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Will you not bring the subject, in some tangible shape, before the agricultural societies of the country? A simple memorial from them to congress would not fail to procure all the legislative aid necessary.
Some of the leading scientific men of Europe are ready to join us in such a plan; and with authority to confer with them officially as to details, I have no doubt that most of the governments of the world would undertake, each for itself, and within its own territories, a corresponding series of observations, so that we should then be able to study the movements of this great atmospherical machinery of our planet, as a whole, and not, as hitherto, in isolated, detached parts.
Respectfully, &c.,
M.F. Maury, Lt. U. S. N.
N. B.-- Series of observations, more or less extensive, have been undertaken in various parts of the country, and for objects more or less general and useful. Among them may be mentioned those of the Smithsonian Institution, under the direction of Prof. Henry, the immediate object of which is an investigation of the law of storms. Several of the states and many individuals are co-operating with him; also, those of Louisiana, by Dr. Barton, concerning sanitary laws, and those of Prof. Espy, and others.
It is hardly necessary to add that the plan now proposed is not calculated to interfere with any of these; on the contrary, it is in furtherance of them all, and differs from them only in being universal, and in establishing co-operation and concert between the observers at sea and those on land.