WEATHER BUREAU. 59 



tary service, supply commanders with every species of meteorological 

 information needed for the most effective work with infantry, air- 

 planes, poison gas, etc. 



In the United States the cooperation with the Signal Corps has 

 been intimate and continuous, comprising the special training of 

 meteorologists, first at numerous Weather Bureau stations, and later 

 the detailing of two Weather Bureau men for the purpose of giving 

 full courses in meteorology to a large body of soldiers gathered for 

 this and other purposes at a suitable camp at College Station, Tex. 



The activities of the Weather Bureau in connection with the war 

 are briefly summarized as follows : 



Furnishes forecasts and warnings — 



a. To army cantonments and camps and naval bases. 

 6. To railroads in connection with handling and transportation of food 

 and other supplies. 



Furnishes War and Navy Departments with meteorological instruments. 



Supplies meteorological data to the Surgeon General's Office for use in con- 

 nection with studies of dietetics, camp sanitation, hygiene, and the like. 



Makes aerological investigations to secure free-air data for aviation and 

 artillery uses. 



Conducts special work with kites to test searchlights at night and as an 

 aid to artillerists in detecting moving objects in the air. 



Cooperates with the Signal Corps in training balloonists and enlisted men in 

 meteorological work. 



Reports vessels entering and leaving Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coast ports. 



Transmits naval and military business over its telegraph and cable lines. 



Assisted in the organization of gas and flame regiment. 



Transferred to War Department, for service in France, meteorological ex- 

 perts and forecasters. 



More detailed mention of other important features of this work 

 will be found in the topical presentations which follow. 



FORECASTS AND WARNINGS. 



FORECAST DISTRIBUTION. 



The fixed policy of the bureau to purge, from time to time, its 

 lists of those receiving maps, bulletins, forecast cards, etc., by mail 

 has effected a coiisiderable reduction in the number of telegrams 

 sent and cards delivered, but without, it is thought, materially im- 

 pairing the value of the service. The vital interests centered in 

 food conservation and production, and the growing appreciation by 

 farmers and agriculturists of the value of the forecasts and warn- 

 ings of the Weather Bureau have necessitated increased effort to 

 extend the free distribution of such information by telephone, 

 through the cooperation of the rural telephone lines, with consider- 

 able success. In one State the forecasts were made available by 

 telephone to one fifth as many subscribers as there were inhabitants 

 in the State, and five-sixths of the post offices received the foTecast 

 cards by mail on the day of issue. 



TRANSPORTATION OF PERISHABLES. 



Because war conditions and the congestion of transportation en- 

 tailed conservation in every direction, special effort was directed to 

 the effective distribution of shippers' forecasts and the warnings of 

 injurious weather conditions, such as cold waves, frosts, etc. Infor- 

 mation received from several sources clearly shows the great value 

 of these warnings and the saving they make possible. 



