REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 21 



(if computing the correction fiom the daily sohir constant observa- 

 tions themselves, and this wiis successfully accomplished during the 

 year. 



The most important feature of the year's work was the discovery of 

 an apparently considerable influence of short-period solar variation 

 on the temperature of the United States. The variations as recorded 

 through six consecutive years at Mount Montezuma were compared 

 with temperature changes in Washington, Williston, and Yuma, 

 selecting for the purpose sequences of ascending and descending solar 

 radiation values occupying about four days per sequence. Cor- 

 responding to the average change of 0.8 per cent in the sun, there 

 appear to be temperature changes of the order of 5° F. in Washing- 

 ton. The sign of the correlation changes in a very interesting way 

 during the year. Although this relation is complicated, it offers 

 promise for weather forecasting nearly a week in advance. These 

 are tentative results. It is proposed to study barometric pressures as 

 well as temperatures, and to extend the investigation to other parts 

 of the United States and of the world. 



INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE 



Since the suspension of publication of the International Catalogue 

 because of the inability of European countries to bear their share 

 of its financial support following the World War, the United States 

 bureau has made it a policy to spend only as much of the annual 

 congressional appropriation as is needed to keep the organization 

 alive pending the resumption of publication. 



The report of the assistant in charge. Appendix 9, quotes from 

 an article in Science by Dr. E. C. Richardson, who presents a strong 

 case for the importance of revivifying the International Catalogue. 

 His conclusions, in brief, are that the catalogue is an indispensable 

 tool for research workers; that an organization which, if scrapped, 

 would require a $3,000,000 endowment to build up again, is ready 

 and waiting to resume the work of the catalogue when a very modest 

 fund is made available to it; and that in the catalogue the research 

 (rust endowments will find an organization that pan give the greatest 

 bibliographical service to research for the least outla}' of funds. 



NECROLOGY 



WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT 



William Howard Taft, Chief JiLstice of the United States and 

 Chancellor of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 died in Washington on March 8, 1930. Of a man so prominently 

 before the American public for so many years, it seems unnecessary 

 here to present more than a very brief outline of his career. 

 2809.S— 31 3 



