Evening star., 1903-08-01


ances and through the latter our weather
changes?
Effect Of the Planets.
Our most prominent magneticians say
that the variations in the earth's magnetic
implses can be accounted for by the
movements of the moon. II the moon has
such effects why not also admit that the
planets may have similar effects?
THE outermost planet of the solar sys-
had on Uranus. The latter Is so far from
the sun that it is not visible to the naked
eye, and Neptune is immensely beyond
Uranus. yet the latter was pulled out of its
orbit to such a considerable distance by
Neptune that the then young Leverier. by
n mathematical calculation based on these
facts was able to point out the spot in
outer space where the new and unknown
planet would be found. Jupiter Saturn,
Mars, Venus and Mercury are very many
times less distant from the earth than Nep-
tune is from Uranus, and why not they
affect the earth as Neptune does Uranus?
When the earth approaches Jupiter, Sat
urn, etc, it is pulled thousands of miles
out of its orbit. Can you conceive how this
could occur without affecting the earth 8
atmosphere, and therefore our weather?
Our moon is very unsteady in its orbit.
varying in or out every time planet ap-
proaches our earth. and from planetary
causes it's orbit is constantly changing.
Mercury is pulled thousands of miles out
of its orbit whenever it nears the earth
or any of the other planets. Herein are in
disputable evidences of planetary effects
on the earth and ON each other.
why is it that scientists do not see that
such effects must necessarily affect
atmosphere and weather? Is it not strange
that any one can doubt this proposition
with all this undisputed evidence before
them?
The president of the University of New
South Wales has long held that the great
drouth Years in various countries
h.
cur, according to his statement, at inter-
walls of nineteen years. and all the leading
scientists of Australia indorse that theory.
Professor HaZen late of the United States
weather bureau. found that the moon af-
fects rain fall and Professor Clayton of
Blue Hill Observator attached to Harvard
College. found that the moon affects tenn
perature. Professor Tice. superintendent
OF the ST. Louis. Mo, public schools, claim
ed that planetary effects on the weather
reach their greatest extremes at the equi-
| noxes of those planets. Professor Mansill
of Rock Island. ILL.,. claims that the prin-
cipal effects occur at perihelion, aphelion,
perisee and apogee; that is. when the sun,
moon and planets are nearest or farthest
from each other.
A Physical Basis for Meteorology.
But Tice and Mansill did not test these
theories by the records. That was left for
others to accomplish. and l have given
twenty-seven years to that work. l have
ejected all theories not borne out by the
records. tested my own theories by the
same rule. till l am now thoroughly satis-
fled that l have found a physical basis for
meteoroloRy. the real causes of all weather
changes. l do not claim that the work is
complete. Long daily records, at least
eighty years are necessary to obtain good
results at long range weather forecasttng.
The United States weather bureau records
have been reduced are in excellent condi-
ton for pypertneDfal al
poses but they cover only about thirty
years. For planetary meteorology fifty
years additional going back to about 1870,
are necessary. Those long records complied
by the Smithonian Institution and similar
records made by the surgeons of the regu-
lar army. are now on file in the weather
bureau. but they have not been reduced,
and there Is no money for that purpose.
The work will require a considerable force
and awaits the action OF Congress- Therein
lies the only hope for American meteorol-
osy. Europe has reduced her old records
covering about ,wo hundred years and her
scientists are using them in their search
for the cause Of weather changes. Amer. ca
VIII have the honor of that discovery If the
records In the United States weather bureau
can be reduced so that they can be used
in the calculation. We can know the future
Of the weather by the past.
we must learn the effects that each
planet and the moon have on our weather
by taking the weather that occurred in the
past when the planet was in the same rela-
tive position. The planets and resultant
weather cycles have periodicities differing
with each other, and these periods oyerlaD
till all are obscured.
The great difficulty lies in finding a
method by which each of these cycles can
be uncovered. the effects OF each Of these
bodies separated from the others and that
method is my discovery and my secret
Taking the weather records as a base It is
utterly impossible to find cycles regularly
recurring, and 1t is only by analyzing by
nHar fiy,ar
parts. that the cycles can be found That
is the problem l have solved and on which
the scientific world has continuously failed
In an effort covering more than a hundred
years"
Studying Weather Records.
Mr.. Foster is In this city in order that
he might study the old weather records
Of army surgeons and those made by the
Smithsonian Institution in order to further
perfect his system. When he first applied
for permission to study these records it
was not given him He then made an ef-
fort through senators and representatives
and succeeded In having eight United States
senators and twenty-seven representatives
sign his application to be permitted to see
these old weather records Having secured
this permission he has been carefully going
over the records since last March and 1t is
likely that he will be engaged for many
months 10 come
The records of the army surgeons 20
back to 1917 and those of the Smithsonian
Institution were begun in 1880. 1t would
greatly facilitate his work II these records
were prepared in the form of present day
records of the bureau which MI Foster
regards as practically perfect for his uses
The work OF so preparing the old records
would be very great one and it may be
that he Will endeavor to secure from Con-
gress at Its coming session authorization
to have the old records worked up In mod
ern and approved form.
Mr.. Foster was born in Illinois and taught
school in his earlier days. He served in the
union army during four years of the war
and for twenty years was engaged in news
paper work. He has lectured extensively
on astronomy, magnetism and meteorology
For about seventeen years he has devoted
his time exclusively to the work Of making
weather forecasts and to the development
of his system. His forecasts have been
read by millions Of people in the regions
they have covered. He has never made a
regular business Of predicting for this sec
ton of the country, he has not until re-
Gently made study Of the weather records
relating to the District OF Columbia.
A Thirty yTwo-Wheel Car.