monthly abstracts are furnished the only paper published here, and are printed in good form.

Sergt. Edward Lloyd was in charge until March 13, 1873, when he was relieved on account of ill health and succeeded by Sergt. Frank Mansfield, who still remains.

All mail reports have been forwarded regularly and promptly, but the telegraphic ones have been frequently delayed by accidents to the line and the closing of the office at the regular reporting hour.

The midnight reports are uniformly held until the next day and forwarded with the morning report, and both are delayed even then several hours because the telegraph-office does not open until the regular business hours of the place.

In reference to the interest taken in the service the observer remarks as follows:

I have noticed that agriculturists appreciate the service even more than the commercial community. One gentleman remarked to me that it depended wholly upon the signal-service whether the sugar-lands of Texas would ever be fully developed or not. In other words, that these lands never could be worked to advantage without the farmers interested had access to the weather reports.

The station has not been inspected during the year, but the observer reports all instruments and records in good condition.

The location of the office remains unchanged since the date of last report. Reports from five other Gulf stations are received here and published in the regular matter. During the year three thousand and seventy-six bulletins have been issued and four hundred and forty pressreports furnished for publication. The station was inspected in February of the present year and found in fair condition. Sergt. D. A. Daboll was in charge until January 2, 1873, when he was relieved on account of ill health, and succeeded by Sergt. Richard McLaughlin, who still remains and has given satisfaction. All mail-reports have been forwarded promptly and in proper form. Private W. U. Simons still remains on duty as assistant, and has given satisfaction to the observer and to the central office. Considerable interest is manifested in the service here, and much regret is expressed at the inability of the office to furnish reports from a greater number of stations, especially during the winter, when many visitors from the North spend the season in Jacksonville and are naturally anxious to know the state of weather at their homes. Both newspapers published at the station print all reports furnished them in excellent form. Owing to a temporary derangement of the telegraphic facilities the midnight reports from July 1 to August 1 were not forwarded until the next morning, and during this. time the 9 o'clock p. m. reports were sent instead.

Four cautionary signals have been displayed during the year, of which three are reported as justified at the station.

The observer makes the following remarks in reference to these displays:

March 23-25, 1873.-Two schooners loaded with lumber delayed going until the gale was over, the captains ascribing the saving of their vessels to the display of the signal. March 25-26, 1873.--The steamer City Point waited until after the signal was lowered before she left.

No change has been made in the location of the office since last report. Reports from twenty-nine other stations are received here with as much regularity as the imperfect telegraphic facilities will permit, and during the spring and fall reports from all the special river-stations are also received. One thousand seven hundred and ninety-six regular bulletins have been issued during the year. One thousand and ten river-bulletius posted. The newspapers print selections from the river-reports, and also that part of the Probabilities which applies to the West, but decline to use the tabulated reports, and manifest less interest in the service than the press of any other station.

The station was inspected in June of this year, and the instruments found in good condition. Several irregularities were found in the manner of keeping the records, which were corrected before the inspector left the station.

Sergeant Daw was relieved from charge of the station November 22, for neglect of duty in failing to forward his mail reports promptly, and was succeeded by Sergt. James H. Marsh, who still remains, having given general satisfaction.

The assistant on duty at last report was called in for promotion April 14, and passed a satisfactory examination after going through the regular course of instruction at Fort Whipple.

Private Mark Foley is the present assistant, and has performed his duty satisfactorily.

Regular observations have been made daily of the stage of water in the river, and reported by telegraph.

The bench-mark used is at the northeast corner of Old Pilot's Indicator, 1,400 feet above the bridge. The height above low water is 24.183 feet, and above high water 8.95 feet. The measurement is not made from the bed of river.

Depth of water in channel at extreme low water 4 feet, and at extreme high water 24 feet 9 inches to 25 feet 4 inches.

Considerable interest is manifested by leading citizens in the service, especially by those connected with the river trade.

No change has been made in the location of the office at this station since last report. Reports from the West India stations are received here and transferred by the observer to Lake City, besides being furnished to the press, with the local observations, weekly. The station was inspected in December, 1872, and the records and instruments found in excellent condition.. Sergt. M. J. Shanefelter was in charge until February 18, 1873, when, under authority from the central office, he exchanged stations with Sergt. William Theodovius, then at Punta Rassa. Sergeant Theodovius was in turn relieved July 7, by

Sergt. B. C. Anderson, who still remains and gives satisfaction by the promptness and regularity with which his reports are rendered.

One assistant has been called in for promotion during the year, and after going through the regular course of instruction at Fort Whipple passed a satisfactory examination. Private E. K. Moore reported as assistant December 23, 1872, and exchanged stations February 18, 1873, with the assistant at Punta Rassa, Private M. M. Lewis, who still remains, and has merited the commendation received from the observer for his faithful discharge of duty. He had entire charge of the station for several weeks previous to Sergeant Anderson's arrival, and made all reports in proper form and time.

