448 WRITINGS OF JOSEPH HENRY. [1865 



observations extending over a large area, and the peculiar 

 advantages presented by our country for this object, were 

 early appreciated, and such a system was commenced in 

 ] 819, 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 phe- 

 nomena, 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 observation 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 appro- 

 priation of four thousand dollars for instruments, which were 

 distributed to volunteer observers. This system was con- 

 tinued about ten years ; 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 commencement 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 supple- 

 menting and harmonizing all the other systems, preparing 

 and distributing blank forms and instructions, calculating 



