Come Professor H. J. Cox, District Forecaster, Chicago, was ordered to say something, for Dr. Harvey W. Wiley had been induced to come when assured that Professor Cox would speak. Professor Cox remarked that he, as well as Mr. Freiberg, had been a student of Professor Davis'. He told of the essential part which Prof. I. A. Lapham of Milwaukee played in sed: getting forecasting started. The first storm warnings by the U. S. aphe Signal Service were issued in 1872 from the Chicago office. eps t Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, known throughout the nation for his pure-food hwork, regaled the company with a talk of meteorological flavor. He said ac he became one of Abbe's most intimate friends, and told of his thoughts efere of Abbe every time he entered Abbe's old home in Washington, now the post home of the Arts Club. Dr. Wiley remarked that he himself was someIS thing of a forecaster also and was glad to be in the presence of the men who supply the universal topic for conversation. One among several stories told was that about the Scotch clergyman, who when pressed for and his reason for not acquiescing in the elders' demands for a prayer for raph rain, said: "I will nae pray for rain as long as the wind is in the norwest." S In commenting on the weather forecasts in almanacs, Dr. Wiley remarked that their accuracy is wholly dependent on their general statement of seasonal weather facts and added: "Surely at some place, the mal predicted weather does actually occur! The forecasts are complete and accurate except for the specification of place. In pursuing this policy the almanac forecaster shows good judgment and wisdom." On behalf of the American Meteorological Society, Mr. Devereaux eheartily thanked the Chamber of Commerce. Then the luncheon party broke up and most of the people were taken back to the University for the afternoon session. ng: ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING Following the luncheon the annual business meeting was called to order at 2 P. M. Owing to the lateness in starting, the reports of the Secretary and Treasurer were given in abstract only. Report of Secretary The year has been a critical one for the Society, in that the increase in dues from $1 to $2 necessarily put a strain on the membership list. It may be a source of considerable gratification, however, to note that, in spite of the increase in dues, there was a net loss of but 59 members during the year. This is to be compared with the net gain of 16 members during the preceding year. Such a retention of membership was wholly unexpected at the time it was proposed to raise the minimum dues from $1 to $2. The following table, showing the condition of membership at the end of 1922 and 1923, gives the details. There was practically no change in the number of Life Members, Sustaining Members, and Contributing Members, while the Annual Members fell off from 612 to 551. The total active members falling from 772 to 713. This reduction may be ascribed more to the decrease in new members than to any change in the usual losses from various causes. It will be noted that the new members in 1923 were 58 less than those in 1922, while the total reduction in the list was 59. The small number of new members may be ascribed in part, of course, to higher dues, but more largely must be the result of no active campaign for membership conducted during the year. About a quarter of these new members are Cincinnatians, most of whom are present today. These membership figures seem to show that the Society has now be come well shaken down and that it rests solidly upon a foundation of members, who will stick through thick and thin. I anticipate from now on a steady, though slow, growth in membership. We have passed the critical period of a deficit and uncertainties connected with it, and with minimum dues at $2 we have established ourselves on a firm financial foundation. There is no longer any question concerning our ability to continue the Bulletin on at least the same scale as heretofore, and there seems to be every prospect for funds becoming available for Society ac tivities other than those immediately connected with publishing our Bulletin. During the year just closed the Society held three meetings all of which were well attended. In the Bulletin much more complete reports of these meetings were published than in the case of any previous meetings and the appreciative response from members has indicated the value of such complete reporting. Notwithstanding the low state of the Society's finances it has been possible to issue our Bulletin to the extent of 175 pages this year, as compared with 178 in 1922, our most extensive year. Committees have not been active during the past year, no meetings having been held. Some committees have submitted some material for publication, and there has been some more or less active correspondence, in the case of the Committee on Engineering Meteorology and Hydrology. It is hoped that in the coming year with some funds available for Committee work, and with the quieting effect of our recent deficit removed, the coming year will be one of healthful activity in all phases of the Society's work. Membership List, December 20, 1922 and 1923 To the Officers and Council of the American Meteorological Society: S presented for pay Dues, 1923 A. Statement of Account Dues, former years. 44.00 Expenses Los Angeles 5.00 Dues in advance 32.00 Life Membership Fund Susbcriptions for Bulle tin 85.00 balance deposited in 61.67 Sale of copies of Bulfletin Sale of Binders for Bul Final installment pay ment on typewriter.. Repairs to typewriter. Author's share in pro 20.00 1.00 ceeds from articles furnished to Tycos.. Relief of Austrian meteorologists 21.00 10.00 Proceeds from articles Subscriptions from M. W. R. and Weather = Part proceeds from "Why the Weather" For checks deposited for series, C. F. Brooks.. Subscriptions for M. W. R. and Weather Maps Rebates from Supt. of Documents 12.60 For detailed statement of securities see Aug.