64 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AG>RICULTTJEE. 



similar to that existing in the States. Practically all the stations in 

 the Territory were visited during the year, and reports are now 

 being received with much more regularity and in greater number 

 than previously. 



OCEAN METEOROLOGY. 



In general the work of the Marine Section has progressed along 

 the usual lines. The war has still further reduced the number of 

 vessel weather reports received from the north Atlantic Ocean, but the 

 number of reports from the north Pacific continues to increase, though 

 slow^ly. A considerable number of reports, largely from the north 

 Atlantic Ocean, are being withheld by the naval and military 

 authorities until after the war. The work of charting reports from 

 the north Pacific Ocean, begun last year, is proceeding. 



The extensive ship-building program on which the United States 

 has embarked creates an increased need for more complete knowl- 

 edge of weather conditions over the seas, and when peace again 

 prevails ocean meteorology will claim far greater attention on the 

 part of the Weather Bureau than ever before. Evidence of this is 

 indicated by the increasing number of requests for information 

 respecting weather conditions at sea received by the Bureau during 

 the year. 



The publication in the Weather Review of the monthly summaries 

 of weather conditions over the north Atlantic Ocean, together with 

 charts showing the averages of pressure and temperature, the prevail- 

 ing direction of the winds, and the paths of the more important 

 storms, has continued. 



DATA AND INFORMATION SUPPLIED. 



Many extra demands for data, resulting from the war, have come 

 from the several Government departments, particularly from the 

 Aviation and Medical sections of the War Department, which have 

 required extensive computations of climatic data for consideration 

 in determining the location of flying fields, sites for hospitals, etc. , 



TELEGRAPH SERVICE. 



Notwithstanding the serious strain imposed upon the telegraph 

 and telephone systems by war conditions, transmission of Weather 

 Bureau circuit reports, forecasts, and miscellaneous telegrams has 

 been accomplished, as a rule, without detriment to the public 

 service. Approximately 170 station reports, including their „recip- 

 rocal distribution over 21 circuits, represent the transmission of 

 4,500 reports twice daily, totaling over 3,000,000 code words an- 

 nually. The operation of this system in conjunction with the dis- 

 patch of a limited number of special messages daily places in the 

 hands of the public in every section of the country full knowledge of 

 the weather conditions over practically the entire United States and 

 adjoining territory at comparatively small cost. 



By arrangement with the Western Union Telegraph Co. the 

 preparation of the nijonthlj^ bills of that company has been materially 

 expedited by the use of telegraph division forms for that purpose. 

 Examination of all telegraph and telephone accounts presented by 



