O. MISCELLANEOUS. GO 7 



to communicate storm - signals, and to furnish the regular 

 weather dispatches to the Signal-office. The scientific data 

 to be collected by these parties will be of the utmost impor- 

 tance, giving us the means of determining with the greatest 

 accuracy the meteorology of the sea and its coasts, and there- 

 by greatly to improve the storm-signal system. 



It will be remembered that observers of the Signal Corps 

 are only assigned to duty after undergoing a rigid training 

 and severe examination at Washington, during which incom- 

 petent persons are weeded out, and none employed but those 

 who are prompt, accurate, and intelligent. They are there- 

 fore amply qualified to assist in scientific investigations of 

 any kind; and among their labors they will probably render 

 help in determining facts with reference to the fisheries of 

 the coast, in noting the arrival and departure of schools of 

 fish at various points, and thus communicating to the fisher- 

 men facts which they would otherwise gather only by acci- 

 dent, if at all. (The government of Norway keeps observers 

 on its coast with special reference to the herring -fishery.) 

 Important information with reference to mackerel, herring, 

 sword-fish, menhaden, or pogees, and other fish of economical 

 importance, will thus be obtained, to the great benefit of the 

 country. The general facts relating to the migration of 

 birds, the occurrence of periodical phenomena of vegeta- 

 tion, and other points will doubtless also be collected by 

 the office. 



Of the importance of the Signal Service and its operations 

 generally to the country it is hardly necessary to speak here, 

 as every one is satisfied that the expenditures, however great 

 they may be, are amply warranted, in view of the great im- 

 portance of the results. The estimate for the present year, 

 covering the entire service of the corps, and including the 

 new branch of the coast life-saving stations, is about $340,000 

 certainly a very reasonable outlay when we bear in mind 

 that within a short time a cargo of tea w r orth $100,000 was 

 saved by the timely information communicated from one of 

 the coast stations already established, by summoning to the 

 assistance of the crew relief vessels from a distance so great 

 that they could not otherwise have known of the wreck in 

 season. 



