Year: 1879




citizens.


Our Wenther Bureau.


We publish to-day statement of the
work accomplished during the six months
Bureau, which is very satisfactory because
it incontestably demonstrates the practica-
bility of our transcontinental storm warn
ing system. When the work of cabling the
weather changes on the European coasts
was commenced in 1877 it met with great
opposition from few whose interest it
was to cry down anything like an attempt
to forewarn the English and French coasts
of approaching bad weather, because they
had endeavored to do the same thing
and failed. But since tho HERALD pre-
dictions have proved SO successful the
army of scientific kickers" has become
very small. There are few "meteorolo-
gists," however, on the other side of the At
lantic and venerable professor on this who
seem to be troubled with a chronic COM
plant in their scientific stomachs, and who
therefore cannot digest anything not cooked
within the little world of their own imagi-
nations. These only are the people who fail
to recognize disturbances that are predicted
to arrive on certain dates over the British
Islands. The farmer, on the other hand,
has something to lose, and therefore pays
attention to the warnings and takes pre-
cautions that will save both property and
lives He does not care whether the fore
warning message is enveloped in red tape
or not; neither does he look for its "of-
ficial" stamp. but he uses the precious time
between the warning and its fulilment in
preparing to meet the storm. The merchant
whose ships are ploughing the ocean bring
ing valuable cargoes from lar of lands has
also an interest in knowing if storm
will overtake his vessel before she
is safe at anchor, or if there is
one approaching, in order that he may
prevent her sailing until it has passed. The
detention of steamers on account of storms
is not OF very frequent occurrence, they
being able to 60 through any kind of
weather, but there have been many cases in
which commanders had timely warning of
an approaching storm and were enabled to
house everything movable so that the ship
sustained but little damage, whereas, if she
met the storm unprepared, there might have
been serious consequences. With sailing
vessels the case is different If they are not
far off shore when tempest strikes them
their chances of escape are few, because
they are wholly at the mercy of the wind.
It is this class of vessels that are especially
benefited by the HERALD storm warnings,
which tell them the time at which 10 would
be dangerous to be sailing close to the
coast line. The recognized leaders Of sol
ence in Europe who have examined into
the claims Of the HERALD to recognition of
the work of its Weather Bureau do not
hesitate to come forward and hail the en-
terprise as of incalculable value to the COM
mercial world. They enter into the spirit
of the work untramm elled by the prejudice
and conceit of the lesser lights and are
therefore capable to give an unbiased de-
cision as to the value Of the work Ii on
the day that O storm is predicted for the
European coasts the barometer, which has
been high for several days, falls quickly,
tho sky becomes overcast, rain begins to





other proofs are needed to show that it is
the storm that left the American coast sew
eral days before, particularly when the pre-
dictions and fulflments are repeated during
the year with but few exceptions. When
man like NJ. Faye, president Of the Bureau
OF Longitudes of France, raises his voice in
praise Of the HERALD's work it is sign that
Il, {o
proval. The voices of the camp OF grum-
blers are now very weak when they chant
| the "death song Of storm on the Atlantic
| or encourage the chalk trade in their vain
endeavors to show where ''some storms
| 90" ut private seances. In fact. that once
powerful band may be said to have passed
| away, and the lecture halls now only re-
sound with the complaining voices of the
| last of the ''meteorologists."