THE LIFE-BOAT. JOURNAL OF THE Batfonal Xife^Boat Jnstitutfon, (ISSUED QTJABTEBLY.) VOL. XIV.—No. 159.] FEBRUARY 2, 1891. [PBIOE Sd. THE REPORTS OF THE METEOROLOGICAL COUNCIL OF THE EOYAL SOCIETY FOB 1889 AND 1890. THESE reports contain matter of very tained in these charts is undergoing considerable general interest, showing, as further investigation. The history of all they do, what has been and is being done the clearly-marked barometrical depres- to perfect the system of weather forecasts sions or cyclonic systems that occurred in this our ever-changing climate, as well between August 1882 and 1883 inclusive, as to compile a register of the winds and has been investigated and their course weather that may be expected at sea in and distance travelled, etc., laid down on different parts of the world, including charts with what is considered justifiable the tracing and laying down the courses accuracy. of cyclonic disturbances in the Atlantic These systems or whirlwinds, of greater and other oceans, together with the or less extent and force, appear to probable distance travelled whilst they travel at an average rate of 400 to 450 last, and their rate of travelling. miles a day, and 273 of them have been This last subject, so far as regards the traced. Of these, 143 had blown them- North Atlantic Ocean, comes first in the selves out and disappeared in less than Report for 1889, and merits a perusal in 5 days. Very few lasted 10 days, and order to learn the outline of the method of these again a very small proportiou adopted to obtain this very desirable end. lasted 13 days. Of 63 of these depres- The one source from which all information sions that appeared between the 40th and can be obtained as to what wind and 35th parallels of latitude, only 15 crossed weather exists, or may be expected to be the Atlantic to the Meridian of Greenwich ; found, in any spot at sea, must be the some of these again, passed it in high logs and other records of ships whilst on latitudes. But of those that originated that spot. To extract this from a large south of latitude 35°, half possessed number of logs, and to carefully compare sufficient energy to cross the ocean. The and connect the various items, necessarily cyclones which existed more than 13 days entails a large amount of very correct and occurred in September, October, and exact labour, which is demonstrated by November. The attempt to trace the the fact that the results for the thirteen anti-cyclonic system has not however yet months ended September 3rd, 1883, were been equally successful. not published until 1890, and even now Charts have been prepared and issued, the complicated series of phenomena con- showing the barometrical pressure in the XIV.—No. 159.—LIFE-BOAT JOUBNAI,. 2 E 442 THE LIFE-BOAT. [FEBEUAET 2, 1891. Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans during excepting during the hay season. Various the months of February, May, August methods are adopted for making public and November. Further charts on the the forecasts. They are exhibited at subject are now ready; and it is hoped the Mansion-house, Lloyd's Booms, the that the information they give will prove of libraries of the Houses of Lords and great value to seamen. Current charts for Commons, and at seven or eight other the same parts are also being prepared, different places in London. They are also with which considerable progress was supplied to the newspapers, the Govern- made during the year. ment Offices, and to seaports for public "We now come to the weather forecasts. exhibition, to correspondents with the The preparation and issue of these, Office, to foreign Meteorological establish- including the storm warnings, is founded ments, and about two hundred copies are on the contents of reports received by supplied to various subscribers. Any one telegraph from a large number of Stations applying at the Meteorological Office in the British Isles, supplemented by a between 11 A.M. and 8 P.M. on week days, considerable number from the Continent and 7 P.M. and 8 P.M. on Sundays, can of Europe. Those from America are obtain in writing the latest information, not now used for this purpose, the and the latest forecast for any particular conclusion having been come to that the district, on payment of one shilling for information given by them was as yet of each enquiry. Application may also be no practical utility in forwarding the made by either letter or telegram, in the object in view. The reports are made former case the fee and postage for the out for three different hours, viz., 8 A.M., reply must accompany the application, 2 P.M., and 6 P.M. ; 58 are sent in in the and in the latter, the fee must be paid morning, 17 at 2 o'clock, and 29 at at the telegraph office when despatching 8 P.M. Besides the actual reading of the the message with a prepaid reply. barometer and thermometer at the hours By an arrangement between the named, they give the alterations which Meteorological Office and the Boyal Agri- have occurred in both during the previous cultural Society, the Boyal Dublin Society 24 hours, the direction and force of the and the Highland and Agricultural wind, and the state of the weather, Society, forecasts are sent gratis and daily together with any changes of importance to about thirty observers, selected by that may have taken place during the these Societies, at various places, during previous day. These are all entered on a the hay season, on the two conditions chart, and forecasts of the weather for the that the information shall be made as following 24 hours are deduced from them, widely known as possible and that A and issued ia the well-known form for the record of the weather actually experienced eleven districts into which the country is be sent to the Office. The issue of these divided for this purpose. The charts commenced on the llth of June, and was obtained from the 8 A.M. reports are the carried on into August for the later fullest and most important on account of districts. the larger number made at that hour. A table compiled from the reports The forecasts from these are issued about of the different observers of the weather 11 o'clock, and foretell the weather from experienced, shows the remarkable ac- noon until the following noon. The curacy of these particular forecasts, 6 P.M. reports are issued about 9 o'clock, and the service they must have been and are for the day, commencing at 8 AM. to all they reached having hay at the next morning. stake. The results are classified in the The 2 P.M. reports, of which the fore- tables, under four heads: 1. Com- casts are completed by about half-past plete success; 2. Partial success; 3. Par- three, are used for storm warnings only, tial failure; 4. Total failure. In th» FEBRUARY 2,1891.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 443 I year 1888 the percentage of each was disturbance which will probably cause a No. 1, 49; No. 2, 35; No. 3, 11; No. 4, gale of wind to blow on any parts of the 5; so that 84 per cent, of the forecasts coast, those parts are at once warned by were correct, or partially so, whilst they telegraph, and the well-known storm only failed partially in eleven, and totally signal, a black canvas cone with the point in five per cent. In the year 1889 these upwards or downwards, according to the predictions were even more successful, expected direction of the wind, is hoisted the figures being 57, 32, 9 and 2, re- at the appointed place at the stations spectively, or 89 per cent, of success and warned. These signals are displayed partial success, against 9 of partial and during daylight for forty-eight hours after only 2 of complete failure. The general the telegrams are despatched, unless pre- correctness, and therefore usefulness, of viously countermanded. There are 72 these special forecasts is testified to by of these stations in England, 16 in Wales, several of the observers from different 44 in Scotland, 15 in Ireland, 3 in the parts of the country who had undertaken Isle of Man, and 3 in the Channel Islands. the task of receiving them, also by the In the year 1888-89 the warnings were fact of nine large landowners in different justified by complete or partial correctness parts of the country having applied to be to the extent of 83'9 per cent, were notveri- furnished with them at their own expense. fied in 14-3 per cent., and were given too The Council expressed their readiness to late in 1 • 8 cases per cent.; in 1889-90 the co-operate in any way in their power for respective figures are 81 • 2,16 • 9, and 1 • 9. increasing the benefits of this movement, During the years 1888-89 four gales of the utility of which had been sufficiently wind visited different parts of the coast, established; but the Agricultural Depart- for which no warnings were issued, and ment of the Privy Council replied that during 1889-90 five occurred under the they had no funds at their disposal, and same conditions. The four in 1888 appear that the Treasury had declined to make to have evaded notice in most cases, by a grant for this purpose. Nothing further advancing very rapidly to our coasts therefore, has been done to extend the between the hours of observation.