Ireland (from Ireland, but not of her), were combined without regard to party lines. And one among them was William Ewart Gladstone; and sometimes he was foremost of them.

But on the morrow, as it were, with no other aid than the power of common natural justice, the awakened intelligence of the people of Ireland to their inalienable rights, their contributions from their own scanty savings, and the assistance sent from America and Australia by generous liberty-loving men and women, Parnell, representing the people of Ireland and followed by them, wrung from Whigs and Tories and Orange bigots enough Parliamentary seats to go into the House of Commons with eighty-six members "good and true" pledged to Home Rule.

By him and his faithful followers the Liberals were punished by arraying the Irish vote in Britain against them; and by him and his following the Tories were, in turn, summarily ousted from their short-lived possession of power.

The Liberals, with Mr. Gladstone as their leader, profited by the lesson taught them, and applied themselves to the study of principles of right and justice. The result was the introduction of the Gladstone Home Rule and Land Purchase Bills for Ireland. The House of Commons was unprepared for such proposals. Even prominent followers of Gladstone, and even members of his Cabinet stood aghast. Chamberlain, Goschen, Trevelyan, and others of less note openly rebelled. The Bills were rejected; the one being withdrawn and the other voted down.

It was not strange. It would have been strange indeed if it had not so happened. The House of Commons, the Government and people of Great Britain were asked by Mr. Gladstone, without previous warning or education, to give up the traditionary ideas and prejudices in which for successive generations and hundreds of years they had been brought up and schooled; asked to confess that the whole history of their dealing with Ireland for long centuries was a record of crime and cruelty which they ought to hasten to ask forgiveness and do penance for.

The Gladstone Cabinet resigned, and a dissolution of Parliament and a new election necessarily followed.

And now that the immediate contest is over what is the outcome? We will not enter into details of particular districts won or lost, but simply give the grand result.

Of the six hundred and seventy members that will make up the new House of Commons

Is there anything in this to discourage the people of Ireland, or their friends and sympathizers in America and other countries? On the contrary, there is every reason to rejoice and redouble effort. Two hundred and seventy-nine members (followers respectively of Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Parnell) will enter the House of Commons pledged to Home Rule. Two hundred and seventy-nine in comparison with thirty or thirty-five a year or two ago. Moreover, many of the "Paper Unionists" and some even of the Tories loudly proclaimed that they were not opposed to granting local self-government to the people of Ireland; they were only opposed to Mr. Gladstone's proposed methods and measures. All of them-if their blatant professions were to be believed-loved Ireland and were willing to do her justice. Their love, however, was of different degrees of intensity and proportions. Some loved her very much, and were willing to do anything for her except vote for the Gladstone Bill. Others loved her not quite so much, but were willing to grant her an instalment of justice and a shadow of local county government. But all loved Ireland sincerely; only they did not wish to disintegrate the British Empire. On this string they harped and pleaded and besought the people of Britain to save the Empire from certain destruction by voting for them at the polls. They assured their constituents that they, if elected, would do justice to Ireland by wiser and more effective legislation than Mr. Gladstone had proposed.

The men who made these promises and declarations have defeated Mr. Gladstone; rather, they have seemingly defeated him by acquiring a numerical majority in the House of Commons. But he survives, and, apparently invigorated and made more determined by his overthrow, he will re-enter the House of Commons prepared to battle more resolutely than before for Irish Home Rule.

Then, too, Home Rule has not experienced even a shadow of defeat. The electioneering canvass compelled, as we have just said, numerous candidates opposed to Mr. Gladstone to declare themselves in favor of Home Rule. Their declarations, sincere or insincere, will be remembered. They will have either to make them good, or else to eat their own words, and stand before the public as having obtained seats in the House of Commons by false pretences.

Meanwhile, the English people are being rapidly educated up to an intelligent comprehension of the Home Rule question. The late election contest itself has had a wonderful effect for good in this way. And though the elections are now over, the discussions in newspapers and periodicals over their results and over Irish questions which still occupy a foremost place in public attention, and the debates which are sure to arise over these same questions

in the coming session of Parliament, will continue this educational process.

The rapidity and extent to which public opinion has been brought up to the point of looking upon the granting of Irish Home Rule as a practicable and necessary measure is proved by the smallness of the majority by which the Tories aided by the Liberals defeated Mr. Parnell. It requires only a very slight change in English opinion to throw the majority of votes in favor of it instead of against it. We say English opinion; for Wales and Scotland have already

been won over.

Whether the Tories will undertake to introduce a Home Rule Bill of their own fashioning at the coming session of Parliament, remains to be seen. We regard it as improbable; though they will have to attempt, in some way or other, to legislate on Irish questions. Whatever shape this attempt will take, it will have the effect of demonstrating more clearly and fully the justice and necessity of giving the people of Ireland legislative Home Rule.

