The Barometer in South Africa. 91 



The remarks already made indicate how these maps are used for 

 our daily forecasts. By 3.30 p.m. every day (excepting Sundays) a 

 forecast for the ensuing 24 hours is now exhibited at every telegraph 

 office in the Transvaal. This service started on the ist July, 1906. 

 It is pleasant to make this announcement here, because, as you will 

 remember, the Transvaal Meteorological Department is a child of the 

 Association. 



I consider that a very great obligation rests on the shoulders of 

 Government meteorologists in South Africa. The lot of the farmer 

 in this semi-arid country is not to be envied. It therefore behoves 

 us to do our utmost to assist him in his work by providing him with 

 the most accurate forecasts that science can furnish. It seems to me 

 that it will soon be in our power to do so with an accuracy unknown 

 in Europe or America, and if I am right in this opinion, let us 

 consider the effect. It is safe to say that it will improve the farmers' 

 chances of success by 25 %. 



I look forward to and will welcome similar forecasts from the 

 neighbouring services, and hope that it will not be considered out of 

 place if I make an earnest appeal to the Cape Meteorological 

 Commission to take a step forward and bring itself into line. We 

 value the 30 volumes of observation the Commission has already 

 published, but hope that the future will bring forth something more 

 than these weighty and somewhat crystallized compilations, each one 

 of which, by the very fact of those that have preceded it, is of less 

 value to meteorological science. 



Last week, I had the pleasure of a visit from Major Chaves, the 

 Director of the Azores Meteorological Service, who is visiting the 

 various colonies of South Africa to study the conditions of the 

 meteorological services there, and especially at the request of Mr. 

 Hugh de Lacerda, Captain of the Port at Lourengo Marques, to 

 report on the suitability of Delagoa Bay as a site for a first-class 

 meteorological observatory, which it has been proposed should be 

 erected there. Already east of 24° E.Long., there are several good 

 meteorological observatories, viz., Durban, Bulawayo, Kenilworth 

 (Kimberley) and Johannesburg, whilst on the west there is not one. 



A first-class meteorological observatory at the Cape, besides being 

 of great value in forecasting for Cape Colony, will also be of great 

 value to all the other Colonies of South Africa. I venture to hope 

 that this Association, which was instrumental in starting the Transvaal 

 Weather Service, will urge the Cape Government to start such an 

 observatory near the Cape Peninsula. 



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