402 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



searches ; nor does any one feel that he has attained to any degree of 

 usefulness until this has been accomplished ; accordingly, all unite in 

 expressing the hope that we shall now push on in the field of astro- 

 nomical activity." Encouraged by such expressions, he declared as 

 the sentiment that should actuate the future course of the institution, 

 that " the pursuit of abstruse astronomical investigations, and the utili- 

 zation of practical astronomy are equally important to the true inter- 

 ests of the observatory, and should be simultaneously cultivated." 



In the more detailed plan for the future activity of the observatory 

 which he outlined in his inaugural report, Prof essor Abbe gave a promi- 

 nent place to the particular subjects, in connection with which he has 

 won fame. It was his desire, primarily, to extend the field of activity 

 so as to embrace, on the one hand, scientific astronomy, meteorology, 

 and magnetism, and, on the other, the application of these sciences to 

 geography and geodesy, to storm predictions, and to the wants of the 

 citizen and the land-surveyor. In meteorology, he remarked, the ob- 

 servatory ought to keep record of regular hourly observations of all 

 phenomena depending upon observations of the atmosphere : " The 

 science of meteorology is slowly advancing to that point at which it 

 will begin to yield most valuable results to the general community. 

 Although we can not yet predict the weather for a week in advance, 

 yet we are safe in saying that, with a proper arrangement of outposts, 

 we can generally predict three days in advance any extended storm, 

 and six hours in advance any violent hurricane. This may be effected 

 simply by constituting the observatory a central station, to which tele- 

 graphic reports of the weather are regularly daily transmitted. The 

 careful study of these dispatches enables the meteorologist safely to 

 make the predictions mentioned, which can be at once disseminated 

 through the public papers or otherwise. In France, Italy, and Eng- 

 land, and on our own eastern coast, such storm-warnings are considered 

 of very great importance." The co-operation of the Smithsonian ob- 

 servers and those of the army had already been promised ; and at the 

 end of the year, in consideration of the fact that the most of our storms 

 appear on this side of the Rocky Mountains and move eastward, observ- 

 ers had been secured at Omaha, Cheyenne, Sherman, and Salt Lake 

 City. It would also be one of his objects to secure and supply more 

 accurate determinations of time, and for this purpose the observatory 

 would furnish the hour regularly to all the watchmakers who would 

 apply for it ; an offer was also made to the municipal government to 

 furnish it to the city. 



The location of the observatory in the smoke-saturated atmosphere 

 of Cincinnati had been for some time recognized as unfavorable, and 

 efforts were making to secure a more suitable position for it. While 

 this was going on there could be but little heart in such measures as 

 might be proposed for permanent improvements in the building or the 

 fixed apparatus. It therefore seemed evident that the remaining time 



