326 Mr. B. B. Scott [May 4, 



enjoys over its compeers. Firstly, an extensive continent from which 

 to gather its reports, with one language and one telegraphic system ; 

 secondly, a military organisation, which ensures due training and 

 proper subordination of the employes to their chiefs ; and thirdly and 

 finally, a most liberal supply of funds. 



In all these particulars European systems fall far behind that of 

 the United States. Our continent is not large, and it is cut up by 

 inland seas like the Mediterranean and the Baltic, while for us 

 in these islands, the ocean lies to the westward, and from that we can 

 at present gather no reports. 



Moreover, the difference of languages and habits between the 

 different states has been found, hitherto, to present insuperable difficul- 

 ties to the introduction of an absolutely uniform system of reporting. 

 To take one instance of the difficulty of organising weather reports 

 in Europe, information as to the state of Sea Disturbance on our 

 shores is justly considered one of the most important observations for 

 our coast observers, but when we came to devise an international code 

 for reporting, we found that inland organisations, such as that of 

 Austria, objected to setting apart any space in the code for such, to 

 them, uninteresting details. 



My audience will therefore sec that it is not easy for us Europeans 

 to devise a system of weather reporting which shall meet with 

 universal acceptance. 



Again, supposing that the code were satisfactorily arranged as 

 regards the reports of instrumental observations, it is found to be 

 practically impossible to organise a system of notices of the general 

 appearance of the sky and the weather, in fact, of the very indications 

 which are the most valuable of all to the skilled weatlier watcher. 



Here is the crowning defect of all centralised weather services 

 like our own ; the forecaster, situated at a distance of some hundred 

 miles from his most important stations, has to draw his conclusions at 

 second hand, from information at best scanty for each station, 

 frequently unpunctual in its arrival, and also at times entirely deficient 

 at the most critical moment, owing to interruptions in telegraphic 

 communication during stormy weather. 



The only practical mode of partially overcoming this difficulty of 

 excessive centralisation, would entail very considerable expense. It 

 would be the maintenance in the chief centres of population, of local 

 offices, charged with the preparation of forecasts for their own special 

 neighbourhood^!, and I fear that neither the Government nor the local 

 authorities would give money for such an experiment. 



No serious attempt at local forecasting is made in Europe, except 

 by one German newspaper, the Magdeburg er Zeitung, for the scheme 

 started in France by Leverrier shortly before his death, of local 

 forecasting by experts appointed by the Communal Authorities, was 

 speedily brought to a stop after his death by a demand from the French 

 Postal Authorities for the repayment of the expense of telegraphy. 



We are thus obliged to forecast for the whole country, and as the 



