trades
the closer can calculations be made by
navigators and the more accurate will
scientific forecasting Of weather condi-
tons become. It is only in compar-
atively recent years that science has
taken hating part in the determine
ton of meteorological phenmena. II
has made some gains but it must pre-
pare for higher flights before reaching
a dependable point for everyday guild
ance, and If the leading maritime
countries will take hold of Professor
Rotch's idea more rapid progress will
be made.-F'rom the Boston Transcript