Meteorology 655 



In 1848 Arnold Guyot came to the United States, and at 

 the meeting of the American Association held in Philadel- 

 phia in that year he met Henry, who at once consulted him in 

 regard to the development of the collection of meteorological 

 observations. Guyot was charged with the selecting and or- 

 dering of the improved instruments that were required. 1 He 

 rejected the old barometers in favor of the cistern barometer 

 of Fortin as improved by Ernst, and further improved in ac- 

 cordance with his own suggestion as regards safety of trans- 

 portation, resulting in the instrument made by James Green, 

 of New York, and known as the " Smithsonian barometer." 

 Each instrument made according to this pattern was num- 

 bered and accurately compared with a standard. 2 The set of 

 instruments sent out consisted of a barometer, thermometer, 

 hydrometer, wind-vane, and snow and rain gauge. 3 In the 

 Smithsonian Report for 1850, from which so much has 

 been quoted, Henry says: "The most important service the 

 Smithsonian Institution has rendered to meteorology during 

 the past year, has been the general introduction into the 

 country of a more accurate set of instruments at a reason- 

 able price." 4 The distribution of these sets of standard in- 

 struments accomplished much in the way of disseminating a 

 greater knowledge of meteorology, for there were many per- 

 sons who were glad to purchase them for their private use, 

 but who were unwilling to bind themselves to the strict com- 

 pliance required by the rules of the service. The result was 

 the establishment of numerous small meteorological observa- 

 tories scattered throughout the country that became local 

 centers of scientific observation and contributed toward the 

 development of the science. 



Guyot was further intrusted with the preparation of a 



1 Dana, James D., "Memoir of Arnold 2 Smithsonian Report," 1850, page 17. 

 Guyot," Biographical Memoirs, National 3 Ibidem, 



Academy of Sciences, Volume u, page 338. 4 Ibidem. 



