WEATHER BUREAU. 15 



The relations between the velocitj^ of the wind and dangerous 

 changes in water level seem to be sufficiently definite to attempt to 

 forecast them for the benefit of local interests at Buffalo and the 

 western end of the lake, especially the last named, where a know- 

 ledge of the changes in depth of water in the channel at the mouth of 

 the Detroit River would be of great value to vessel interests. 



CONVENTION OF V^^EATHER BUREAU OFFICIALS. 



The triennial convention of Weather Bureau officials met at Mil- 

 waukee, Wis., August 27-29, 1901. There were in attendance one 

 hundred of the directing officials of the Bureau, representing every 

 section of the country and every branch of the weather service. The 

 entire scientific staff, consisting of seven professors, was present and 

 took part in the proceedings. The Secretary of Agriculture honored 

 the convention with his presence just before its close, and in a few 

 well-chosen remarks congratulated the convention on the achieve- 

 ments of the weather service and the high standard of its personnel. 

 The citizens of Milwaukee gave the members of the convention and 

 their guests a banquet at the Pfister Hotel on the evening of the last 

 day of the convention. The banquet was presided over by Hon. E. C. 

 Wall, president of the chamber of commerce. The Press Club of 

 Milwaukee also generously entertained the convention at a reception 

 one evening during its stay in the city. 



Much work valuable to the Government service was accomplished 

 by this gathering together of the leading officials of the Bureau. The 

 report of the convention has been printed as Bulletin No. 31. It 

 comprises 250 pages and contains all of the papers read before and 

 discussed by the convention. This report will be read and studied 

 by the officials of the Bureau who were not in attendance at the con- 

 vention. By thus printing and disseminating a complete rei^ort of 

 the convention the younger observers and officials of the Bureau are 

 given nearly as much benefit as though they had been in attendance. 

 The printed report contains so many valuable papers and discussions 

 that it will be found of great interest to many who are interested in 

 meteorological problems and who are not connected with the Govern- 

 ment. The esprit de corps and the devotion to their chosen profes- 

 sion of the officials of the Weather Bureau are well shown by the fact 

 that, although it was required that thej' bear the expense of attendance 

 upon the convention, except for transfjortation, practically all of the 

 prominent officials of the Bureau were in attendance, and many others 

 were anxious to go who could not be spared from their official duties. 



VriRELESS TELEGRAPHY. 



Experiments in space, or wireless, telegraphy were begun January 

 1, 1900, in accordance with the orders of the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 and carried on under the directions of the chief of the Weather 

 Bureau. Prof. R. A. Fessenden was placed in immediate charge of 

 the work and continued in that capacity until .July 30, 1902, when he 

 was succeeded by Mr. A. H. Thiessen. 



While much valuable information has been secured and a fairly 

 satisfactory experimental system has been devised, I am not able to 

 report such progress in the investigation as would justify the Depart- 

 ment in dispensing with its coast telegraph lines or the cables that 

 connect certain islands with the mainland. 



