June 19, 1891. J 



SCIENCE. 



345 



THE MARYLAND WEATHER SERVICE. 



The organization of State weathei- services to conduct observa- 

 tions over limited areas has been undertaken in recent years in 

 many portions of the country. What the national service does 

 for the entire United States, the local service does for each State. 

 While the United States Signal Service affords information con- 

 cerning the general climatic conditions prevailing over the whole 

 country, the State service shows what those conditions are in the 

 various districts and counties of the State. It at once becomes 

 an important medium to the agriculturist, through which lie 

 learns the most favorable times to plant or reap, and how best to 

 protect his crops. It aids the shipping interests along the coasts 

 apd in the bays and rivers, by indicating the character of the 

 weather and the direction of the winds. It gives to all the valu- 

 able predictions of the national service, together with the condi- 

 tions that locally prevail. The local service has been officially 

 recognized by many of the States already as of the greatest com- 

 mercial impoi-tance. and provision has been made for its mainte- 

 nance. In others the chief expense has been borne by the United 

 States Signal Service, and a sufficient number of men detailed 

 to efficiently conduct the work. 



The Maryland State weather service has been organized under 

 the joint auspices of the Johns Hopkins University, the Maryland 

 Agricultural College, and the United States Signal Service. The 

 officers are: William B. Clark, Johns Hopkins University, direc- 

 tor ; Milton Whitney, Maryland Agricultural College, secretary 

 and treasurer; C. P. Cronk, United States Signal Service, meieor- 

 ologist in charge. The United States Signal Service will furnish 

 men to take charge of the details of the work, will supply instru- 

 ments to the observers in the various portions of the State, and 

 will afford the means of sending out weather predictions and gen- 

 eral summaries of temperature and rainfall. The ten stations in 

 Maryland that now report directly to Washington will become in- 

 corporated in the State service, and the number of stations will 

 be increased to forty or more, to meet the requirements of an effi- 

 cient service. 



It is proposed to print monthly a general report of meteorologi- 

 cal conditions, and weekly to send throughout the State a brief 

 statement as to the crop prospects. A scheme will be devised by 

 which frost warnings may also be given. An important feature 

 of the work will be the establishment of signal stations at such 

 points on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries as can be readily 

 communicated with, so that the captains of vessels can gain in- 

 formation as to the probable direction of the winds. As tne effi- 

 ciency of the State service will depend largely upon the closeness 

 of co-operation with the United States Signal Service, it has been 

 considered advisable to move the Baltimore office of the latter to 

 the university, and it will after May 30 have quarters in the 

 phv-sical laboratory, upon the roof of which biiilding the observa- 

 tions will be taken. An office will be retained in the centre of the 

 business portion of the city so as to be in close communication 

 with the public as heretofore. It is anticipated that the work 

 outlined above will be fully inaugurated during the present sum- 

 mer. 



COAL IN THE SHAN STATES. 



A REPORT from Dr. Noetling, the geological expert who has 

 been dispatched from India to investigate the coal measures of the 

 i-egion between the Irrawaddy and the Salh-een, has recently been 

 issued in Burmah, and an abstract of it has oppeared in the Lon- 

 don Times. The result of the analyses of twelve samples of coal 

 show a remarkable uniformity of composition. The highest per- 

 centage of fixed carbon is 88 58, and tbe lowest 31.69. If the 

 average of eleven analyses is taken, it is found that Shan coal has 

 the following composition: Volatile matter (including moisture), 

 55.40; fixed carbon, 34.94; ash, 9.67. The coal is, therefore, of 

 poor quality, and can hardly be termed "coal." '• Lignite," or 

 "brown coal, " would better express its composition. Shan coal. 

