o70 allison on canadian weather telegeaphy. 



Art. v. — Canadian Weather Telegraphy and Storm 

 Signals. By Fred. Allison, M, A., Chief Meteoro- 

 logical A.gent, JV. jS. 



(Read March 9, 1874.) 



L— WEATHER TELEGRAPHY, 



The system of the Washington Signal Department, with which 

 that of Canada is in co-operation, consists in collecting by telegraph, 

 three times daily, reports of the state of weather observed at the 

 same absolute times at numerous stations, (at present about 70,) 

 and in forming thereon opinions of coming weather, which are sent 

 by telegraph to the points concerned. 



The wider the area of observation, the more correct are predic- 

 tions likely to prove ; and hence it is obviously to the advantage of 

 the two countries, that the observations made in one should be 

 placed at the disposal of the other. 



Prior to July, 1872, as no pecuniary provision had been made 

 for Weather Telegraphy in Canada, our operations were confined 

 to sending to Washington regular tri-daily telegrams from Toronto 

 and Montreal, and also, during six weeks, from four other stations. 



Since 1st July, 1872, by aid of an additional grant of $5,000, 

 reofular tri-dailv telesframs have been received at Toronto from six 

 Canadian Stations, and have then been transmitted to Washington, 

 there to be combined with the telegrams from the U. S. Stations, 

 and thus contribute to the efficiency of the system in which we, as 

 well as our neighbours, have so deep an interest. 



As $5,000 is less than a quarter of the sum which I considered 

 necessary for working the system in the present year, and wholly 

 inadequate to procurring from the United States the regular 

 tri-daily telegrams necessary for making forecasts at Toronto, the 

 only direct service which I could render to our own ports has been 

 to supply them occasionally with warnings based on special tele- 

 grams from Washington. 



That these wanrings, have, on some occasions, reached their 

 destination too late, is due entirely to defects in the transmission. 

 A remedy for these defects will doubtless be found ; and as all that 



