REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 31 



have ever been published in this country or in Europe. But as these 

 are made not only at different hours of the day, but also at different 

 numbers of hours, to reduce these all to a fixed number of hours, and to 

 deduce from them thus reduced the mean temperatures required, in- 

 volves a far greater amount of labor than if the observations had been 

 made in accordance with one system. It was to facilitate this reduction 

 that the preliminary tables mentioned in the last report were constructed. 



Complete tables have been prepared of temperatures for the following: 

 Iceland, Greenland, British North America, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, 

 Arkansas, California, Colorado, Dakota, Delaware, Idaho, Indian Ter- 

 ritory, Illinois, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New 

 Mexico, New York, Maine, Oregon, Utah, West Virginia, Washington 

 Territory, Wyoming. 



In addition to this work, tables showing the latitude, longitude, and 

 mean annual temperature of all the stations in the United States were 

 prepared for tbe Census Office. 



It has been from the first a part of the policy of this Institution to 

 devote its energies to no field of research which can be as well culti- 

 vated by other means; and the United States Government having 

 established a system of meteorological observations, and having made 

 liberal appropriation for its support, it has been thought, as was stated 

 in the last report, for the best interest of the science to transfer the 

 system of meteorological observations which has been so long continued 

 by the Institution to that of the War Department, under the Chief Sig- 

 nal-Officer, General Myer. 



The propriety of this transfer will be evident from the fact that the 

 Institution has not the means of paying for printing blanks, postage, and 

 the calculation and monthly publication of the results, especially since 

 the assistance which has heretofore been rendered in this way, by the 

 Department of Agriculture, is now discontinued ; furthermore, General 

 Myer can combine these observations with those made with standard 

 instruments now under his charge, and out of the whole form a more 

 extended and harmonious system than any at present in existence. 



This transfer, which has just been made, we trust will meet the appro- 

 bation of the observers generally, and we hope they will continue their 

 voluntary co-operation, not with the expectation of being fully repaid 

 for their unremitted labor, in many cases for a long series of years, but 

 from the gratification which must result from the consciousness of hav- 

 ing contributed to increase the sum of human knowledge. We trust 

 also that the observers will continue to cherish an interest in the welfare 

 and i^rogress of the Smithsonian Institution, while, on our part, we shall 

 in all cases, and at all times, be pleased to continue to answer any com- 

 munication which may be addressed to us by them on scientific subjects. 



We shall retain all the records of observations which have been ac- 

 cumulating at the Institution during the last twenty-five years, and 

 continue the work of their reduction and discussion up to the end of 

 the year 1873. 