-Sept., 1923, BULLETIN, pp. 108-109 Face Annual Value Int. Total face value of securities and total annual interest $1200.00 $63.00 Deposited in Savings Bank at 3 per cent interest 61.67 55.75 1317.42 64.85 1.85 (NOTE-The market value of the bonds held by the Society was $1098.12 at the close of business, October 31, 1923.) C. Deficit. The deficit referred to in the Treasurer's Annual Report for the fiscal year 1922 has been removed, partly by contributions from members and partly by consolidating the Bulletins for the months of June to September into two issues. D. Life Membership Fund and Investments. During the year the Life Membership Fund was increased by $80, two memberships at $20 each and one at $40, bringing the total to $1,170. Of this Fund $512 had been invested in bonds during the year 1922. Early in the present year additional bonds were purchased at a cost of $596.33, exclusive of accrued interest, making a total investment of $1,108.33. All bonds purchased during the two years are listed in Schedule B. The balance of the Fund, $61.67, is deposited in a Savings Account, bearing 3% interest, with the American Security & Trust Co., Washington, D. C. Respectfully submitted, The undersigned, having been duly appointed to audit the accounts of the Treasurer of the American Meteorological Society, submit their report as follows: We have compared the daily receipts from all sources with the bank statements of deposits and find them in accord. We have also compared canceled checks with statement of disbursements and find agreement. The bank balance given for October 31, 1923, agrees with the bank statement of that date, and balances receipts and disbursements. We have also inspected the investments of the Society and find them as listed, with interest coupons not yet due attached. Also, a bank book of the Savings Department of the American Security & Trust Company shows a balance on deposit of $61.67. The Life Membership fund of $1,170.00 is represented by twelve (12) $100.00 bonds, as listed, and a savings bank deposit of $61.67. The Treasurer informs us that hereafter it will be possible to check receipts from dues against the card index of members, which seems desirable. We wish to commend the Treasurer for the neat and systematic way in which the accounts of the Society are kept. Respectfully submitted, (Signed) November 26, 1923. HERBERT H. KIMBALL, Committee on Engineering Meteorology and Hydrology The The Chairman of the committee has been pleased to note that many of the papers which have appeared on the programs of the American Meteorological Society during the past year have been on subjects of special interest to engineers and hydrologists. Aside from these papers literature on engineering meteorology has been somewhat meagre. subject of cycles and periodicity of rainfall is perhaps the most notable thi exception. Dr. Elsworth Huntington's two recent books and several ne papers worthy of note have appeared on this subject during the past year. There seems to be a live interest in the question of rainfall cycles among hydraulic engineers and others having to do with water power plant management. This interest is no doubt stimulated by the hope that ultimately a practical means of making something better than a fifty-fifty guess as to stream flow for the season ahead may be devised. 1,17 The American Society of Civil Engineers has appointed a special committee on Irrigation which has taken up actively the subject of evaporation from lakes, streams and reservoirs. In this connection it may be noted that the number of class "A" U. S. Weather Bureau evaporation stations is gradually increasing and many of the records now cover five to seven years, forming a mass of data on this subject which will ultitomately be of the utmost value. er, 0,1 Another matter in which important advances have been made during the past season is that of transpiration losses by crops, especially wheat. Not only have the water losses for varying crop yields and rainfall amounts been determined with great accuracy for this grain, but studies have been carried out, using similar methods, in a sufficiently wide diversity of locations to afford a basis of determining the effects of differences in climate on transpiration losses. These and other studies reCocently published by various authors bring out strongly the truth of the proposition that for a given crop and locality there is some particular optimum amount of water supply which will afford a maximum crop yield. the This important proposition has already been made the basis of an important general discussion of the economics of irrigation. The Committee on Water Losses of the New England Water Works the Association, which is co-operating with the committee on Engineering Meteorology of the American Meteorological Society, is continuing its studies and has already collected data for comparison and correlation of the water losses from about twenty-five drainage basins, with the meteorological and physiographic factors as well as for rainfall. The Chairman of the committee on Engineering Meteorology and Hydrology has received various inquiries for assistance during the past year. It is worthy of note that several of these inquiries have come from remote corners of the world. This, combined with the fact that many of these inquiries call for data and advice on problems of a purely engineering nature in relation to meteorology, which could not readily be supplied through regular Weather Bureau channels, shows that the American Meteorological Society is making itself felt and is serving a useful pur pose. Early in the year the Chairman of the Committee was asked to furnish advice and assistance relative to the probable effect of the construction of a large storage reservoir on the climate around the shores of a |