254 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION A. 



thereby performinji; with great precision for the land 

 stations that which is aecoraplished with moderate pre- 

 cision by branch I. for the entire ocean. 

 On the recommendation of the Committee, Mr. R. H. Scott, 

 F.R.S., was appointed director of the meteorological office, Capt. 

 Toynbee, R.N.. as marine superintendent, and Mr. Balfour Stewart 

 as director of the Kew Observatory. 



Shortly after, the storm warnings, which had been temporarily 

 suspended, were resumed, and daily forecasts have been issued up 

 to the present time with a very fair amount of success. It soon 

 "became evident, however, that concerted action to secure uniformity 

 of systems and a more complete organisation was urgently necessary ; 

 and, on the invitation of Ur. Bruhns of Leipzig, Dr. Wild of St. 

 Petersburg, and Dr. Jehnck of Vienna, a meeting of meteorologists 

 was convened and held at Leipzig in 1872. The invitation stated 

 that ■* the development of in':erest in meteorological investigation 

 in modern times among all civdiscd nations has brought into 

 prominence a requirement which has long been felt, viz., that of 

 greater uniformity of procedure in different countries." This was 

 followed by congresses at Vienna in 1873, at London in 1874, at 

 Rome in 1879, the last being at Munich in 1891. 



In the United States, where they have done more, perhaps, than 

 any other country, a very complete system was organised in charge 

 of the Chief Signal Officer, no expense being spared, and for many- 

 years three synoptic weather charts were issued daily. 



Turning again to Australia, we found the same need for uni- 

 formity and co-operation between the colonies, and, at the instance 

 of Mr. Russell, a conference was held at Sydney in 1879, which 

 was attended by the following delegates : — Mr. Russell, Govern- 

 ment Astronomer, New South Wales ; Mr. Ellery, Government 

 Astronomer, Victoria ; Mr. Todd, Government Astronomer, South 

 Australia; Sir James Hector, K.C.M.G., Inspector of Meteoro- 

 logical Stations, New Zealand. 



Aher discussion the following resolutions were arrived at: — 

 I. That, in view of the great importance which a better know- 

 ledge of the movement and origin of strong gales and 

 storms on our coastlines and neighboring seas is to the 

 shipping and commercial interest generally, it is desirable 

 to secure, as far as possible, co-operation in all the Aus- 

 tralasian Colonies for the investigation of storms, as well 

 as for agricvdtural and general climatological purposes. 

 II. That, with the view of giving effect to the foregoing reso- 

 lution, similar observations and the same form of publi- 

 cation should, as far as possible, l)e adopted throughout 

 the colonies. 

 III. That, in order effectively to carry out tbe objects of the 

 Conference, as affirmed in the foregoing resolutions, it 

 is desirable to establish first-class meteorological stations 



