NATURE 



515 



THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1874 



METEOROLOGY IN FRANCE 



WE hail with much satisfaction the movement which 

 has just been made by the French Government 

 in the direction of a more effective organisation than has 

 hitherto existed for the investigation of the meteorology 

 of France. The best results may be expected from the 

 step just taken, which is detailed in the printed documents 

 quoted below,* and when we consider the great con- 

 tributions made to practical meteorology by Le Verrier, 

 the distinguished head of the Paris Observatory, in the 

 Bulletin International, the Atlas des Mouvements Ge'ne- 

 raux dc lAtmosphere, and the Atlas des Orages origi- 

 nated under his direction, we may rest assured that these 

 hopes will be fully realised. 



In the decree of February 13, 1S73, in which the basis 

 of the reorganisation relative to the meteorology of 

 France was laid down, occurred the following reso- 

 lutions : — 



" I. The investigation of the great movements of the 

 atmosphere and meteorological warnings for the sea- 

 ports and for agriculture are remitted to the Observatory 

 of Paris. 



" 2. The working out of the meteorology of the various 

 river-basins of France, and cognate inquiries, is handed 

 over to Commissions representing the different regions 

 and departments of the country, the organising of which 

 the Council of the Observatory is commissioned to 

 prosecute." 



In carrying out these resolutions, the meteorological 

 warnings to the seaports were re-citablished by the 

 Observatory on May 1 7 of the same year. The duty of 

 issuing meteorological announcements to all departments 

 for the benefit of agriculture, especially in time of harvest, 

 was recognised, and it was at the same time suggested 

 that an inquiry be set on foot with the view of organising 

 a system by which this could be effectually done. 



As regards the second resokition, a systematic inquiry 

 into the climate of France had been organised in 1865 by 

 the appointment of Departmental Commissions, and 

 the establishment of a system of observations chiefly by 

 the primary normal schools. At first, when the Depart- 

 mental Commissions were yet imperfectly organised, 

 it was found necessary to concentrate the observations 

 made over the country in the Observatory of Paris, which 

 undertook their discussion and publication ; but this 

 system, which was forced on the Observatory at the time, 

 could not be indefinitely continued with advantage. The 

 grounds for this opinion are stated in these words : — 



"From 1S69 the Observatory continued to point out 

 that the discussion of the climatic conditions of the 

 different river-basins of France could not be concentrated 

 in Paris with advantage. It seemed necessary that the 

 large body of skdled meteorologists that had been 

 formed during the four years which had elapsed should 

 boldly take the observations into their own hands, in order 

 to discuss them and deduce from them the scientific 

 truths they may be shown to teach. It was not merely 

 from the advantages which would accrue to meteorology 

 itself by adopting this hne of action that the effort 



* " Letter from M. A. de Cumont, Minister of Public iDstruction to the 

 Prcfe s of the Dep,irtmcnts, Pans, October cj, 1874." "Letter from M. 

 Le Verrier, Director of the P.iris Observatory, to the Presidents of the 

 Meteorological Commissions of the Departments, Paris, Oc.obcr 9, 1S74.' 



Vol. X. — No. 261 



towards decentralisation was put forth, but from the 

 intimate bearing which the partition of the work of 

 meteorological inquiry over the whole breadth of the 

 country had on the scientific movement of France, in 

 favouring the spirit of original inquiry and research with- 

 out which no nation can take a high position in science." 



The circumstances which followed hindered the carry- 

 ing out of these proposals. .Subsequently, however, the 

 matter has been resumed and dealt with successfully in 

 several parts of the country, particularly in the basin of 

 the Meuse and over the western sea-board of the Mediter- 

 ranean, by concerted action on the part of the five 

 dcp.artments of Herault, Gard, Aude, Pyrdndes-Orientales, 

 and Lozire. The Astronomical Commission nominated 

 for the purpose of proposing the best measures to be 

 taken in reorganising the astronomical department 

 entered into the same view, and recommended further that 

 inquiries referring to the climate of France be remitted to 

 Regional Committees appointed by departments groupsd 

 together according to the river-bisins. 



" But it must be observed that the proposed institution 

 of Regional Committees will in no way interfere with the 

 Departmental Organisation, but is intended, on the con- 

 trary, to give greater weight and vigour to the operations 

 of the Departmental Commissions, in that united action in 

 certain lines of inquiry is therel^y facilitated ; it being 

 evident that the area embraced by a single department is 

 too small for the proper study of many of the widespread 

 meteorological phenomena which pass across it. The 

 local Commissions have repeatedly drawn attention to 

 this great disadvantage ; the organisation by regions will, 

 however, henceforth give to the departments the means 

 of publishing the results of their inquiries in a more com- 

 plete form. In correcting the system of centralisation 

 which had been carried to so great an excess, it is not 

 intended to leave the Commissions to themselves, with no 

 connecting link between them and tlie Central Adminis- 

 tration. On the contrary, the Observatory of Paris is 

 specially instructed to be in active and fruitful corre- 

 spondence with the Departmental Commissions, and to 

 give assistance, as far as the Commissions may desire, in 

 organising them by regions." 



The programme, thus briefly sketched, has been only 

 imperfectly followed out, solely on account of the pecu- 

 niary difficulties. But these difficulties the National 

 Assembly has now removed by authorising the necessary 

 funds. What then is now required, and what is now 

 asked by the Minister of Public Instruction, is that the 

 Prefects enter in the departmental budgets such a sum as 

 may in each case be required by the Commission, and 

 we are glad to learn that there is no doubt that the 

 request will be generally acceded to. M. de Cumont con- 

 cludes his letter with the remark : " I shall act in concert 

 with my colleague, the Minister of the Interior, in carry- 

 ing out the propositions of the decree of Feb. 13, 1873, to 

 secure the regular despatch of the meteorological warn- 

 ings to those departments whose scientific Comrnissions 

 are put in possession, of the requisite funds to enable 

 them to take advantage of the warnings in the interest of 

 agriculture." 



In the meantime, the Observatory has hastened the 

 resumption of the publication ^of the " Atlas Mcteorolo- 

 giques de la France," which has been stopped for some 

 years. To mike up for lost time, the first issue, which is 

 ready for deliveiy, embraces the three years 1869, 1870, 

 and 1871, and consists of four parts, viz. :— 



D n 



