August 25, 1904] 



NA TURE 



405 



The objects of this last extension have already been in- 

 dicated. It will afford the Indian meteorologists the data 

 necessary for the investigation of the extension and intensity 

 of the more important variations in the meteorology of the 

 whole region, to correlate the abnormal features in the 

 atmospheric circulation over the area, and more especially 

 to ascertain the causes of the occasional failure of the mon- 

 soon rains in India. Finally, it will, it is hoped, enable the 

 Department to collect the information and acquire the 

 additional experience necessary in order to render the 

 seasonal forecasts more trustworthy and satisfactory than 

 thev have been during the past six or seven years. 



The area to be dealt with (viz., the Indo-oceanic area) 

 is partially covered by a number of independent meteor- 

 ological systems, including those of Egypt, East, Central 

 and South Africa, Ceylon, Mauritius, the .Straits Settle- 

 ments, and Australia. Large areas, as, for example, 

 Arabia, Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet, and the greater 

 number of the islands of the Indian Ocean, are now almost 

 completely unrepresented. 



The departments controlling these systems work indepen- 

 dently of each other, chiefly for local objects, and are in 

 no w.ay officially correlated or affiliated. Their methods of 

 observation and of discussion and publication of meteor- 

 ological data differ largely. It is hence difficult, if not 

 almost impossible, to make satisfactory comparisons of the 

 data, and trace out for the work of current meteorology 

 the extension or field of similar variations, their relations 

 to each other, and their probable influence on the future 

 weather. 



The work which should be carried out in order that the 

 investigation of the meteorology of the Indo-oceanic area 

 might be effective and as complete as possible includes the 

 following : — 



(i| The extension of the field of observation by the 

 establishment of observatories in unrepresented areas, and 

 the systematic collection of marine meteorological data for 

 the oceanic area. 



(2) The collection and tabulation of the data necessary 

 to give an adequate view of the larger abnormal features 

 of the meteorology of the whole area. 



(3) The direction by some authoritative body of the regis- 

 tration, collection, and tabulation of observations by similar 

 methods in order to furnish strictly comparable data for 

 discussion. 



(4) The preparation of summaries of data required as 

 preliminary to the work of discussion, and for the inform- 

 ation of the officers controlling the work of observation in 

 the contributory areas. The earliest publication of the data 

 should be regarded as essential for the use of officers issuing 

 seasonal forecasts. 



(5) The scientific discussion of all the larger abnormal 

 features in any considerable part of the area and their corre- 

 lation to corresponding or compensatory variations in the 

 remainder of the area by a central office furnished with an 

 adequate staff. r, 



(()) Possibly, sufficient authority on the part of the central 

 office to initiate special observations required for the 

 elucidation of special features for which there are no 

 arrangements in the general work, of the various systems. 



The Indian Meteorological Department is making pre- 

 parations to carry out a portion of this work ; and will 

 undoubtedly do the best it can single-handed with its limited 

 means. It cannot do the work fully and as it ought to be 

 done. It can do nothing which requires authoritative 

 control over the remaining meteorological systems in the 

 Indo-oceanic field. It is collecting information from those 

 who are willing to supply it, and will utilise it for its 

 speci.il purposes. 



It is evident the work can only be carried out fully by 

 the co-operation of the various systems subject to limited 

 control by a central office with acknowledged imperial or 

 general authority behind it. The most important part of 

 the work from the standpoint of the science of meteorology 

 is the comparison and discussion of the whole body of 

 observations. The constitution, position, and authority of 

 the central office is hence of the greatest importance. It 

 is quite certain that none of the meteorological systems 

 directly concerned can provide such a central office. If the 

 work is to be carried out fully and systematically it can 

 only be arranged for in England, and by the English 



NO. 18 I 7, VOL. 70] 



Government assuming the general direction and control. 

 At the present time a section of the English Meteorological 

 Office is devoted to the study of oceanic meteorology for 

 the information of mariners. Another section should be 

 created for the study of imperial meteorology for the benefit 

 of its dependencies and colonies. I have reason to believe 

 that the Government of India would contribute its share 

 towards the cost of this extension of work. 



In the preceding remarks are given the chief reasons for 

 an important extension of work now in progress in the 

 Indian Meteorological Department, an extension which can 

 only be carried out imperfectly by that Department, but 

 which could be performed with most valuable scientific 

 results by the co-ordination of the labours of the weather 

 bureaus concerned, with a central institution or investi- 

 gating office in England under Government control. 



Perhaps I may be permitted, from my Indian experience, 

 to add some general remarks bearing on the methods and 

 progress of meteorological inquiry. 



In India the collection and publication of accurate current 

 data relating to rainfall and temperature is required for the 

 information of Government in its various Departments. 

 The collection and examination of pressure and wind data 

 by a central office with a view to the issue of storm and 

 flood warnings is equally necessary. This work may, 

 perhaps, be described as pertaining to descriptive or economic 

 meteorology. 



Economic meteorology, so long as it deals only with 

 actual facts of observation, is not a science. Forecasts 

 belong to the same department or branch of meteorology. 

 They may be based on scientific theory and be obtained by 

 scientific methods or the utilisation of empirical knowledge. 

 The latter method is probably sufficient for by far the greater 

 part of short-period forecast work, but the final development 

 of that work and the preparation of long-period forecasts 

 require the application of exact scientific methods and 

 knowledge. And it is, perhaps, not too much to say that 

 the extension of the range or period of forecasts is a measure 

 of the progress of meteorology as a science. India, by the 

 simplicity and massiveness of its meteorological changes 

 (and perhaps Australia and Africa), appears to be best 

 suited for the earliest experiments in this work. 



India is, however, poor, not only in material wealth and 

 capital as compared with England, but also in the appliances 

 and means of scientific investigation, and hence looks to 

 England for assistance and guidance in scientific matters. 

 Unfortunately, England lags behind, not only the United 

 States and Germany, but even behind India, in the important 

 field of scientific meteorological inquiry. It will suffice to 

 give a single illustration of the anomalous and inferior 

 position which England takes in such matters. 



All meteorologists and scientific men generally are agreed 

 that the exploration of the middle and upper atmosphere 

 by any available means — e.g., kites, balloons, &-c. — is of the 

 utmost importance at the present stage of meteorological 

 inquiry. The United States, France, and Germany have 

 taken up the work vigorously. The English Meteorological 

 Office is unable, for want of funds, to share or take any 

 part in the work. The force of scientific and public opinion 

 is apparently powerless to move the English Government 

 to grant an extra five hundred pounds annually for this 

 work. The English Government, on the other hand, some 

 time ago suggested that the Indian Meteorological Depart- 

 ment should assist. The Government of India, recognising 

 the importance of the work, has provided the funds and 

 sanctioned the arrangements necessary in order that its 

 Meteorological Department may march with the most pro- 

 gressive nations in this investigation. 



India has no body of voluntary observers or independent 

 scientific workers and investigators. Whatever is required 

 to be done to extend practical and theoretical meteorology 

 can only be effected by the Government Department to which 

 that work is assigned, with the sanction and at the cost of 

 the Government — which naturally considers chiefly its 

 practical wants in relation to its limited resources. It is, 

 from one point of view, a painful if not quite an unexpected 

 experience to me, on mv retirement, to find that the Govern- 

 ment of India is, in its attitude towards meteorological 

 inquiry, more advanced, more liberal and far-sighted than 

 the English Government, and that England has not yet 

 taken up seriously the work of scientific meteorological 



