The Cairo bulletin., 1904-02-10

ITO Abiiti ftaiNH ihii NatNN =" '''' NN'N'
signal officer of the United states
array who at,ihat time was Brig Gen.
Albert J. Myer
FOR twenty years after its estah.
lishment. the weathe. service Of the
government was strictly military in
its organization; It's perRonnel con
sisted Of otlcsrs and enlisted men Of
the United States army.
BY the act Of congress Of October.
/ 1880 the weather service waai ON
June 30. 1891. transferred from tha
War Department 10 the Department
ol Agriculture. In the act ol trans
ierring the weather seryiee the dnties
are thus set forth: The chief OF
the Weather Bureau shal have charge
Of forecasting the weather: the issue
OF storm warnings; the display of
weather ana food signals for the bene.
iit of agriculture. commerce, and nayi,
cation: the gaging and reporting of
rivers; the maintenance and operation
soa-coast telegraph lines, and the col
lection aud transmission Of marine
Intelligence for the benefit If com
nierce and navigation; the reporting
of temperature and rainfall conditions
for the cotton interests; the display
of frost and cold.waye signals; the
distributions Of meteorological inior.
nation in the interest Of agriculture
and commerce, and the taking Of such
meteorological observations as may he
necessary TO establish and record the
climatic condition OF the United States
or are essential for the proper exc.
cution of the foregoing duties"
In addition 20 the duties just men.
toned. the Chief OF the Weather Bur.
eau has supervision over The report.
ing of precipitation and temperature
conditions for the benefit of the wheat
and corn interests. and also for the
sugar rice and fruit interests.
Now Of what does meteorological
observation consist? Many are Of the
opinion that the observer climbs out
upon the roof and gages at the stars
to CLEAN data to be used in making his
weather forecasts. he does nothing of
the kind.
There are ahont 100 fully equipped
observing stations These stations are
located as nearly eqnidlstant as prac-
ticable Twice daily. 7:4n am. and
7,io pm, 18th meridian time
trained observer at each Of these sta.
tons commences to take his obser-
vations, proceeding in the following
manner:
% The amounts and kinds of
clouds are observed. that is, of course
If there be any visible, and the di.
rection, or directions, from which
they are moving, noted. The clouds
forms recorded are those classified
aecordinsto the international swstem,
as shown on This chart $50
GU The observer records the state
OF the weather az determined from
the conditions obtaining III the time
81 observation whether clear, partly
cloud, elondy, rain. snow hail sleet,
etc. The character Of the weather Is
recorded clear when there are no
clouds observed. or when The amount
OF clouds visible cover less than 40
OF the SKY: party cloudy when the
sky Is 40 to 7.10 covered, and cloudy
when the Sky Ii covered $40 or more.
There are several modifying terms
used which, however. do not materially
change those just mentioned.
90 The maximum and minimum
thermometers are read. The maximum
thermometer shows the highest point
reached by the temperature In the
proceeding IL hours, or since the last
regular observation, and the minimum
Thermometer the lowest point reached.
90 The dry" and wet thermom.
eters are read The dry thermometer
is an ordinary Thermometer; the wet
thermometer Is an ordinary thermom.
eter with the bulb covered with q
piece of soft muslin. Before reading
The thermometers. the observer
moistens the wet bulb, and then, by a
mechanical contrivance known a. a
whirling apparatus, whirls the ther.
mometcrs rapidly In order TO induce
rapid evaporation OF the moisture ON
the wet bulb.
These two Thermometers taken TO.
gether are technically kaown as the
psychrometer.
When the space Is saturated with
moisture. as Is the case when dense
fogs prevail. and frequently the case
when precipitation Train, snow. etc.)
Is occurring. no evaporation takes
place from the wet nilb therefore.
il will read the same number OF de.
grees as the dry bulb When there
Is only small amount OF moisture
present. evaporation takes place rap.
idly from the surface of the wet