422 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



tors, but also the means by which certain facts may be observed, tele- 

 graphed, charted, and studied a thousand miles away, and the occurrence 

 of fog predicted with almost unfailing accuracy, even while the very ele- 

 ments themselves are only preparing for its formation. By means of such 

 predictions the safety of navigation along the greatest highway of ocean 

 traffic in the world will be vastly increased — routes traveled yearly at 

 almost railway speed by vessels intrusted with more than a million human 

 lives and property of an aggregate value of fully a billion dollars." 



The lecturer closed his lecture by referring again to the commercial im- 

 portance of the great body of water known as the Bay of North America, 

 exhibiting diagrams that brought out very clearly to the entire audience 

 the various features of greatest importance in connection with a compre- 

 hensive and effective system of telegraphic weather service for the benefit 

 of the commerce of every nation frequenting these waters, as well as of 

 the inhabitants of its coasts and islands, from Venezuela to Newfoundland. 

 A photograph of a superb relief model, the property of E. H. Butler & Co., 

 of Philadelphia, illustrated the general topographic relief — an essential feat- 

 ure in connection with meteorology; a chart of ocean currents indicated 

 their important bearing on the subject, and a map of telegraph lines and 

 cables, existing and proposed, showed that the shore and islands were 

 joined by an almost perfect network, giving the most admirable facilities 

 for an almost perfect system. The conclusion of Mr. Hayden's paper was 

 as follows: 



" In apology for having detained you so long to-night, I must plead the 

 tremendous importance of the subject you have chosen for my remarks, 

 the vast field it covers, the completeness of the records and data at my 

 command, and my own absorbing interest in the subject. Here in this 

 great Bay of North America commercial interests are at stake of vastly 

 greater importance than in any similar body of water in the world — inter- 

 ests involving every commercial nation. To the north are the British Prov- 

 inces, already cooperating with our Signal Office, descendants of our own 

 forefathers, and linked to ourselves by the strongest bonds of geographic 

 position and commercial interests. Then comes this great Republic, just 

 growing into the full strength of manhood, and reaching out the hand of 

 peace and friendship, not of conquest, to all mankind. To the south, the 

 Spanish American Republics and the greater and lesser Antilles, where 

 almost every European flag is represented, and where the benefits of an 

 efficient weather service, conducted by means of united efforts and well 

 directed cooperation, would be enormous. The completion of the Nicara- 

 gua Canal wull soon change the great routes of ocean traffic, and divert 

 into these waters half the tonnage of the world. Coincident with my 

 recent visit to Havana, a Department of Marine Meteorology, or a Marine 

 Observatory, has been established under the direction of my esteemed 

 friend, Captain Luis Garcia y Carbonell, of the Spanish navy; and the 

 French and Spanish cable companies, with a broad minded and generous 

 liberality, have granted him the franking privilege for his telegrams over 

 all their lines. Will it be too much to hope that our own companies will 

 grant us the same privilege over their lines from Key West to Havana, and 

 to Tampico, Vera Cruz, and Progreso? 



" Here at home we have a superb weather service, the admiration of the 

 world — a fact I would call to the attention of that portion of the press that 

 racks its brains to get up cheap jokes about it — but circumstances have 

 compelled it to devote almost its entire attention to the pressing needs of 

 our great inland States, and to almost neglect commerce and the seaboard. 

 I was amused the other day to read of the anxiety shown by Lieutenant 