 • when fresh, would make good fuel, and, being rather hard, it will 

 stand long transport Those seams from which, owing to its 

 friability, the coal could not be well transported, should make an 

 excellent material for patent fuel. It is much poorer than the 



coal of the southern Shan States. In the latter the percentage of 

 fixed carbon is from 64 to 70. So far, however, as is known, coal 

 is not very plentiful iii the southern Shan .States, while the seams 

 in the northern States are more favorably deposited, and, being 

 found in workable quantities, they could be depended on for the 

 supply of fuel to any railway through the Shan States. The fields 

 examined by Dr. Noetling in the northern Shan States were seven 

 in number, the two chief ones being Laisho and Namma Manze. 

 He does not think they will be of any value so long as there is no 

 communication by which the coal can be easily brought down to 

 the Irrawaddy. The coal-fields are about one hundred and seventy 

 miles away from the nearest centre of traffic. The present road 

 leading to them is only suited for carts for about fifty miles, after 

 which pack animals must be employed. It is absolutely essential 

 that a railway should be constructed if the coal fields of the 

 northern Shan States are to be of any economical value. But the 

 construction of a railway line to this part of the country would be 

 a costly undertaking if the fuel necessary to work it had to be 

 transported from Rangoon. Moreover, the alluvial deposits in 

 both the principal coal-fields would form a serious obstacle to min- 

 ing operations. The thick layer of clay in the Laisho field and the 

 conglomerate in the Namma field would make the sinking of a 

 shaft difficult, as it would have to be constructed very substantially 

 in order to resist the lateral pressure which it would have t) stand 

 in the alluvial deposits. Owing to the peculiar way in which the 

 coal-bearing strata are found, a large quantity of water must be 

 expected in both coal-fields, and this would require strong pump- 

 ing machinery. Finally, the climate of these valle3's is feverish, 

 and the health of the miners would therefore be severely tried. It 

 thus appears that coal-mining in the northern Shan States is in 

 the distant future; every thing seems to be unfavorable to its de- 

 velopment, — no transport, difficulties of working, quantities of 

 water, unhealthy districts, doubtful seams, and bad coal. 



SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO SOUTH MARYLAND. 



A REPORT of the recent scientific expedition into southern 

 Maryland appears in the Johns Hopkins University circular for 

 June. The need of a more complete knowlt-dge of the material 

 resources of the southern portion of the State of Maryland led to 

 the organization of this expedition to further its investigation. 

 The expedition, under the joint auspices of the Johns Hopkins 

 University, the Maryland Agricultural College, and the United 

 Stales Geological Survey, had in view the study, from different 

 standpoints, of the varied capabilities of this section. The im- 

 portance for this work of co operation between the State and 

 national scientific institutions was recognized from the start, and 

 it is determined that the plan for joint investigation, thus inaugu- 

 rated by a preliminary and general survey, shall in the near future 

 embrace, under similar auspices, a detailed examination of the 

 geology, agriculture, and archfeology of all of southern Maryland. 

 A wrong impression would, however, be conveyed, if the idea 

 should be gained that nothing has been accomplished hitherto in 

 this dii'ection. Several of the members of the expedition have 

 been actively employed in the past in making investigations in 

 various portions of the region, among whom Mr. Darton deserves 

 especial mention, while Mr. Clark has conducted thither three 

 annual geological excursions, so that the knowledge gamed in 

 previous years has afforded a basis tor work at the present time. 

 The e,xpediti(>n received from the start the cordial support of all 

 those interested in the material progress of southern Maryland. 

 The necessax-y means of transportation were furnished by the .State 

 uijon the authorization of the Board of Public Works and of Gen. 

 Joseph B. Seth, commander of the Oyster Police Navy. The 

 steamer "Gov. P. F. Thomas " Capt. Howard, and the schooners 

 " Daisy Archer " and " Folly " were placed at the disposal of the 

 expedition, and their officers and crews rendered most efficient 

 service. The heads of the several institutions interested appointed 

 the following repre>entatives, vvho organized as a Board of Con- 

 trol : William B. (lark, Johns Hopkins University, chairman; 

 Milton Whitney, Maryland Agricultural College, secretary and 

 treasurer; W. J. McG«e, United States Geological Survey. The 

 other members of the expedition included Professor George H. 



