The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-18
WEDNESDAY, MAY IS, 1904.
bun wEATHER sERvIcE.

The work of the Weather Bureau of this country. not only in its forecasts ot ordinary daily changes. but of the de- structive storms which sweep over the Great Lakes and along our ocean and Gulf Coasts. and it's forecasts of dan gerous floods in the larger rivers. has been of such real benefit to the various industries of the country that Con- gress has from time to time increased the appropriations for this work, until now our Weather Service is one of the Indispensable parts of our vast govern mental machinery. This work has grown from its experimental stage of thirty years ago to a real necessity. True, the weather forecasts occasionally miss the exact conditions predicted. but the percentage of verification Is so liable benefit. One flood warning re- gently saved property in the Great Gen. fral Valleys. the value of which was many times greater than the entire cost of the Bureau for several years. One storm warning on the Atlantic coast has been known to keep In port over thirty millions of dollars worth of vessels and cargoes. much of which would doubtless have been destroyed by a hurricane. had the warning not been given.
 It has long been the hope of the Weather Bureau that the time may come when it will be possible to fore cast the weather for coming seasons, to specify in what respect the coming month or season will conform to or de- part from conditions usual at that sea son. The science of weather forecast Ing. has not yet, however reached that stage. and if such perfection in the work is ever reached, it will, acording to the scientists engaged in 1t, be through a comprehensive study of ac- rurate weather records covering long periods. The Bureau is laying the Foundation for such hoped-for results In the mass of data it is collecting. and bv the corps of forecasters and inves- kiRators it is training as specialists in such work.
 The most harmful drawback to such wished-for advancement of the science is the work of the many so-called sIong range" weather forecasters. who mfslead the public, and by their inac- curate theories and forecasts bring the science of meteorology into disrepute
 It seems to be the opinion of lead ing meteorologists of the world that public interests are injured by the pub iication of so-called long range weather forecasts, especially by such predic- ttons as relate to severe storms, floods, droughts, and other atmospheric phe- nomena of dangerous character Some Gf the long range forecasters may be honest, and may, in their ignorance, at tach undue importance to storms that may accidentally, coincide in time of Oc- ,urrence with certain relative positions af the planets. Men of this class find what they sincerely seek; they mark when they hit, and never mark when they miss" They may honestly believe that they have discovered a physical law. or principle. not yet revealed to astronomers meteorologists, or other scientific investigators. However. the publication of such inaccurate predic- lions is at times positively injurious to the agricultural and commercial inter eets.-a and 1t seems that the time has come when reputable newspapers should cease to give space to such. It Is a hopeful sign that most of the press of the country has ceased to advertise such fallaeious predictions, which are failing back on the almanacs and less fnanorfant newspapers. The good work being done by legitimate scientists and honest investigators should be reliev- ~4 e.g the gnorh,-~ es eneh 9nesswork.