The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-20

reporter; then Sir John will be retired
on half pay and Prof. Walker will take
charge of the Indian weather. q
Praises Our Wind Market. r.
you have wonderfully fine de-
partment here" said Prof. Walker to
L h G man. II have not yet
been to Berlin, but expect to stop there
American is the most complete in the
world. 1 find my investigations most
instructive. There are many instru-
ments which we never have used in
India, and propose to become familiar
with their use, and introduce them
there. The kites, for example, have
interested me intensely. They bring a
new field within the reach of our in
quiries, that deep strata of air flowing
along above US, quite different, per-
maps, In temperature and velocity from
that on the earth's surface. In Secur-
ing reliable data on atmospheric ecofia'
ditions 1t is quite essential that we
know about those upper currents, and
these American kites with their auto
matte registering instruments, enable
us to secure this data. 1 have studied
the kites some here, but will go to Blue
Hill and take few practical lessons In
flying them from Prof. Rotch * 81
The balloons are also of Importance.
L lind at the Washington station some
new ones recently acquired, and which
it is the purpose of Prof Moore soon to
employ to explore the very high alti-.
tudes. These are about eight feet in
diameter, gas filled, and carry self reg
1stertng devices. They are sent up
when proper conditions prevail, and are
permitted to go free, rising to a great
height, where the air, becoming so rare
the decreased pressure causes them to
burst; Whereupon a parachute is re-
lea SA6 N9rrIyincr inc
the directions for their return to the
bureau. "These kites and balloons will
be strange sights to the native people
Of India, and 1 expect to be worshiped
as some new deity when I begin to put
them into operation.
Protection From Famines.
The mission of the weather bureau
IN India is somewhat different from it's
purpose in the United States There
are not the same commercial interests
to be subserved. The native does not
pick up his morning paper to see
whether to take his umbrella or to
wear galoShes on his shopping tour.
The weather bureau in India will be
more to protect the whole people from
those devastating famines of which
you read in the illustrated papers.
THE important thing there is wheth-
er the monsoon is coming, for the mon
soon brings the spring rains, and on
the rains depends the crops, and on the
crops of that year depends the life of
millions of people. They are simple.
child-like people, and live from hand to
mouth If one crop fails they are con-
tronted with famine. The weather
service cannot bring the rains. of
course; but We may be able to say be-
forehand that they are not coming, and
to warn the government, so that pro-
visions may be supplied, and the means
for distribution be organized
Then the bureau does another i'm
portant service in giving warnings of
the torrential floods which come so
suddenly and which wash out bridges,
drown people and sweep all before
them.
AS a field for original research there
is much to be done in British India.
There is vast area which is tropical
| in its climate, and is therefore a less
explored field. Then the great varie-
ties of attitudes result in as great diff
ferences of temperature even in the
| same latitude.
All Kinds of Weather.
we have a fine assortment of
weather in India. Down on the coast
1t is excessively hot and humid being
at times almost unbearable, while up
IN the mountains, as at Simla. where
| my headquarters will be, it is most de-
| lightful. Any reader of Kipling will
remember his realistic descriptions of
climatic conditions. And then we have
stations where the temperature runs
the whole gamut in twenty-four hours.
For example, at Leh, in Cashmere.
where it is 1900 feet above the sea-
the temperature ranges over 100 de,
| grees from noon to noon.
The reason for this great fuctua-