REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 37 



fied in every important instance. The world-wid-e survey of atmos- 

 pheric conditions presented by the synoptic charts for the northern 

 hemisphere has continued to be of great value in the preparation of 

 general weather and temperature forecasts for the United States for 

 a week in advance. During the year the field of observation over the 

 northern hemisphere was materially extended, reports having been 

 added from the Aleutian Islands by wireless and from stations in 

 Japan and China by cable. Cable observations are also being received 

 daily from an increased number of stations in Russia. 



By direction of the Secretary the Chief of the Weather Bureau vis- 

 ited England during the year for the purpose of taking part in the 

 International Radiotelegraphic Conference held at London on June 

 4 to July G, inclusive. As a result of his intercessions, which were 

 indorsed by all the delegates from the United States, the conference 

 agi'eed to an international regulation which shall give weather obser- 

 vations the right of way over all messages except distress calls. This 

 is an important regulation and will make it possible in time to or- 

 ganize complete ocean weather services, the value of which to life 

 and property through the issue of warnings to shipping at sea can 

 not be estimated. A valuable extension already inaugurated in the 

 weather service is the receipt by radiotelegraphic communication of 

 reports from vessels at sea along the middle and south Atlantic coasts 

 and in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, those being the regions 

 traversed by tropical storms before reaching our coasts. With the 

 further perfection of the wireless service these reports will become of 

 increased importance. 



Among the more striking weather features successfully forecast 

 during the year were: The cool weather following the prolonged hot 

 wave in July, 1911 ; the hurricane of August along the Georgia and 

 Carolina coasts; the freezes in the west Gulf States in November; 

 the severe freeze in California during December; the record-breaking 

 cold wave of January; and the heavy snowfalls in the Middle West 

 during the winter of 1911-12. The warnings issued in advance of the 

 two severe freezes in tlie west Gulf States in November enabled 

 sugar, orange, and truck growers to protect crops to the value of 

 several million dollars that would otherwise have been lost. During 

 the December freeze in California the citrus crop, valued at $40,- 

 000,000, sufTered damage to the amount of about $0,000,000. This 

 loss resulted from nn inadequacy of facilities for general smudging. 

 AVliere smudjrino: was done, not onlv the fruit buds but trees in bloom 

 were saved from injury. But for the frost warnings of the AVeather 

 Bureau at this time and the cooperative efforts of the orange growers 

 the loss would have approximated $20,000,000. 