There is only one thing that can prevent this, or seriously delay its attainment. It is violence and illegal action on the part of professed friends and supporters of the people of Ireland. If the Irish people and their friends, both in and out of Ireland, are quietly and calmly resolute, and abstain from illegal action, the movement, which has acquired such immense momentum, must and will advance rapidly to a happy consummation.

Meanwhile the importance of Ireland's receiving moral and material assistance from the people of the United States still remains. To the assistance generously furnished up to this time. is owing, we believe, in great part, the rapid progress, during the last few years, made by the people of Ireland towards gaining their just rights and liberties. Let this assistance be continued, and ere long Ireland will win Home Rule.

VOL. XI.—36

Scientific Chronicle.

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS OF THE SIGNAL SERVICE.

To the courtesy of General W. B. Hazen, Chief Signal Officer U.S.A., we are indebted for the information which enables us to present to our readers a brief summary of the remarkable and progressive work which has been accomplished by the Signal Service Corps.

All are, without doubt, well aware of the fact that the U.S. Signal Service is a special branch of the army that has for its immediate object the "two-fold duty: (1) of providing an efficient corps charged with the work of opening and maintaining communication at the front in time of war; and (2) of noting the development and progress of storms and other meteorological phenomena, and reporting the same to the public with predictions of probable future atmospheric conditions.”

It is beyond our present purpose to dwell upon the first of these duties, as our sole desire is to draw attention to the thoroughness of the scientific work accomplished in Meteorology, and to the immense benefit which the nation has derived from the patient labor and timely notifications issued from this Bureau.

As a proof that the Signal Service Corps possesses in the highest degree the entire confidence and esteem of the country, we may produce the following extract from an address of the President of the Geographical Society, Chief Justice Daly: "Nothing in the nature of scientific investigation by the National Government has proved so acceptable to the people, or has been productive in so short a time of such important results, as the establishment of the Signal Service Bureau."

In fact, not only has it answered the purpose had in view by Congress when, in 1870, the Signal Service was charged with the duty of taking meteorological observations in the interest of agriculture, but in reality it has done much more. Besides notifying the public of the daily atmospheric conditions prevailing throughout the entire area of the United States, this bureau sends forth forecasts" which are of the utmost im portance to the commerce and agriculture of the nation. To planters, stockraisers, shippers and merchants, in a word, to nearly every class of business men, these "forecasts" have become almost indispensable auxiliaries in their various commercial transactions. Thousands of dollars' worth of property has been secured against loss, and valuable crops preserved from injury by these timely warnings of approaching storms, frosts, and floods. "Had we, a quarter of a century ago," writes a British meteorologist, "known the rigor of the Crimean climate, who would have dared to send out an army unprepared to meet the hardships of a Black Sea winter? The fact is," continues the same writer,

"there is not a profession, not a handicraft, not a process in animal or vegetable life which is not influenced by meteorological changes."

In order to obtain an idea of the manner in which these valuable results are obtained, let us examine in detail the method employed by the Signal Service Bureau in the preparation of the familiar Weather Charts.

Each day the first labor is devoted to the weather predictions, including storm warnings. These predictions, which are based upon the results of three simultaneous reports telegraphed to Washington from all parts of the United States and Canada, are issued three times every day, under the title of "Indications" and Cautionary Signals.

The number of stations from which telegraphic reports are thrice a day received at the central office is 135.

In addition to these, there are 157 stations from which single daily reports are transmitted; of this class, 12 are situated in the Dominion of Canada. If we include special stations, the total number from which observations were forwarded to Washington on the 30th of June, 1884, was 464.

"These observations include the reading of the barometer and the dry-bulb and wet-bulb thermometer; the direction and velocity of the wind; the amount of rain or snow fallen since last report; the kind and amount, the velocity and direction of movement of the clouds," and other minor observations. From these data are compiled what are termed the "Weather Maps."

On these maps "all the Signal Service Stations are entered in their appropriate geographical places, and annexed to each station are the figures expressing the reading of barometer and thermometer" and the results of the other observations enumerated above.

The relations existing between observations taken at the different stations are made apparent by means of figures and symbols, as well as by lines which are drawn so as to group the geographical areas throughout which like conditions of weather prevail. Armed with this charted material, the officer preparing the predictions, proceeds first to compile the "Synopsis," and then to deduce the "Indications," and issue the necessary storm warnings. The "Synopsis," "Indications" and Cautionary Signals constitute the press report. The average time elapsing between the simultaneous reading of the instruments at the various stations and the issue of the "Synopsis" and "Indications" has been calculated at one hour and forty minutes.

Truly the nation has just cause to feel proud of the efficiency attained by this branch of the public service. A single evidence of the wonderful accuracy of the "Indications" will suffice to show how worthy they are of the confidence reposed in them. For the year ending January 30th, 1883, the percentage of verifications was nearly 90! A brilliant record indeed, and a most gratifying proof of the skill and devotedness of those to whom this trust has been confided.

Regarding the diffusion of these reports, we find that the Bureau endeavors to make them accessible to all. No less than 1095 weather