Development of Meteorohgic Methods. 93 



accepted with reluctance, and jiroves, if proof were needed, that 

 the holding of a commission does not emasculate intellectual 

 qualities. 



As to the Signal service in general, it collects and distributes 

 an enormous amount of weather data. In accuracy of collation, 

 in speed of collection from and distril)ution to distant points, in 

 extent and in legibility even of its ephemeral publications, the 

 service is not only unrivaled, l^ut is not even apj^roached by any 

 other weather service in the world. In attaining this practical, 

 excellence, many peculiar methods of work and a large number 

 of special mechanical devices were essential to the present suc- 

 cess, and in this connection the intelligent ability and interest of 

 the enlisted men who served as observers is evidenced by the 

 fact that far the greater part of these improvements in mechani- 

 cal details and office methods is due to ideas, suggestions, etc, 

 therefrom. The local observers in charge of stations throughout 

 the countrj^ have, almost without exception, obtained their entire 

 knowledge of weather predictions and their meteorological in- 

 formation while in this service. ^lore than one-third of the 

 observers in charge of stations have had the benefit of some col- 

 legiate training, and the satisfaction of observers with their 

 status is evinced l.\v the fact that their average length of service 

 has been 13 years, while the entire life of the' service has only 

 been 20 years. Only a small percentage of the observers have 

 left the Signal service save to lienefit themselves by accei:)ting 

 duties of a more responsible and lietter compensated character, 

 which often have opened n\) to them through their connection 

 with the Signal service. 



The military staff of the Signal service has all these years 

 worked under the greatest possible disadvantages, receiving no 

 additional pay for the performance of weather duty. Their jDro- 

 fessional standing in the army often suffered from their absence 

 from their corps, and they received scant acknowledgment and 

 honor from other sources. This, too, while serving on such a pay 

 and under such conditions in a large cit}' as to prevent officers 

 from living in accord with their brother officers serving with their 

 regiment or corps. More than one hundred officers have been 

 detailed for signal duty, but not more than a dozen have ever 

 been willing to remain for any length of time, and the number 

 of these was subject to change and depletion by promotion, resig- 

 nation, or the assumption of l^etter paid duties 1)ringing profes- 



14— Nat. Gkoo. Mao , vor. TV, 1802. 



