PROPHECY OF THE WEATHER. 273, 
less variety of changes which the movements of low and high-barometer may 
make—more endless than the strains that could be played upon the ‘‘ harp of a 
thousand strings.” Sometimes by the peculiar location of the area of low bar- 
‘ometer it may be warmer in the extreme north-eastern part of the United States, 
than in Virginia. For example, let the area of low-barometer be located off on 
the Atlantic Ocean and in the immediate vicinity of Calais, Me., as it was some 
two or three years ago this spring. Being on a high line of latitude, it caused the 
warm winds from the South to concentrate there, while it being so far to the East 
of Washington, and reaching down into the ocean, caused a severe West wind 
slightly to the North of West which made Washington one of, if not the coldest 
(recorded) place in the United States and much colder than Calais, Me., notwith- 
standing the fact of lower latitude. 
Now when a cause is so well known, how much better would it be for these 
weather-prophets to say, that on such a date of such a month the area of low- 
barometer will be in such and such a locality—then those who know what ought 
ito follow—what would be the result of such a location of Low, will know just what 
to expect. We will know whether it is to be cold or hot, in New England and 
the North-east generally or in Kansasand Missouri and the North-west. If these 
prophets will only tell us where /ow will be they will far surpass their present 
prophecies and the world, at least the intelligent world, will truly wonder at their 
knowledge of the works and ways of the great mysteries of nature. But until 
they can do this they had better not attempt any more of their present ‘‘ prophe- 
cies,” which are merely guesses which may be equaled by any number of persons 
who will study well the compiled weather reports of the past years and venture 
guesses in accordance therewith. Prophets should be men of superior and not 
inferior knowledge in the department in which they propose to prophesy. For 
Such a course will only make them contemptible in the eyes of the world, when 
it comes to fully understand the cause that effects these matters. 
‘ In reading these comments on the prophecy of the weather, it may be asked 
if there is any method by which we may know or prophesy the weather for any 
great period in advance. For one I do not believe there is any such method, for 
the reason that these changes depend, as repeated over and over again in these 
Papers, that all depends upon the location of low and high-barometer and that 
these relations are ever changing, and the changes seem to be an endless surprise 
that cannot, so far as we know at present, be determined upon, even from one 
change to another, much less of changes that may follow each other, weeks and 
Months in advance. Though if any law in this movement of low and high bar- 
Ometer is ever discovered it will only be by the careful study of the weather as re- 
corded on the weather map. 
This may sometimes be the case, but the Signal office has advanced in its line of 
indications until they have made a record for a year of ninety-five per cent, in ac- 
curacy, and this must be acknowledged is not far from perfection. Why not have 
the indications right every time? Let one become familiar with this subject and 
he will readily see why. 
ie IV—18 
Ei 
