WEATHER BUREAU. 61 



Weather Bureau during tlie latter lialf of the year. Similar work 

 has been organized at regular Weather Bureau stations at Ithaca, 

 N. Y., Lansing, Mich., and Madison, Wis. Observations are made 

 twice daily, and the indicated wind conditions at various heights 

 are telegraphed to the central office for use in furnishing advices to 

 the military, naval, and postal aviation services. The Weather 

 Bureau observations are supplemented by similar reports from sev- 

 eral military and naval air stations where work with pilot balloons 

 is regularly conducted. All of the free-air records thus obtained are 

 furnished to the central office for final reduction and study. 



Both during and after the war there was close cooperation with 

 the Army and Navy meteorological services. Special data were fur- 

 nished also to the ordnance departments and to the military intelli- 

 gence and aviation services. Advices were given to the United 

 States Navy in connection with its trans-Atlantic flight project, 

 further details of which are stated under the section on forecast 

 service. 



TELEGRAPH SERVICE. 



The prompt collection and dissemination of weather reports and 

 warnings require an extensive network and use of commercial tele- 

 graphic facilities. Various elements of a disturbing nature con- 

 tributed generally, and in some phases in an aggravated form, to a 

 continuance of the difficulties experienced during the preceding year 

 in maintaining the telegraphic circuits at a high standard of effi- 

 ciency, although some improvement was noted during the last half 

 of the year. Chief among the causes were shortage of experienced 

 operators in the commercial companies, necessary employment of 

 untrained forces, substitution of machine for manual transmission of 

 telegrams over trunk lines, the epidemic of influenza, abridgment 

 of the hours of labor, late opening of telegraph offices at numerous 

 small but important points, preventing dispatch of observations at 

 usual times, and, latterly, the prevalence of minor strike condi- 

 tions. 



Effectual means were promptly taken by the commercial companies 

 as a rule, however, to remedy unsatisfactory conditions upon presen- 

 tation of complaints, and, on the whole, the telegraph service was 

 performed as efficiently as could have been expected. 



Changes in telephonic rates, effective January 21, and in tele- 

 graphic rates, effective April 1, imposed additional difficulties in 

 examination and passage of accounts for service, necessitating a large 

 volume of correspondence to effect proper adjustment. 



A complete revision of forms showing distribution of forecast mes- 

 sages throughout the country, approximately 1,100 daily, was accom- 

 plished, resulting in much improved record lists. 



During May and June a large number of telegrams was handled in 

 connection with the trans-Atlantic flights in which the Weather 

 Bureau cooperated with the Navy Department, additional telegraphic 

 loops having been installed for the purpose. As this business was 

 filed during the rush hours of the morning and evening, its handling, 

 coupled with the other routine work, taxed the operating facilities 

 to the utmost. 



The services of another clerk-operator are much needed to properly 

 handle the telegraphic and auditing work throughout the crop and 



