REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. XV 



steamships show that these forecasts and special warnings hav^e been 

 well verified. 



In November, 1900, arrangements were made with Portugal to 

 receive reports from the meteorological observatorj^ at Horta, in the 

 Azores. Observations are now regularly received by cable from that 

 place, and they are of much value in the work of forecasting the move- 

 ments of storms on the Atlantic Ocean. 



THE GALVESTON HURRICANE. 



The principal storm of the year was the West Indian hurricane 

 which devastated Galveston, Tex., September 8, 1900. This was one 

 of the most destructive storms on record. Upward of 6,000 human 

 lives were lost, and property to the estimated value of $30,000,000 was 

 destroyed. 



The wisdom of Congress in appropriating for the establishment of 

 weather stations in the West Indies was well demonstrated by the 

 warnings that were issued well in advance of this storm, from the time 

 of its inception in the Caribbean Sea to its arrival at Galveston, and 

 thence throughout its course to the Great Lakes and onward to the 

 Atlantic* Ocean. 



NEW FORECAST DISTRICTS. 



Three additional forecasting districts have been established and 

 designated as the New England district, the West Gulf district, and 

 the Rocky Mountain district, with headquarters at Boston, New 

 Orleans, and Denver, respectively. The last appropriation bill passed 

 by Congress made provision for three additional forecast ofiicials to 

 be placed in charge of these districts with authority to issue forecasts 

 and warnings for the several States that are comprised in each district. 

 This system has the advantage of enabling the forecaster to devote 

 more time to the consideration of the predictions for each State and 

 of securing an earlier distribution of forecasts. As these forecast 

 officials were selected on account of their ability as forecasters for 

 their respective sections, it is expected that an improved service will 

 result. 



IMPROVEMENT IN FORECASTS. 



Special consideration has been given to the subject of increasing the 

 accuracy of the forecasts of the Weather Bureau to the highest degree 

 attainable, and as a means of stimulating among the employees of the 

 Bureau the study of the problems of weather forecasting announce- 

 ment has been made that hereafter marked success in forecasting, the 

 invention of new methods of forecasting, or the discovery of new facts 



