410 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



was placed in charge of special duties of telegraphy, etc., being au- 

 thorized to establish signal-stations at lighthouses and life-saving 

 stations wherever they might be convenient to his pui-poses. The 

 training school at Fort Whipple, the signal-service drill, and the strict 

 discipline of the weather corps, were all due to General Meyer's di- 

 recting mind. 



" From national observations it was quite in the natural order of 

 things that General Myer's work should expand to international dimen- 

 sions. The success of the United States Signal-Service Bureau excited 

 the greatest interest abroad, and similar institutions were inaugurated 

 in several of the European countries. Long before, General Myer had 

 conceived the bold idea of a system of simultaneous observations in 

 all parts of the Northern Hemisphere, and as soon as he could do so he 

 pushed the matter onward, until in September, 1873, an International 

 Congress was convened in Vienna, and he was sent there as the dele- 

 gate from the United States. To this Congress General Myer pro- 

 posed that ' it is desirable, with a view to their exchange, that at least 

 one uniform observation, of such character as to be suited for the prep- 

 aration of synoptic charts, be taken and recorded daily and simul- 

 taneously at as many stations as practicable throughout the world.' 

 This proposition was unanimously adopted, and, as the delegates were 

 virtually empowered to speak for their several countries, this vote as- 

 sured the existence of the international system. From its very incep- 

 tion this system has proved a wonderful success, and now the follow- 

 ing countries are taking simultaneous observations and exchanging 

 them : Algiers, Australasia, Austria, Belgium, Central America, China, 

 Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Greenland, Ice- 

 land, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, 

 Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunis, Turkey, British 

 North America, the United States, the Azores, Malta, Mauritius, the 

 Sandwich Islands, South Africa, South America, and the West Indies. 



" On the 1st of July, 1875, General Myer began to issue from the 

 Army-Office at Washington the daily printed bulletin. July 1, 1878, 

 the same office began to publish its daily international weather-map, 

 which added to General Myer's triumphs. He also instituted a system 

 of observations in ocean meteorology, simultaneous with the inter- 

 national observations. These have proved of immense value, and at 

 present nearly a hundred observers are engaged therein. Thus the 

 work has gone forward, constantly extending, constantly progressing 

 in accuracy. 



"General Myer paid a second visit to Europe last year, ostensibly 

 for rest. At the request of the Italian Government, he gave valuable 

 information concerning the system, and instead of a pleasure-trip this 

 turned out a laborious one, and finally at Venice General Myer was 

 prostrated by the trouble which eventually has caused his death. 



" Like so many other men who have won eminent position through 



