Show J WHY Weather Forecasting Is of Great Value In connection with the modern modem system s tern tem of f Weather forecasting It Is interesting in in- interesting to know its origin and his hIs- tory Scientific weather forecasts depend depend de de- de pend upon the rapid collection of the reports of meteorological observations taken at places scattered over ver a wide expanse of territory This process was not of course possible before the Invention invention In in- n of the electric telegraph says the United States Department of Agri cu culture ture The earliest forecastIng forecasting forecast forecast- Ing with the aid of telegraphic reports were probably those of Prof Joseph Henr Henry of the Smithsonian Smithson Inn Institution made In 1849 The first national forecasting forecasting forecasting fore fore- casting service however was established established established In France In 1855 1555 and was the i result of an episode of the Crimean war In November 1854 a severe storm did much damage to the French and British wars warships I ps in the Black sea The French astronomer Le Verrier Vernier director of the Observatory atory of Paris Pari made a stud study of f this storm and c came calve u e to 10 the conclusion that with the aid of telegraphic reports Its eastward progress progress progress ress across Europe might have been predicted so that the disaster to the ships could have have been averted This Ide Idea led let to the foundation of the French meteorological sen service ser ice In this country the establishment of ofa a n similar service was frequently recommended recommended rec rec- b by scientific authorities including including in in- the famous Lieutenant Ma Maury ry and Dr pro I. I A. A of Wisconsin and finall finally In 1869 an experimental service was established d In the Cincinnati Cincin Cincin- Cincinnati nati observatory b by the late late Prof Cleveland Cle Abbe with the aid of the Western Union Telegraph company Professor Abbes Abbe's In weather cather experiments weather cath er forecasting f were so successful that congress was wa I Iii J iu ed d 1 to establish Sr i a a national service Ice one of the principal duties of which was forecasting the went weather l r. r This service was originally attached to the signal corps of the army but since the year 1890 It has been a branch of the Department of Agriculture i |