ELECTBIO TELEGBAPH FOB -PBEDICTING STOBMS. 177 



OJS" THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE ELECTRIC TELE- 

 GRAPH FOR PREDICTING STORMS. 



BY G. T. "KINGSTON, M.A., 



PEOEESSOR OF METEOEOLOGT, TJNIVEESITT COLLEGE, AND DIRECTOR OE THE MAGNETIC 

 OBSEEVATOET, TOEONTO. 



Read before the Canadian Institute, 24<th January, 1857. 



The employment of the Electric Telegraph for transmitting 

 intelligence relative to the Meteorological conditions that prevail at 

 the same instant, over a wide area of country, is an application so 

 obvious, that it is not surprising that it should have occurred to the 

 minds of many. A few years since an arrangement was in existence 

 in England, by which Mr. Glaisher at Greenwich, received by- 

 telegraph, daily reports, at a certain hour, of the state of the wind 

 and weather from various localities in England, Ireland, and 

 Belgium, and there is, I believe, a similar system at the present 

 time in operation, with its centre at the Exchange in Liverpool. 



The general idea then involved in the present communication is 

 not new ; but this circumstance, though it destroys any claim to 

 originality, possesses at least this advantage, that members of the 

 Institute who may be called on either to reject the following sug- 

 gestions, or to co-operate in carrying them into effect, will take up 

 the matter with minds somewhat prepared for the task, by previous 

 experience and reflection. 



]Sot to occupy time with further preliminary remarks, I shall pro- 

 ceed at once to state briefly the general nature of the scheme that 

 I have to propose. 



That the annual loss by shipwreck, of property, (not to say life,) 

 in the American lakes is considerable, there can be no question. 

 The Lake Association of underwriters on the American side, 

 estimated, the loss during the season just closing as over foub mil- 

 lions oe dollabs ; and it will be found, I have little doubt, that 

 the loss on the British side is proportionably great. It should be 

 remembered further that these losses' whatever they may be, other 

 things remaining the same, will increase with increasing commerce. 

 I have not at command any statistics relative to the loss of shipping 

 on the rivers and sea coasts ; nor is it essential that I should pro- 

 duce such ; since the general fact without precise numerical data, 

 is a sufficient basis for that which is to follow. 



There can be no question but that many shipwrecks would be 

 prevented, if vessels in port had timely notice of a coming gale. 



VOL. II. — M 



