658 The Smithsonian Institution 



have been waiting for its completion to commence a series of 

 investigations, with the materials now on hand, relative to the 

 progress of storms." 1 



The value of this map soon became apparent, and it is not 

 too much to say that the ambition of Espy "to lay down on 

 skeleton maps of the United States, by appropriate symbols, 

 all the most important phases of great storms " 2 became an 

 actuality under the administration of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion. As the data from various sources were received, the 

 meteorological conditions were indicated on the map ; and a 

 current weather map was the final culmination of the idea. 



It is thus described by Henry himself: "The first practical 

 application which was attempted of the principle we have 

 mentioned was made by this Institution in 1856; the infor- 

 mation conveyed by telegraphic despatches in regard to the 

 weather was daily exhibited by means of differently-colored 

 tokens, on a map of the United States, so as to show at one 

 view the meteorological condition of the atmosphere over the 

 whole country. At the same time publication of telegraphic 

 despatches was made in the newspapers." 3 This map was hung 

 where the public could have general access to it to observe 

 the changes, and its indications were first published at large 

 by signals displayed from the high tower of the Institution. 4 



The annual Report for 1858 describes it somewhat in de- 

 tail. It says: "An object of much interest at the Smithsonian 

 building is a daily exhibition on a large map of the condition 

 of the weather over a considerable portion of the United 

 States. The reports are received about ten o'clock in the 

 morning, and the changes on the maps are made by tempora- 

 rily attaching to the several stations pieces of card of different 



1 " Smithsonian Report," 1850, page 19. 4 Langley, S. P., " The Meteorological 



2 Page 651, this volume. Work of the Smithsonian Institution," page 

 3 " Scientific Writings of Joseph Henry," 219, "Bulletin No. II of the Weather 



Volume n, page 453, being an extract from Bureau," being a " Report of the Interna- 

 the " Smithsonian Report " for 1865, page $6. tional Meteorological Congress," held in 1893. 



