Observations of Atmospheric Electricity in America¹

Abstract

THE meteorological official of the United States known as “The Chief Signal Officer” has sanctioned the publication of this voluminous report of 320 quarto pages, embodying the result of a widespread photographic record and direct reading of atmospheric electrometers carried out under the auspices of the United States Government during the years 1884 to 1888, with the immediately utilitarian object of ascertaining how far it was possible to use electrical indication in weather prediction. As Mr. Mendenhall says, “No studies or investigations which did not bear upon this question were [considered] proper or allowable.”