The office at this station still remains in the University building, and affords sufficient facilities for its station-work, although its distance from the telegraph-office is a disadvantage. No rent is paid for the office, and every facility is extended by the faculty to promote the usefulness of the service. No reports are received here from other stations, but nine hundred and thirty-six reports of local observations have been furnished to the press and regularly published. Sergt. John K. Payne remains in charge of the station, and has furnished all reports promptly and satisfactorily. He has no assistant, but gets occasional aid from the students of the university.

The midnight report is usually delayed until the succeeding day on account of the closing of the telegraph-office. The station has not been inspected during the year.

This station was established October 15, 1872, by Sergt. Richard Williams, who still remains in charge and has given satisfaction.

The office is in the business center of the town, at the corner of Second and Main streets, convenient to all important public places. The roof exposure for instruments cannot be excelled at the station. The post-office is two squares distant, the court-house and International Hotel and the Mississippi River are the same distance. The telegraph offices are one square distant.

The instrument-shelter is of the standard model, and projects from a window in the second story.

Reports from other stations are not received here, but the local observations are furnished regularly to the press, and published in good form.

The station was inspected in August of the present year, and the records found in poor condition. The errors were pointed out and corrected by the inspector, and the observer retained upon his recommendation, as he appeared to have erred through ignorance alone.

Regular river observations have been made each afternoon, and furnished with the usual telegraphic reports.

The zero of gauge is low-water mark of October 1, 1871, and is two feet two and a half inches above the bed of the river. The gauge is attached to one of the piles of the bridge leading to North La Crosse. Telegraphic reports were suspended from January 10 to April 4, 1873, in accordance with instructions from the central office.

The inspector reports that considerable interest is felt in the service among the citizens of the station.

The location of the office at this station remains unchanged since last report. The reports of three regular stations and all of those from the West India stations are transferred here to the observer at Savannah.

No bulletins are published, nor any special local use made of the reports, and as the necessity for a station at this point no longer exists its removal to some-more useful location is recommended.

The station was inspected in February of the present year, and instruments and records found in fair condition. The office and instrument-shelter needed repairing, but as there was reason to believe that the station would be broken up at an early date, it was not considered advisable to expend any more money upon it than was absolutely necessary, and the repairs were not made.

Sergt. James O'Dowd was in charge of the station until relieved August 27, 1873, on account of ill-health. He was succeeded on that date by Sergt. A. D. Woolcott, who still remains. Both men have given satisfaction.

Two assistants have been called in for promotion during the year and both passed the required examination, and are now in charge of stations.

One assistant was ordered in for discharge, and was succeeded by Private John A. Cody, who still remains.

But little interest is felt in the service by the inhabitants.

The office has not been moved since last report, and as it is commodious, centrally located, and convenient to the principal business places, no change is recommended.

Reports from other stations are not received here, and the only bulletins issued are those of the local observations, of which six hundred and ninety-three copies have been furnished the press during the year, and published in full by the several newspapers of the city. These papers also publish the monthly abstracts of the local weather, pre

pared by the observer, and also the Monthly Weather Review, received from the central office.

Regular river observations are made daily, and reported in the usual manner. The zero of the gauge is fixed at low-water mark in the Missouri, which is about one foot above the bed of the river, although the river bottom changes at each flood.

The station was inspected in July of the present year, and found in good condition. Some irregularities existed in the manner of keeping the records, but they were corrected by the inspector. Sergt. George Boehmer, in charge at the date of last report, was transferred to the central office December 2, 1872, and succeeded by Sergt. George S. Rowley, who still remains, and whose mail reports have been forwarded with regularity. His general management of the station was favorably mentioned by the inspector.

Private E. W. McGann was ordered in for promotion November 1, 1872, and after going through the regular course of instruction at Fort Whipple passed a satisfactory examination, and is now in charge of a station. His successor, Julius F. Beyer, was fatally injured by falling from the office-window to the pavement, while on duty, and died February 8, 1873. He was a man of excellent habits and fine intelligence. The present assistant is private Thomas Jones, who has been on duty in that capacity since March 18, 1873.

The midnight reports from this station are not forwarded until the morning following, as the telegraph-office is closed at the regular time for sending them.

The inspector reports that much interest is felt in the service by the citizens, and a general desire is expressed for the receipt of reports from other stations on the western rivers and in the Territories. With the present telegraph facilities these reports cannot be furnished in a satisfactory manner.

The station was established October 1, 1872, by Sergt. W. S. Jewell, who still remains in charge and has given satisfaction. The office is in one of the university buildings, and is furnished free of cost to the Government. Reports are not sent by telegraph, but the seven regular observations are made daily, and forwarded by mail at the end of each week. No reports are received here. The officers of the university have made several urgent requests to be furnished with full reports from Cincinnati once each day, and as the station is one of instruction it is recommended that the request be complied with. The observer is commended by the officers of the university for his general good conduct, intelligence, and attention to duty.

No change has been made in the location of the office at this station