WEATHER BUREAU. 177 



call letters for each; and lists of submarine signal-bell stations, with 

 code. 



As evidence of the general appreciation in which the charts are 

 held, the following are quoted from letters received during the year: 



From the American consul at Dundee, Scotland: 



1 take this opportunity to say that recently the captain of one of the Clan liners, 

 then in this port, called at this ofhce on receiving a letter sending him a supply of 

 these weather-report forms and ocean charts, when he expressed his thanks to the 

 American Government for the courtesy in supplying these charts, and desired to say 

 how much they were appreciated by ISritish shipmasters, at the same time speaking 

 in terms of the highest commendation of the system adopted for collecting materials 

 for keeping the charts fully up to date, to which he would give his cordial cooperation. 



From Capt. T. W. Fickard, of the British S. S. Ningpo: 



I am of the opinion that your publications are of extreme value to seafarers gen- 

 erally, and I think that we should all cooperate with you in the good work. 



MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS. 



Additions have been made to the useful information contained in 

 the calendars for the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and these have 

 been distributed to all cooperating officials. The large chart, for- 

 merly issued, showing the classification of clouds, has been put in 

 book form, making it more convenient for use and increasing its dura- 

 bility. It contains full descriptive matter and illustrative plates, 

 with a view to aiding observers in the identification of the several 

 cloud forms according to the International System of Classification. 

 A new and enlarged edition of the Instructions to Marine Meteorolog- 

 ical Observers, with a complete index, was issued during the year. 

 The form used in reporting observations has been remodeled into a 

 more light, compact, and convenient form. Its reduction in bulk 

 will also effect a saving in postage. 



COLLECTION OF METEOROLOGICAL DATA. 



The weather reports from vessels are mailed to the Washington 

 office by the observers or are forwarded through the local offices of 

 the Weather Bureau. In foreign ports they are usually forwarded 

 through the American consular offices. The American consuls at 

 154 of the principal foreign ports have assisted the bureau in the 

 collection of marine meteorological data from vessels and in the 

 distribution of meteorological forms, charts, and pamphlets. During 

 the year, 2,416 cooperating observers forwarded 10,669 books of 

 weather reports. 



The Weather Bureau maintains marine centers at its principal 

 seacoast and lake stations, and an official at the center visits vessels 

 in the harbor for the purpose of comparing barometers, securing 

 observers, and collecting marine meteorological observations. Offi- 

 cers and observers of cooperating vessels visit the offices of marine 

 centers for information, comparison of instruments, and supplies of 

 meteorological charts and forms. These offices are equipped with 

 standard instruments, marine instrument shelters, textbooks, and 

 other accessories to this work. Assistants are assigned to special 

 duty at New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle in connection 

 with this work. The official at Seattle has supervision of the meteor- 

 ological work of all vessels entering Puget Sound. 



23165°— AGB 1911 12 



