The Present State of Meteorology. 17 



returns more or less complete with instruments belonging to 

 themselves. 



Some months ago, after my return from Europe, I deter- 

 mined to try and bring our meteorological system into a 

 somewhat better shape. Each colony possessed a pretty 

 complete machinery for first-class observation, and every 

 month, or every year, the printed results were exchanged. 

 My inquiry into the working of the weather telegram system 

 in Europe convinced me that, now all the colonies are con- 

 nected by telegraph, a similar system, on a smaller scale, 

 could be put into operation here with considerable advan- 

 tage to the public, especially the maritime portion, and at 

 a very moderate cost. The question had often been discussed 

 between Mr. Todd, of Adelaide, Mr. Kussell, of Sydney, and 

 myself, but matters had never appeared ripe until last year, 

 when I formally asked the co-operation of these gentlemen, 

 which was cordially given. Plans of operation were dis- 

 cussed and agreed upon, and in January last a system of 

 Australian weather telegraphy was commenced. This system 

 consisted of the exchange of observations in cypher by tele- 

 graph between Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney twice a 

 day (Sundays excepted), the observations being those ob- 

 tained at selected stations furnished with properly tested 

 instruments. The stations were so selected that most of the 

 coast-line along which passes our principal traffic should be 

 represented, as well as districts which may be taken as 

 typical of Central Australia ; and with the view of having 

 information of the dip of the monsoons and equatorial 

 currents, stations along the trans- Australian telegraph line, 

 as far north as Port Darwin, were also chosen. The informa- 

 tion exchanged is of the usual kind — readings of barometers, 

 thermometers, rain gauges, observations of wind, state of sea, 

 appearance of sky, &c. 



The first object in view in establishing this system was to 

 prepare every afternoon a synopsis of the weather and state 

 of the sea along the coast line, and also eventually to issue 

 a weather chart, showing graphically the substance of the 

 weather telegrams. It was intended to publish this infor- 

 mation by posting the charts and bulletins at the various 

 telegraph and shipping offices where they were likely to be 

 of value. 



The second object hoped for was the increase of knowledge 

 of the meteorology of Australia generally, and additions to 

 the very scant theoretical information we now possess. 



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