36 



NATURE 



[March 13, 1913 



The coded part of the message is given in seven 

 groups. The first group, BCM, stands for the 

 Bureau Central Meteorologique, and indicates the 

 source of the information. The above-named 

 stations are indicated by the single letters printed 

 in brackets above. 



Bureau Central Meteorologique. 



;. 2. — Chart showing the positions of the statioi 

 Atlantic, the meteorological conditions at wl 

 by radio-telegraphy from the Eiffel Tower 

 indicated.) 



iring the North 

 lily transmitted 

 t for names of 



Low pressure west Europe high to the north. 



It is impossible to overestimate the great value 

 such messages can be to outward and homeward 

 bound ships that receive them, for instead of 

 having to gauge the approaching weather condi- 

 tions from their own isolated observations they 

 can form a far more accurate judgment by the 

 deductions from the radio-telegraphic data. 



While the distribution of time and weather 

 signals will be of general utility, perhaps its most 

 important value will be felt by sailors. Cut off 

 from all shore communication with the exception 

 of wireless, they will be put on nearly the same 

 equality as land stations when the international 

 system is in full swing. 



William J. S. Lockyer. 



The first two figures in each group indicate the 

 barometric pressure in millimetres, it being under- 

 stood that 700 mm. should be added. The next 

 two figures represent the wind direction in points 

 of the compass as follows : — 



NOTES. 



In the King's Speech at the opening of Parliament 

 on Monday reference was made to the following 

 mailers, among others, to be brought forward during 

 the session : — A guarantee from the Imperial Ex- 

 chequer of a loan by the Government of the Sudan 

 for the development therein of the industry of cotton- 



The fifth figure denotes the wind force on a 

 scale ranging from o, a calm, to 9, a hurricane. 

 The sixth and last figure shows the state of the 

 sea, a "calm" being denoted by o and "tre- 

 mendous " by 9. 



In the case o£ Reykjavik and St. Pierre, the 

 sixth figure is omitted, no reports for transmis- 

 sion being available. 



It sometimes happens that when the messages 

 are being sent out from the Eiffel Tower, some 

 of the data for some of the stations have not been 

 received by the Bureau Central Meteorologique, 

 and therefore cannot be transmitted. In these 

 cases the signal -..- or X is substituted for 

 any unknown figure. 



The following statement gives a full translation 

 of the message marked (a) given previously, the 

 code letters and figures being given in the first, 

 third, fifth, seventh, and eighth columns. 

 NO. 2263, VOL. 91] 



growing:; proposals for the better care and control of 

 the feeble-minded and for the further restriction of the 

 industrial employment of children ; proposals for the 

 development of a national system of education. In 

 the course of his comments upon the last-named 

 subject, Lord Crewe remarked, in the House of Lords, 

 that it is not the intention of the Government to 

 endeavour to force through Parliament in this session 

 a vast measure dealing with national education. 

 I" But in view of what has fallen from the Prime 

 Minister, and also in view of the observations made 

 by the noble and learned lord on the Woolsack at 

 Manchester in the beginning of January, which were 

 the sequel to a close inquiry into the subject, we think 

 it is quite proper to place the country in possession 

 of the general lines of our intentions during the 

 coming session, although I do not suppose that we 

 shall be able to proceed very far towards getting them 



