XIV REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



WEATHER BUREAU. 

 WIRELESS TELEGRAPH FOR THE BENEFIT OF COMMERCE. 



Important extensions of the Weather Bureau work have been made 

 during the past vear. Recognizing the advantage that would result to 

 commerce and navigation b}^ the establishment of wireless electrical 

 communication between vessels at sea and exposed points on our lake 

 and sea coasts, and also between islands along said coasts and the main- 

 land, the Weather Bureau was directed to systematically investigate 

 the various methods of electrical communication without wires. The 

 progress made is eminently satisfactory. New appliances have been 

 devised for the transmission of signals, and receivers have been con- 

 structed that probably are more delicate than any heretofore made. 

 Messages already have been successfully transmitted and received over 

 50 miles of land, which presented a rough and irregular surface, con- 

 ditions most unfavorable for the transmission of electro-magnetic 

 waves. It is believed that the efficiency indicated by such transmis- 

 sion overland is sufficient to operate successfully over several hundred 

 miles of water. The apparatus used is capable of further improve- 

 ment. 1 hope the time is near at hand when the great number of 

 craft employed in the coastwise commerce of the United States and 

 over its great inland seas will be placed in instantaneous communica- 

 tion with the numerous stations of our AW^ather Bureau, which are 

 located at all important ports. The matter is one of such great impor- 

 tance to our conunerce that I have authorized extensive experimenta- 

 tion, which, from the success so far attending our efforts, will be 

 vigorously prosecuted. 



SPECIAL STORM FORECASTS FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN. 



Another important addition to the work of the Weather Bureau in 

 the near future will be the beginning of special storm forecasts for the 

 North Atlantic Ocean, a step made possible both by the use of the 

 reports received from the West Indies, the Bahamas. Bermuda, and 

 those to be received from the Azores and Portugal through the new 

 cable system connecting Lisbon, the Azores, and New York City. 

 Arrangements already have been made by which daily observations 

 will be received from Great Britain and France. The transoceanic 

 and coastwise commerce of the several nations will doubtless receive 

 as much benefit from this extension of the weather service as the com- 

 merce of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and our South Atlan- 

 tic cities has received as a result of the action of the United States in 

 extending its meteorologic reporting stations over all the important 



