The Press. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1903. PHENOMENAL WEATHER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11494, 29 January 1903, Page 4

The Press. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1903. PHENOMENAL WEATHER.

The extraordinary weather which we have experienced of late, culminating in Tuesday's storm, has invested the Englishmen's stock subject of conversation with a new and somewhat painful interest. The lot of the fanner, his hopes blighted just when everything eeemed to promise so favourably for the harvest, is especially to be deplored, and on every hand expressions of sympathy with the much-tried agriculturists are to be heard. The occurrence of such, inclement weather at, this time of the year is not unprecedented, but ie sufficiently rare to lead to the usual speculation as to "whether " the seasons are changing," and what may be the cause of such perveree arrangements on the part, of the "clerk of the weather." The truth is that meteorology k still such an unsettled science that very little light ran be thrtnm a» present, on problem* of

this kind. It ie only within the last fifty years or so that the subject of weather forecasts began to be treated from the strictly scientific eide. In 1853, an International Maritime Congress wae held a* Brussels, when meteorology as bearing on navigation was discussed. In 1854 a Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade was constituted, under Captain (afterwards Admiral) Fitzßoy, and in 1859 the latter, in accordance -with a recommendation of the British Association, started a system of storm warninga at various ports. Telegrams were sent, daily as to the weather prevailing in various parts of England, and working on these Admiral Fitzßoy cent warnings to places which seemed to be in the track of storms, which had already been notified to him from h:e pasts. At first we arc told that, theee warnings were a good deal sconV-d at. "From the very first,' , says Mr Strinmete, in hU "Manual of Weathercasts,' , "this project was marc or lew op- " posed by many, and the old *ea-wolves "of the North for come time looked upon •••it with contempt. One day, however, "Admiral FitzEoy ordered up his 'south "cone, , meaning that a .storm was approaching from the South. The good "folks of Newcastle laughed at the signal. "Why shouldn't they? The *ky was "clear and all serene. They could eoe no- " thing to warrant- the probability of a "coming tempest. The fishermen put out "to eea as usual. On the following morn"ing, however, the coast was covered with "wrecks, and many a family h;id to be"wail the imprudence of the unfortunate "men who had disregarded the signal. "Aft€T that people began to think that " there was something in the system, and "numerous subsequent fulfilments more "and more confirmed the popular belief "in the utility of the predictions." Since. Admiral Fitzßoy's day, the accuracy of the daily forecasts issued by the English Meteorological Office has further improved, and in this colony shipping men recognise the value of the work wliich has been done by Captain Edwin in foretelling the near approach of storms. Very little has been accomplished, however, towards elucidating the larger prinrip>s regulating the character of the weather, or laying dov#i any rules upon which it would be enfo to make seasonal predictions. It is hoped that one of the results of the Antarctic Expedition will ba to throw fresh light on this subject, and if it is successful in doing so, that success in itself will justify the dispatch of the expedition. Meanwhile, those who hold that our seasons "follow the Eng ish se.z- ---" sons'' will have their views confirmed by our recent experience taken in conjunction with the character of the last summer in England. "Whitaker's Almanac" records the fact that May in England proved "un- " propitious. All samples of weather were " experienced; brisk wiads, hot sunshine, " frosts, rain, snow, hail, and electrical "storms." Much mischief resulted to farm and garden crops. The weather continued somewhat of a wintry type into tlie middle of June, but rain brought on the hay. " Mixed weather prevailed in the first part "of July, and the latter part was cold, "igloomy, raining, retardfcng the cereals, " which were laid by wind and downpours, "while benefiting root crops and grasses." Some days in August (which, of course, corresponds with February h«re) were cold "enough, for great coats and domestic fires" There is one consolation to be got out of all this. "Such a season," adde Whitaker, " though bad for fruits and cereals, is good " for heaf.th. Fewer people die, and there "is less sickness ttaan in ordinary years. Thus "in .the -week beginning Aoguet, 1899, a "death-rate of 25.2 was registered; 1900, "20.1; 1901, 20.0; 1902, only 13.3. The " scarcity of flies, flushing of drains, wash"ing of roofs, wails, and streets are bene- " fioial." "Lei, us take wluut cdrnforit we can from this fact—arndtber illustration of the adage that "it's an ill wind! that Wows no"body any good."