There are many other types of anemometer, and some of them tell a much more detailed story of the wind’s variations than does the Robinson instrument. On the other hand, thousands of weather observers dispense with anemometers altogether and merely estimate the strength of the wind from its effects. This applies to nearly all observers at sea, and, in Europe, to the vast majority of observers on land. Such estimates are recorded on a scale ranging from zero, for a calm, generally up to ten or twelve for the strongest winds ever experienced. Several different scales are in use. The best known is the Beaufort Scale, devised by Admiral Sir F. Beaufort, in 1805. The following table of the Beaufort Scale, as adapted for use on land, is from the “Observer’s Handbook” of the British Meteorological Office: --------+---------------+---------------------------------+----------- Beaufort| Explanatory | Specification of Beaufort Scale | Equivalent number | titles | for use on land based on | speed in | | observations made at land | miles per | | stations | hour at | | | 33 feet --------+---------------+---------------------------------+----------- 0 | Calm | Calm; smoke rises vertically | 0 1 | Light air | Direction of wind shown by | | | smoke drift, but not by wind | | | vanes | 2 2 | Slight breeze | Wind felt on face; leaves | | | rustle; ordinary vane moved | | | by wind | 5 3 | Gentle breeze | Leaves and small twigs in | | | constant motion wind extends | | | light flag | 10 4 | Moderate | Raises dust and loose paper; | | breeze | small branches are moved | 15 5 | Fresh breeze | Small trees in leaf begin to | | | sway; crested wavelets form | | | on inland waters | 21 6 | Strong breeze | Large branches in motion; | | | whistling heard in telegraph | | | wires; umbrellas used with | | | difficulty | 27 7 | High wind | Whole trees in motion; | | | inconvenience felt when | | | walking against wind | 35 8 | Gale | Breaks twigs off trees; | | | generally impedes progress | 42 9 | Strong gale | Slight structural damage occurs |