Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-12-20
Father lose AIgue Well Known in
Philippine Islands.
Director of Weather Bureau at Manila
Who Has Made Extraordinary In
strument-clereyma Is De-
voted TO Humanity.

Londcn.-Quietly and unostenta-
tiously, without being in any way her
aided by the press, a certain priest
paid visit to London recently who
deserves to be ranked among the
worlds greatest benefactors. His
name, Father Joe Algue, is scarcely
known. perhaps in this country, but
every man and woman in the far east
knows Father Ague, director Of the
Philippine weather bureau at Manila,
for did he not. after many years la
Dor, invent an instrument which Is
called the barocyclonometer, by which
it is possible to guard against the most
dreaded of far eastern calamities-
the typhoon?
This instrument Is now in use on
upwards of 1000 ships that sail the
waters of the far east, while the
American government proposes to MT
its ships with a modified form OF the
instrument in order that captains may
be warned of the approach of hurrl-
canes or storms, and thus make II pos
|. sible for them to slip out OF Marin
way. And it was in order to have
this modified barocyclonometer MADE
under his personal supervision that
Father Algue recently came to Lon
don
The instrument is really combina-
ton of the ordinary barometer ana
cyclone detecting apparatus, the tat
ter being Father Algue's own lnNen-
ton. The barometer used alone wlil
tell of the approach Of the storm. but
will give no hint as II the direction In
which the center or vortex OF the
storm is moving. 1t is this additional
information which the cyclonometer
supplies, and its use has undoubted,
ly led to the saving OF millions Oh
lives in eastern waters.
Net only, however, has Father Al
que invented the barocyclonometer
but in connection with the Philippine
weather bureau, he has also organ
ICED a system of cyclone danger sig
nails, which it is no exaggeration TO
say save thousands of lives every
year. Father Algue has a corps of
so native assistants who are scattered
through the Philippine archipelago.
Some are observers, others telegraph
operators, others messengers. while
at Manila Father Algue is in direct
communication with a score of other
weather stations IN the islands, and
also with points far away from the
Philippines-Hong Kong for instance.
The approach Of typhoon is at
once telegraphed to Father Algue at
Manila. and he then sends the news
to all quarters by means of his asso-
ciates and messengers. At times he
has been able to give notice of the
approach of typhoon three days be-
fore it appears, and almost always
manages to give news of 1t one day
before.
We, in this country, have little idea
of the enormous loss of life and dam
age caused by an eastern typhoon.
When it is mentioned. however. that
the average number of typhoons in the
Philippines is FL year, and it is not
unusual for the fall Of rain IN two
DAYS to equal the total rainfall CT
other countries for year. while the
wind has been known to uproot
churches, some idea of the value of
the work which is being done by this
priest, who has practically devoted his
life to typhoon fighting. may be gath
cred
Apart from ne barocyclonometer
Father Algue has invented several 9TH
er weather instruments of great value
to mariners, but he cares little for
publicity or fame. and II is interest
ing to not9 that one Of his treatises
on typhoon fighting was translated
into German and circulated in Eu-
rcre yet MS name did not appear on