WEATHER BUREAU. 83 



WORK ACCOMPLISHED DURING THE YEAR. 



Requests for data fi-om all classes of our citizens, from the courts, 

 from corporations, and industrial interests, continued with increas- 

 ing; \()lume. Publications available for distribution afforded a con- 

 venient means of answering many of these requests. Tn many other 

 cases, however, it was necessary to extract material from the orij^i- 

 nal records. All were answered as fully as possible, and in no in- 

 stance, as far as official records show, was dissatisfaction expressed 

 at the efl'ort made to meet the wishes of the applicant. On the other 

 hand, hundreds of letters, voicing keen appreciation for the intelli- 

 <ronce displayed in interpretin": and frequently anticipating the needs 

 of tiiose ai)plying for information, have been received. 



OCEAN METEOROLOGY. 



In recognition of the increasing importance of marine meteorology 

 consequent upcm the growth of our merchant marine and the develop- 

 ments in transoceanic flight, the marine work of the Bureau was 

 organized as a division of the central office, effective April 1. 1020. 

 Prior to that date the work at Washington Avas conducted l)y tiie 

 marine section, n branch of the climatological division. Outside of 

 AA'ashington marine work is carried on b}' officials of the Bureau 

 located at the principal ports, in connection with other duties. 



During the year the marine work progressed along the usual lines. 

 There Avas a substantial and satisfactory increase in the number of 

 reports received from ships, sufficient to Avarrant the expectation that 

 the total luimber Avill shortly equal or possibly exceed that of the 

 prcAvar period. Every effort Avas made to secure additional i-ej^orts. 



The examination and charting of reports from tlie North Atlantic 

 Ocean Avas continued and some tentative Avork done in connection 

 Avith the charting of rejiorts from the North Pacific Ocean. Sum- 

 maries of Aveather conditions o\ev bnth these oceans Avere ])ublishe(l in 

 the Monthly Weatlier PevieAv. and tracks of the more important 

 storms furnislied the llydrograidiic Office, under departmental ar- 

 rangement, for ]iul)lication on tlie pilot charts. An in<'reased amount 

 of data Avas .sui)plied for use in Admiralty cases. Officials at AVeatlier 

 Bureau offices located at the ]-)rincipal iK)rts Avere actively in touch 

 Avith maritime interests. 



The safe ami economical operation of ships depends largely ni)on 

 a fundamental knoAvledge on the part of their officers of the Aveather 

 of the oceans. If the United States is to succeed in its efforts to con- 

 duct an extensiA-e merchant marine, one of the necessary conditions 

 is that it add to the present-day knoAvledge of ocean or marine 

 meteorology. The Weather Bureau is the governmental agency 

 charged by laAV Avith the duty of furnishing meteorological informa- 

 tion in the aid of navigation and has been earnestly endeavoring to 

 meet the demands upon it in this field. AVar and postwar develop- 

 ments have. hoAA'ever. broadened these demands until the Bureau is 

 unable adequately to nu>et the needs of the situation Avith the re- 

 sources now at its connnand. 



