Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-03-28
THE INDIA AS OUR PUPIL.
American Weather Service to Be
Studied as a Model.
DEEMED BEST IN TIE WORLD
Coming Chief Of Indian Weather Department
Now in This Country.

Now IN lhis Country
The United States weather service Is
undergoing study as a model for the
British seryFe in India, says a Wash
ington special dispatch to the New
York Post. ours is regarded as the
Best Ia tile world. and some of its In.
novatlons are soon to be tested at Sim
IL and at stations in Cashmere. Gilbert
Walker, who has been selected by the
British Indian office for chief Of It's
weather department. recently went TO
Washington to look into Chief Moore's
methods. He viii 20 next to the kite
flying station at Blue Hill, Mass, and
after that to Chicago to observe how
we photograph sunspots and to see the
Yerkes telescope. The British do things
Ieisurely, and after Mr.. Walker arrives
Mt Simla he will serve for six months
as assistant to Sir John Elliott, the
present meteorological reporter. Then
Sir John Will be retired on half pay,
and Mr.. Walker will take charge of the
Indian weather.
"You have many instruments In
America" said he to a caller the other
day, (which we never have used In In
dia, and | purpose to introduce them
there. Your kites, for example, have
interested me intensely, bringing the
upper currents of the atmosphere with
in reach of us with their automatic reg
isterfng instruments. The balloons are
also of Importance. | find at the Wash
ington station some new ones which
Mr.. Moore IS soon to employ to explore
the very high attitudes. These are
about eight feet in diameter, gas filed
and carry self registering devices.
They are sent up only when proper
conditions prevail and are permitted to
20 free, rising to a great height, where
the air is so rare that the decreased
pressure causes them to burst. That
releases a parachute carrying the in
struments and the directions for their
return to the bureau. My kites and bal
looms will be strange sights TO the ma
tive people of India, and | suppose !
shall be %worshiped as a new deity
when l begin TO put them into opera
ton.
'eThe mission of the weather bureau
in India is somewhat different from
that Of its counterpart in the United
States. There are not the same COM
merciaI interests to be subserved. The
native does not pick up his morning
n to see whether he shall take his
umbrella when he goes to the store o.
whether his wife shall wear galoches
on her shopping tour. The purpose in
India is more to protect the whole peo-
pie from those devastating famines of
which you read from time to time. The
Important question there is how soon
the monsoon is coming, for the mon
soon brings the rains. and on the rains
depend the crops, and on the crop Of
one year may depend the lives of mil
lions Of people. for they are simple,
childlike creatures who five from hand
to mouth. The weather service cannot
bring the rains of course, but we may
be able to say beforehand that they are
not coming in time and to warn the
government, SO that provisions may be
supplied and mean for distribution
organized. Then, too, the bureau per
forms an important service in giving
warnings of the %torrential floods which
descend so suddenly, wash out bridges.
drown people and sweep all before
them.
AS a field for original research Brit
ish India is fertile. There is a vast
area which is tropical in climate and
Is therefore little explored. Then the
great varieties of altitude result in
wide differences of temperature ever
in the same latitude. Down on the
coast it may be so hot and humid as &c
be almost unbearable, while up in th,
mountains, as at Simla, where my
headquarters will be, it is most delight
full. Again, we have stations wher'
the temperature runs the whole gamu
in twenty-four hours. For example
at Leh, in Cashmere, 1000 feet above
the sea. the temperature range
through more than 100 degrees r
noon TO noon. The reason for thi
great tluctuation is found in the rare
ness of the air, Ordinary air absorb
a great deal of the suns heat befor
the rays strike the ground, and at nigh
this air serves as a blanket. keepin
the earth from throwing off all il
heat by radiation. But at Leh the a
mospheric blanket IS so thin that til
processes Of absorption and radiatio
go on much more rapidly. 1t is a lar
country on people. But tie ult
shepherds are sturdy and seem 20 1n
IL well enough.
Most Ct re r!.t ,c-e"+ e" ~ Isl
service ere r, ,-,- Fey
jority of t,a O. et GO l".
We are onl, .aj 60 le,
tirely ou ua-5r t~ ."
paying tnM alo.' tu