METEOROLOGY AND ALLIED SUBJECTS. 23d 



baud form of Eobiusou's anemometers) black bulb or radiation thermom 

 eters. The adoption of isobaric curves was agreed on, as also the stand- 

 ard base maps on Mercator's projection, as also a system by means of 

 which to eftect the reduction of all the instruments to uniform systems 

 of standards. It is thus seen that the southern hemisphere, by means 

 of the extensive system of weather observations in Cape Colony, Aus- 

 tralasia, Argentine Confederation, and Chili, is, relatively speaking, as 

 well provided for on the land as the northern hemisphere was a few 

 years ago; and the jjrincipal extension now needed is the securing of 

 observations from the smaller islands and the increase of observations 

 on ships. 



The Central Meteorological Institute in Zurich, that has for years 

 been supported by the general Swiss association of scientists, was, by 

 decree of December, 1880, constituted a permanent official national 

 institute, and will bear the title " Central Swiss Meteorological Insti- 

 tution." It is intrusted with all official meteorological work, including 

 observations, investigations, predictions, &c., and is governed by a 

 commission organized under the department of the interior, and of 

 which the principal members are Profs. R. Wolf, of Zurich; E. Plan- 

 tamour, of Geneva; S. A. Forel, of Morges; E. Forster, of Berne; E. 

 Hagenbach, of Basel; H. Weber, of Zurich; and Coaz, chief forester 

 at Berne. Prof. R. Billweller is confirmed as director of the institute. 

 {Z. 0. G. M., XVI, 1881, p. 248.) 



The death of Brig. Gen. Albert J. Myer, which occurred at Buffalo 

 on August 24, 1880, and the subsequent appointment of Maj. Gen. Wil- 

 liam B. Hazen as Chief Signal Officer, has been a most important event 

 in the history of meteorology in the United States. The Signal Corps 

 of the Army owes its inception and establishment to General Myer, and 

 since the meteorological duties were imi^osed ujion it, in 1870, " has had 

 its growth in the generous support of the American people, and year 

 by year an increased confidence has been shown in the usefulness of its 

 work." The spirit that has been infused into the service by the acces- 

 sion of General Hazen is shown by the following quotation from his 

 first annual report : " The weather service of the United States has 

 been without a rival in the practical advantages derived from its labors, 

 but the day has now come when it should take its stand among the fore- 

 most in the scientific study and investigation of the higher branches 

 of theoretical meteorology, and it is upon such investigations intelli- 

 gently pursued that the hoped-for greater benefits must mainly rest. 

 I have endeavored to bring this service into active sympathy and co-ope- 

 ration with the ablest scientific intellects of the country." 



Among the numerous novelties briefly enumerated by General Hazen 

 in his report for the year ending June 30, 1881, are: raising the standard 

 of t\iQ persomiel of the corps; the weather forecasts for several days; 

 the organization of special service for the benefit of the cotton interests 

 and the fruit interests ; the preparation of new instructions, tables, instru- 



