18S9.1 287 



[Blasius. 



ence," and others; and also by the accounts of almost every violent 

 storm. In explaining that storm, it was also shown that the Sio-nal Ser- 

 vice might have telegraphed it to the coast three days in advance, if they 

 had acted according to the views above presented, instead of following 

 the old traditional theories. 



I have since on similar occiasions called attention to the characteristics 

 of this kmd of storms, and the flxct that the Signal Service men have this 

 time predicted, at least, 'Might showers on the coast," shows some 

 progress. 



There is another fact to show that the Signal Service during the last few 

 years is not degenerating, but improving. It consists in the practical adop- 

 tion, at least sometimes, of the law of oscillations in air movements as 

 published in my work on "Storms," instead of the rotary law heretofore 

 followed. 



Those unacquainted with the science will understand this important 

 change better when I indicate the effect in the prognostications. In the 

 earlier days the prognostications contained the information of the approach 

 of a cyclone or anticyclone, or what is identical, of an area of low or high 

 pressure. Now we read of the approach of a warm or a cold wave. That 

 the present indications are of more practical value to the public than the 

 former must be obvious to any one who gives the subject any thought at 

 all. A knowledge in advance of a change in the temperature or moisture 

 of the atmosphere assists us in regulating our health, our industries and 

 in short, everything that relates to the comforts of life. The fact that the 

 pressure will be a little more or less does not materially affect us. The 

 predictions according to the oscillation law, or the warm and cold air 

 movement, did not prove so effective as they would have been, had they 

 not also retained the old traditional theory of a cyclonic air movement at 

 the same time. To assume a straight line air movement and, at the same 

 time, that of a cyclone, must cause confusion in the predictions. 



When at the close of the war, at the suggestion of the late Prof 

 Henry, the Signal Corps was changed into the Signal Service Bureau, and 

 every soldier and officer of it became, at one stroke of the pen a full- 

 fledged meteorologist, I expected that with the aids and resources at their 

 disposal they could not help stumbling upon some very important discov- 

 eries which I had made some thirteen years previous. General Meyer was 

 an excellent organizer, but he created, after all, only a machine, a body 

 without a soul. Seeing how observations were made, I became convinced 

 that they would not reach any valuable results necessary for successful 

 practical progress. 



The public is accustomed to assume that he who gets an office, gets also 

 the necessary knowledge and wisdom for it. The public wants to harvest 

 where it has not sown, and it had to be satisfied. So General Meyer man- 

 aged to get high percentages in verifications. He showed progress by 

 increasing them. The beginning was already as high as seventy-five per 



