, 1908-04-22
He AVIS.
Vhcietieasted,S st. Cpois,
Wednesday, 22nd April, 1898.

we reprint this morning a paragraph from
the Nev J0rk Times relating to the work
of the "Weat' 81 Bureau" The name is
familiar to us here in the West Indies from
the Bureau having established some IA or
10 stations among the West Indian Islands,
chiefly for the purpose of getting early no
tlce OF tropical storms. This information is
desired mainly with a view to warning the
farmers of the various States of the possible
approach Of danger; for the Bureau was
originally Intended principally for them. This
may be news to some of our readers, who
may not he aware that the Weather Bureau
If a branch of the great Department of
Agriculture maintained by the States at
public expense. The public no doubt has
Denehtted III many other ways from the
existence OF the Bureau, but it was with q
view to helping the gigantic interests con
nectea with the land of the Union that it
was started. Formerly the weather on the
ocean was looked after by the photographic
Othce, q department Of the navy, and It is
only about 4 years ago that this branch of
the work at the photographic Office was
turned over to the Weather Bureau. The
connection between the two studies is so
intimate that it was considered better to
place the observations over both land aud
ocean under one office. Consequently it is
" 49, ~ 4)ONi OJIt UIit, DGS1Ik6S S6IlI-
ing out daily forecasts Of the weather
throughout the States, also collects infor.
nation about ocean storms and, when need
ed, orders storm signals on the coasts and
islands.
In the whole work it has The use of the
m"rVeiions net Of telegraph and telephone
wires that spreads over all the popu!ous
parts OF the States and Canada, besides the
cables to Bermuda, the Azores and the West
Indies. The Bureau further entered into
negotiations early last year with the
great transatlantic steamship lines to get
wireless kilograms from aud to the ships.
AS VIII be seel from the paragraph from
the N. Y. Times, it is wished to extend the
use OF this latter help. TO prepare the
forecasts sent out, the Bureau receives about
1oo messages every morning and q like
number every evening, and from these the
predictions are made up.
1t is not only warnings of storms that are
sent out, but warnings of frosts, heavy rains,
river floods and in short notifications of all
important weather conditions.
Besides the central office the Bureau has
nearly zoo regular stations, and it's work
receives further help from u large unpaid
staff (over 10000 of voluntary observers,
officially styled cooperative observers, be-
sides a large amber lover 1000 in 19O6)
OF weather correspondents.
OF the paid staff of the Bureau there were
IN 1906 close on 700 regular employees, dis.
tlngulshed as commissioned and very
nearly 800 "non-commissioned employees"
persons engaged for lighter services at
small compensations, the total number
OF paid employees in that year hav-
ing been 1893. The total number of re-
ports sent in to the Ocean division of the
Bureau in 1906 by vessels on the North
Atlantic alone was $685., and the value of
this service is illustrated by the fact that
III the case of the famous hurricane of Octo-
Der 1906, Mr.. Page, who is in charge of the
Ocean division, was able from reports received
from over a hundred ships to draw excel
lent charts showing the form and progress
of the storm. This last named division of
the service may be expected to become more
and more valuable as wireless telegraphy is
improved.
Such iu roagh outline is the important
branch of the U. s. Department of Agricul-
ture known as the Weather Bureau.
The weather on Mondov was all that