WEATHER BUREAU. 293 



TELEGRAPH DIVISION. 



Besides performing the routine daily telegraph work at the central 

 office of the Weather Bureau, this division audits all accounts of the 

 bureau for telegraph and telephone service, amounting to more than 

 a quarter oi a million dollars annually. The services performed by 

 the various telegraph and telephone companies in collecting and dis- 

 tributing weather reports, forecasts, and warnings have been satis- 

 factory throughout the year. 



Except for temporary interruptions, the several sections of the 

 Weather Bureau telegraph and telephone lines were in continuous 

 operation during the year. The cable of the Block Island-Narragan- 

 sett section, extending from Block Island to Narragansett Pier, was 

 broken about 4 miles from shore by the anchor of a passing schooner 

 during a 60-mile gale on December 29, 1911. Eepair work was begun 

 on January 18, 1912, and two daj's later communication was restored 

 between Block Island and the mainland. The total cost of repairs 

 was $1,302.35. 



Communication was interrupted at intervals on the Norfolk- 

 Hatteras lines, but only one special observation was missed on account 

 of line trouble. Since the substitution of cross arms for brackets 

 at various points along this line its working condition has been mate- 

 rially strengthened and less line trouble has been experienced than 

 heretofore. A new two-conductor cable was laid across New Inlet, 

 N. C., October 8, 1911, replacing the worn-out and defective cable. 

 Splice work on the Manteo cable during the year cleared it of long- 

 standing trouble. 



The Life-Saving Service has rendered valuable assistance in mak- 

 ing minor and temporary repairs to the Weather Bureau line during 

 the year. 



The public receives marked benefit from the Weather Bureau line 

 in this section through the transmission of meteorological observa- 

 tions, storm warnings^ and vessel reports, as well as commercial mes- 

 sages. During the aviation meet at Kill Devil Hill in October nearly 

 60,000 words of press matter were sent over the seacoast line from 

 Manteo to the various newspapers of the country. 



The submarine cable from Key West to Sand Key, Fla., has worked 

 satisfactorily throughout the year. 



The operations of the Alpena, Thunder Bay, and Middle Island, 

 IMich., section have been satisfactory, and no general repairs have 

 been made during the year. These lines are of inestimable value to 

 maritime interests through the display of warnings that is secured 

 on Middle and Thunder Bay Islands, the most important points for 

 that purpose on Lake Huron, and the benefits given by the Weather 

 Bureau through their maintenance are appreciated by the vessel 

 interests. 



The seacoast telephone line between Point Reyes and Sari Fran- 

 cisco is in need of considerable repair. Funds have been authorized 

 for the most urgent repairs, and the line will be placed in good con- 

 dition during the coming year. 



The line of the Port Crescent-Tatoosh section continues to be of 

 great benefit to the shipping and fishing interests on Puget Sound. 

 Our shipping reports are watched closely in Seattle, Tacoma, Port 

 Townsend, and San Francisco, to which points are furnished three 

 daily reports of weather and shipping and special reports of inbound 



