400 



NATURE 



[March 2,, 1877 



initial stages, will continue to do so under the existing condi- 

 tions. 



9. We think, however, that the Royal Society should be invited 

 to continue to recommend to the Government persons eminent 

 in science to superintend the work, under the title of a Metcoro- 

 Ic^ical Council. They should be appointed for limited periods 

 and should be eligible for re-appointment. They should be fewer 

 in number than the present Committee, and the means should be 

 provided of remunerating them in the shape of fees for attend- 

 ance. They should have and exercise complete control and 

 supervision over and be responsible for the business, expenditure, 

 and staff, the chief officer of which would be more appropriately 

 designated by the title of secretary than by his present title of 

 director. The important duty of selecting a chairman, would 

 rest with the Royal Society or with the members of the 

 Council. 



10. The present system of collecting daily information by tele- 

 graph and of issuing storm-warnings should continue. There is 

 evidence that it is of real value to the seafaring population, and 

 that it leads them to thought and observation on the subject of 

 weather. The want of communication by telegraph on Sundays 

 causes a serious defect in the system, which ought to be reme- 

 died. 



11. An endeavour should be made to put into clear shape, 

 and to issue, for public information, the maxims or principles 

 upon which storm-warnings are in future to be given. This in- 

 formation should be revised from time to time so as to embody 

 the latest results of experience. 



12. The process of issuing daily weather-charts, with explana- 

 tions, should continue, with such improvements as experience 

 may from time to time suggest. The information thus given not 

 only creates a general interest in the subject, but is of value to 

 persons who are disposed to engage in the discussion of scientific 

 meteorological problems. 



13. A certain number of continuously self-recording stations 

 should be retained. But it may deserve consideration by the 

 Council whether some at any rate of the existing stations may 

 not be discontinued, and others obtained on more eligible sites. 

 Doubts have also been expressed whether in the present state of 

 meteorological science the minute exactness of the observations 

 now taken at these stations is of sufficient comparative value to 

 justify the whole of the costs which they involve, when there are 

 so many other objects of meteorological inquiry which call for 

 increased expenditure. 



14. The present system of supplementing self-recording obser- 

 vations by returns from eye-observers at intermediate stations 

 should be continued. The positions of these latter stations 

 should, however, be revised, and their number increased, 

 especially in Ireland (where at present there are but few of 

 them) ; so that the returns may exhibit a fair representation of 

 the different climates and weather of the British Isles. Every 

 possible endeavour should be made to secure the co-operation and 

 assist the efforts of the different societies or other local bodies 

 engaged in meteorology, and to further the adoption of uniform 

 methods. 



15. The evidence of the Astronomer- Royal and of other scien- 

 tific witnesses contains some important observations on the form 

 and extent in and to which the results of the observations should 

 be published. This is a subject which deserves the careful atten- 

 tion of the Council with a view to saving all unnecessary ex- 

 pense on the one hand, and on the other to publishing the 

 results in such a form as may render them most available for 

 use by men of science. 



16. There is evidence to show that the system adopted in the 

 United States by which observations are taken over the large 

 area of the North American continent and are communicated by 

 telegraph to Washington, is of great value both for the imme- 

 diate practical purposes of agriculture and navigation, and also 

 as throwing light on the general movement of the atmosphere. 

 The position and extent of the United Kingdom do not admit of 

 any similar system of equal value. But it is desirable in the 

 general interests of science as well as for practical purposes, that 

 by means of co-operation between the different European nations 

 synchronous observations should be made throughout Europe 

 and the adjacent seas, so as to afford all possible facilities for 

 synoptic charts of the weather in Europe. To this end this 

 country should give all the heljj it can. 



17. There is important evidence that the science of meteoro- 

 logy at the present moment stands in need of hypothesis and 

 discussion at least as much as, if not more than, of observation. 

 It IS not easy to lay down any rule concerning the method by 



which such investigations may be promoted. But we think that 

 the Council should be at liberty to appropriate a part of their 

 annual grant to the purposes of any special researches which 

 they may think important, and in such cases it should rest with 

 them to select the investigators, and fix the remuneration. 



18. There is evidence of a connection between weather and 

 health ; but it does not appear that any special meteorological 

 observations are wanted at present, or are likely to be wanted in 

 future for this special purpose, other than the observations, 

 which, under the scheme we have recommended, the Council 

 should collect for general purposes. 



19. Again, the importance of meteorological data to the agri- 

 culturist and dealer in agricultural produce is clearly established. 

 But neither do their requirements demand other observations than 

 should be included in the general returns and information ob- 

 tained by the Meteorological Council. 



20. As regards the forms in which the information thus col- 

 lected can be made most available for sanitary and agricultural 

 purposes, it appears desirable that the Meteorological Council 

 should place themselves from time to time in communication 

 with the Registrars General, and with such bodies as the Medical 

 Council, and the Agricultural Societies of the United Kingdom. 



21. The expense of the scheme we have suggested may be esti- 

 mated as follows : — 



The following return has been prepared by members of our 

 Committee who are also members of the Meteorological Com-, 

 mittee of the approximate present cost of the Meteorological 

 Office :— 



Director s office and general control 2, 500 



Ocean meteorology, excluding supply of instru- 

 ments 1,500 



Land meteorology including self-recording ob- 

 servations and supply of instruments 3.500 



Telegraphy and storm-warnings 2,500 



Total ;ifio,ooo 



The modifications that have been proposed would lead to 

 certain additions to the necessary outlay, among which may be 

 specified — .^ ,, 



£ 



Remuneration of Council, say 1,000 



Special scientific researches 1,000 



Extension of telegraphy on Sundays 500 



New land stations 1,500 



Inspection of stations 500 



Total ;^4,50o 



Deduct for ocean meteorology transferred to 



Admiralty 1,500 



Net increase ;/^3,ooo 



This sum being added to the present grant of 1 0,000/. would 

 bring the whole sum to be placed at the disposal of the Council 

 up to 13,000/. yearly. Assuming the expense of ocean meteoro- 

 logy transferred to the Admiralty to remain under the new ar- 

 rangement at its old figure, 1,500, ^ the whole additional annual 

 burden on the National Exchequer proposed in the above sug- 

 gestions is 4, 500/. or 14,500/., instead of the existing grant of 

 10,000/. 



22. With reference to the Scottish Meteorological Society, 

 the representations of which have been specially referred for our 

 consideration, we desire to offer the following remarks : — 



It seems essential that any grant of public money for the pur- 

 poses that have been indicated in our recommendations, should 

 be applied under the immediate responsibility of the Council, 

 and that no expenditure should be incurred which those pur- 

 poses do not absolutely require. There is evidence to show that 

 a large and trustworthy amount of co-operation may be ob- 

 tained in all parts of the United Kingdom, from observers 

 who do not require remuneration for their service, and it seems 

 very important that such co-operation should be fostered to the 

 utmost. Any system of payment for meteorological registers 

 which was not very strictly limited, would necessarily involve 

 the concession of payments to all observers, and might entail a 

 very large outlay which has hitherto been avoided, and which 

 there is reason to believe is not at present really called for. 



We are of opinion, therefore, that only such payments should 

 be made from the grant placed at the disposal of the Meteoro- 

 ' See paragraph 23 of this Report. 



