54 AITNUAL LEPOKTS OF DEPAETME:XT OF agfjcultuhe. 



navigation on the Great Lakes, the oceans, the Gulf of ]\Iexico, and 

 the Caribbea^i Sea, and for hurricanes. There can be no question but 

 that this service saves many lives, and that property to tiie vahie of 

 millions of dollars has been protected and saved through the prompt 

 issue of these warnings by the AVeather Bureau. 



FUTURE DEMANDS. 



With the wider recognition now accorded a]:)])liod meteorology, in- 

 creased demands are being made for information and forecasts. Ad- 

 vices of various kinds and forecasts are already being supplied the 

 Air Services of the Army and the Navy and the Post Office Depart- 

 ment, and it seems altogether probable that the growing demands 

 for information and forecasts of a meteorological character will so(;n 

 make necessary a new branch of forecasting planned to care prima- 

 rily for the interests of aerial navigation. 



RECENT EXAMPLES. 



During 1919 there Avere two notable cases of the importance of accu- 

 rate meteorological information and forecasts in connection Avith 

 aerial navigation. The one vras that of the trans-Atlantic seaplane 

 flight by the United States XaA'y in May, and the otlier that of the 

 visit of the British dirigible, the R-34, to our coimtry during July. 

 In both these instances the fullest cooperation on the part of the 

 Weather Bureau was requested by the United States Navy. Com- 

 plete synoptic meteorological reports Avere placed at the disposal of 

 the officials of the NaA'y, and in addition the forecaster on duty pre- 

 pared and issued forecasts based on the 8 a. m. and 8 p. m. regular 

 observations for the commanding officers of these operations. 



THE TKANS-ATLANTJC SEAPLANE FLIGHT IN HAY, 1019. 



The start of the trans-Atlantic seaplane flight (United States 

 Navy) Avas made from RoclcaAvay the moi'uing of JNIay 8, two of the 

 planes, the NC-1 and NC-3, reacliing their destination, Halifax, the 

 afternoon of the same day. The NC-4 developed engine trouble and 

 put into Chatham, Mass. The forecast issued the morning of the 

 8th Avas as folloAvs: "JNIoderate nortliAvest and Avcst Avinds. Fair 

 Aveather to-day. Friday; fresh north to east Avinds, cloudy Aveather 

 Avith rain over southern half of course." The evening of the 0th the 

 following forecast was made for the seaplanes between Halifax and 

 Trepassey Bay, NeAvfoundland : "AVeather favorable for flight Sat- 

 urday. Gentle variable Aviiuls. Fair Aveather. Wind velocity less 

 than 15 miles an hour." The morning of the 10th the forecast for 

 the same course read: " P^iir Aveather Halifax to Newfoundland. 

 (uMitle variable Avinds. except uiodcu-ate Avest and nortliAvest off south 

 coast of Newfoundland." Tlie flight from Halifax to Trepassey Bay 

 Avas nuidc on the 10th and the tAvo seaplanes making it reached their 

 destination the aftei-noon of the same day. In the meantiuie the 

 seaplane NC-1, at Chatham, Mass., had made ready for a rencAval of 

 the flight to Halifax, but it Avas held there for several duy^ because of 

 adverse Avind and weather conditions. On the evening of the I'Uh 

 the following forecast Avas sent the connnander of the sea])lane NC-4 

 at Chatham, INIass. : "Conditions favorable for start from Chatham 



