The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-12-20
Father lose AIgue Well Known ir
Philippine Islands.
Director of Weather Bureau at Manila
Who Has Made Extraordinary In
acknowledgement Is De-
voted to Humanity.

London.-Quietly and unostenta-
tiousIy, without being in any way her
aided by the press, certain priest
paid a visit to London recently VINO
deserves to be ranked among the
worlds greatest benefactors. his
name Father Joe Algue, is scarcely
known. perhaps in this country, put
every man and woman in the far east
knows Father Algue, director OF the
Philippine weather bureau at Manila,
for did he not, after many years Id
Dor. invent an instrument winch Is
called the barocyclonometer, by winch
1t is possible to guard against the most
dreaded of far eastern calamltles-
the typhoon?
This instrument is now in use on
UPWARDS of 1000 ships that sail tne
waters of the far east, Whlle tne
American government proposes 10 III
its ships with a modified form Of the
instrument in order that captains may
be warned of the approach OIL hurli
canes or storms, and thus make IL pos
sihle for them to slip out OF harm
way. And it was in order 10 nave
this modified barocyclonometer MADE
under his personal supervision tnaI
Father Algue recently came 10 Loh-
don.
The instrument is really a comolna-
ton of the ordinary barometer ana
cyclone detecting apparatus tne lat
ter being Father Algue's own ln'en-
ton. The barometer used alone WIZ
tell of the approach of the storm uu'
will give no hint as to the direction III
which the center or vortex OF the
storm is moving. 1t is this addltonai
information which the cyclonometer
supplies. and its use has undouoteo-
~ led to the saving of millions OF
lives in eastern waters.
Not only however. has Father Al
que invented the barocyclonometer,
but in connection with the Philippine
weather bureau, he has also organ
lied a system of cyclone danger sig
nails, which it is no eXaggeratlon 10
say save thousands of lives every
year. Father Algue has corps or
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 score CT other
weather stations in the islands, and
also with points far away from the
Philippines-Hong Kong for instance.
The approach of a 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 81 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 he barocyclonometer
Father Algue has invented several 9TH
er weather instruments of great value
to mariners, but he cares little for
publicity or fame, and it is interest
ing to note that one of his treatises
on typhoon fighting was translated
into German and circulated in Eu-
rope, yet his name did not appear on