Year: 1877




Our Cable storm Warnings.


All successes are won after struggles, more
or less severe, against moral or physical OPP
position, which is not, however, always dis
sipated by accomplished facts. Positive
demonstration has still to battle for SUI
premacy of influence against doubt and in
credulity for a long time after its unanswer-
able logic has been employed to settle ques-
tions. 1t Is not the fault of the demonstra-
ton, but Of the jealousy or perversity Of
disposition, which combats truth for the
mere sake of opposition. We all remember
how clearly it was proved to the satisfaction
of the essayist that vessel propelled by
steam machinery could never be built to
cross the Atlantic Ocean. The arguments,
based on quasi-scientific ideas, appeared to
be sound, at least to the ignorant, and the
proposition to construct an ocean steamship
was received with SCOTS and ''lcarned" ridi-.
cule. We do not suppose that the HERALD
system of storm warnings by cable is likely
to be accepted as being as sound and re-
liable in principle as it has proved success
full in practice without undergoing course
of captious criticism in England. The
warnings come from America, and are
therefore to be, regarded with suspicion, no
matter how completely they may be full
filled.


correspondent of the London Times,
whose communication was printed in that
journal on last Saturday, makes a state
ment, as related in our special cable de-
spatch this morning, which another cor
respondent, writing from Edinburgh, for
mulates MS follows THAT "cable messages
from the United States forewarning of the
probable impact Of cyclone on the British
shores are altogether Elusive and not worthy
found opinion we are reminded of the case
Of the lawyer who, when consulted by an
incarcerated client as to the best way of
getting out of the trouble. told him, 'sMy
man. they dare not put you in prison it
would be wholly illegal" The poor client
could only reply, 'But I am in prison. :"
''The HERALD cannot send reliable warm
ings," says the correspondent of the Times.
But the HERALD has sent them, replies an
other writer, who got the warning week in
advance of the storm, which he describes as
striking exactly on the day predicted. 1t is
sufficient, we presume, for all the practical
purposes of such warnings that they are full
filled to the letter. Life is too short, as the
saying goes, to argue against the stupidity
that will not recognize facts. Ii we were adj
vancing theory only as to the feasibility of
doing that which we have already done we
should endeavor to remove doubts by argu-
ments founded on the principles Of the
laws governing the movement Of the at
mosphere. But we have reduced theory
to successful practice and are applying the
latter to the benefit of commerce and navis
CATION in manner SO entirely satisfactory
to the intelligent majority that we can
afford to let the ignorant minority hold to
their opinions and express them if they
please. The late NJ lie Verrier, one of the
most distinguished scientists Of the century,
not only indorsed our work as successful
but took steps before his last illness to CO.
operate with us in the most effective man
ner. The principles on which we have
founded the system Of storm warnings were
accepted by him as entirely satisfactory,
and we purpose to continue to pursue them
with the complete success that has hitherto
attended US. In taking the initiative in this
important work the HERALD has instituted q
very thorough system of oceanic observa-
tions, conducted in connection with our
weather service by the able commanders
and officers of the principal transatlantic
and coast steamship lines by means of
the data collected in this and other ways we
are enabled to predict the arrival of storms
and the attendant conditions on the Euro
pean coast many days ahead, and thus give
shipmasters and others timely warning to
prepare for the approaching danger.