CXLII ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



of such goods in the Dominion now consult the weather service before 

 Bending forth consignments. 



Special warnings of snow and drift were issued to all Canadian rail- 

 ways whenever it was deemed necessary and various electric railways have 

 made a practice of consulting the Central Office as to the weather of the 

 coming night, the information supplied enabling them either to reduce 

 the working staff on duty to a minimum, or on the other hand to take 

 unusual measures to prevent snow blockade. 



During the late autumn many telegrams were received from vessel 

 masters wishing to cross the lakes, requesting special forecasts as to prob- 

 able winds and weather, and indeed, in some cases, asking as to the ad- 

 visability of starting. 



During the year 1908, 1,5G1 storm warnings were issued to Cana- 

 dian ports, and of these 90 per cent were verified; beyond this it may 

 be stated that during this year there was no general and heavy gale along 

 any of our coasts, for which good warning was not given. 



During the past few months at the request of the Government of 

 Newfoundland, arrangements have been completed whereby that colony 

 will in future receive storm warnings and forecasts from the Central 

 Office of the Canadian Service — special bi-daily bulletins being issued 

 daily to that colony by telegraph from Toronto to a distributing agent in 

 SI. John's. 



Climatology. — The climatological stations in the Dominion now 

 number 423, and the records obtained at these stations are collated and 

 studied at the Central Office; means are computed and some approach to 

 satisfactory normal values are now available for nearly all portions of 

 the Dominion. 



Last summer a full meteorological equipment was furnished to each 

 of six stations between the Athabaska river and the Arctic Sea, namely, 

 Fort McMurrmj, Hay River, Fort Norman, Fort Good Hope, Fort Simp- 

 son and Fort Macpherson; and from reports received recently by winter 

 mail from the north, it is evident that these outlying posts will furnish 

 most valuable data, not only as i-egards the path of storms across America, 

 but also as regards the mean distribution of pressure in high latitudes. 



Seismology. — The Milne seismographs at Victoria and Toronto have 

 been kept in operation throughout the year, 54 disturbances being re- 

 corded by the former and 46 by the latter. The Calabrian quake was 

 recorded by botli instruments, the preliminary tremors arriving at To- 

 ronto two minutes earlier than at Victoria, while, however, the latter 

 showed somewhat the larger movement. Jt is proposed to install very 

 shortly improved open scale recorders for the seismographs, in place of 



