NA TURE 



97 



THURSDAY, JUNE I, 1893. 



MODERN METEOROLOGY 



Modern Meteorology : an Outline of the Growth and 

 Present Condition of Some of its Phases. By Frank 

 Waldo, Ph.D., Member of the German and Austrian 

 Meteorological Societies, late Junior Professor, Signal 

 Service, U.S.A. (London : Walter Scott, 1893.) 



IF it be true that the condition of the weather forms a 

 general and engrossing topic for conversation among 

 Englishmen, books which treat of meteorology should 

 attract the attention of many readers in this country, 

 and Dr. Waldo be assured of many students. But in 

 this particular work the author has not dwelt upon the 

 more popular side of the subject, he has not exhibited 

 the capacity for making weather forecasts, or discussed 

 the success which has attended such predictions, or the 

 future that lies before work of that description. He has 

 had in view rather that smaller class of readers, with 

 whom meteorology means something real and hopeful, 

 and who by accurate and patient work are earnestly 

 striving to make it rank among the exact sciences. 

 Considering the very substantial progress that meteorology 

 has made, the opinion is shared by many, possibly by 

 the author of this work, that the day has already come 

 when this science is entitled to rank among the older 

 and more systematised branches of scientific inquiry. 

 This is entirely to misconceive the situation. Just as 

 incorrect and unfair would it be, to see in the widely 

 scattered and ardent meteorological observers, a class, 

 whose power and knowledge are limited to the acquisi- 

 tion of the readings of barometers and thermometers. 

 Meteorology may not yet have produced its Kepler, 

 certainly not its Newton, but working hypotheses, founded 

 on rigorous dynamical principles are everywhere being 

 tested, amended, harmonised with observed facts, 

 showing that the days of simple accumulation of observa- 

 tions are giving place to a new and more hopeful era. 

 It is with the earnest hope of encouraging and instructing 

 this army of observers, that Dr. Waldo in this little book 

 endeavours to place before them the most recent results, 

 which the pioneers of meteorology are seeking to establish 

 with a fair prospect of success. 



Dr. Waldo explains that he is mainly a student of 

 what may be termed the German school of meteorology, 

 a fact which may be expected to colour his work very 

 materially. Practically it has its advantages and 

 disadvantages. The views supported by that school 

 are set forth at very considerable length, and since the 

 ordinary English reader may nol have had the same 

 opportunities for making himself acquainted with the 

 original memoirs that Dr. Waldo has enjoyed, it is a 

 great advantage to be introduced to the special teaching 

 of von Bezold, or of Oberbeck, or von Helmholtz, by one 

 who has graduated in that school with no mean honours. 

 On the other hand it is curious to the English reader, to 

 find names which are asfamiliar tohim as household words, 

 authorities which he is accustomed to hold in the highest 

 respect, passed over with the briefest mention and 

 apparently as undeserving of consideration. This is a 

 disadvantage both to the author and reader. The 

 NO. I 23 I, VOL. 48] 



author admits the drawback and apologises for omissions 

 to French and English authorities, while in the student 

 it is liable to produce a sense of disproportion 

 and exaggeration, and even of unfairness to his own 

 countrymen. But with this exception, understood and 

 allowed for, this book is a valuable contribution to the 

 literature of the subject. 



In an introductory chapter, which might have been 

 extended with advantage, the author gives a rapid but 

 admirable sketch of the various sources whence the 

 recent history of meteorology may be gathered. These 

 sources include not only distinct treatises and the 

 periodical literature, but the work accomplished and 

 recorded at the various congresses that have been held 

 from time to time. This latter portion is treated in a 

 very sketchy manner, and might have been much en- 

 larged, lest the importance of such gatherings and the 

 international benefits to be derived therefrom should be 

 overlooked. 



The second chapter, which is practically a book of 

 nearly two hundred pages, will certainly not be considered 

 the least satisfactory part of the volume. Here is given 

 the history and description of the more important of 

 the meteorological instruments, with their methods of 

 use, and given too, at great length, because the 

 author asserts that there is no work in English which 

 gives an adequate description of such instruments. With- 

 out endorsing this somewhat sweeping assertion, there 

 can be no doubt but that this chapter is eminently 

 worthy the attention of those for whom in a great measure 

 the book is intended — the teachers of physical geography 

 and elementary physics. The author is as a rule fortu- 

 nate both in what he inserts and in what he omits in his 

 descriptions. His remarks on normal barometers are 

 especially valuable and will be much appreciated. Dr. 

 Waldo is particularly qualified to speak on questions 

 touching the construction of these instruments, for we 

 believe he was engaged in comparing the accuracy of 

 the various standard barometers in use in the prin- 

 cipal observatories in Europe. 



In the section on wind-measuring apparatus, is well 

 illustrated that feature to which attention has been called, 

 the small regard paid to English experiments in meteoro- 

 logical inquiries. We place very considerable confidence, 

 in this country at least, in the researches of Mr. Dines, 

 and are disposed to consider him as an authority on 

 the proper constant to be employed in the reduction of 

 the indications of Robinson's anemometer. It is true 

 these researches are not altogether ignored, but they are 

 dismissed in a couple of lines, which though they may 

 give fairly accurately one of the principal results of his 

 work do not in any adequate degree express the value ot 

 his inquiry, and this omission, if such it can be called, 

 contrasts very remarkably with the enormous space 

 which is given a little further on to the description of the 

 instruments and the record of the hourly and momentary 

 occupation of the staff at the Pawlowsk observatory. We 

 have no wish to disparage this, possibly, first of meteoro- 

 logical observatories. We believe all that experience 

 can suggest and devotion effect to secure accuracy and 

 well directed observation is done here. It may well be 

 that Pawlowsk presents us with an ideal meteorological 

 observatory, supported with magnificence and directed 



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