52 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



far beyond any individual effort, and can only be projDerly accom- 

 plished by governmental aid. 



The importance of a combined S3"stem of meteorological observa- 

 tions extending over a large area, and the peculiar advantages pre- 

 sented by our country for this object, were early appreciated, and 

 such a system was commenced in 1819, under the direction of Dr. 

 Lovell, Surgeon General of the army. The stations embraced the 

 principal military posts, from which reports were made at the end 

 of each month as to the temperature, the pressure, and the moisture 

 of the air, the amount of rain, the direction and force of the wind, 

 the appearance of the sky, besides casual phenomena, such as the 

 aurora, thunder-storms, shooting stars, &c. In 1825 a similar system, 

 of more numerous stations in proportion to the area embraced, was 

 established in the State of New York, the points of observations 

 being the several academies, under the direction of the board of 

 regents of the university, an establishment having charge of the 

 higher institutions of learning in that State. 



In 1837 the legislature of Pennsylvania made an appropriation of 

 four thousand dollars for instruments, which were distributed to vol- 

 untary observers. This system was continued about ten j^ears; that 

 of New York has been kept up with more or less efficiency until the 

 present time; while the army system was continued until the com- 

 mencement of the war. 



The lake system, established by the engineer department, under 

 the superintendence of Captain (now General) Meade, consists of a 

 line of stations, extending from the western part of Lake Superior to 

 the eastern part of Lake Ontario, and has been efficiently continued 

 for several years. 



The Smithsonian meteorological system was commenced in 1849, 

 and, with occasional aid in defraying the expenses, has continued in 

 operation until the present period . It was, however, much diminished 

 in efficiency during the war, since from the southern States no records 

 were received, and many of the observers at the north were called to 

 abandon such pursuits for military service in the field. The efforts 

 of the institution in this line have been directed to supplementing and 

 harmonizing all the other systems, preparing and distributing blank 

 :forms and instructions, calculating and publishing extensive tables for 

 the reduction of observations, introducing standard instruments, and col- 

 lecting all public documents, printed matter, and manuscript records 

 bearing on the meteorology of the American continent, submitting 

 these materials to scientific discussion, and publishing the results. In 



