SUPPLEMENT
To the HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE of 10th May, 1884.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 183.
The following report from the Government Astronomer for the month of March, 1884, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 10th May, 1881.
FREDERICK STEWART,
Acting Colonial Secretary-
HONGKONG OBSERVATORY.
Weather Report for March, 1884.
In the China Coast Meteorological Register, based on information transmitted by the great Northern and the Eastern Extension Telegraph Companies, which I have published daily, is given a summary of the atmospheric circumstances in Manila and along the Coast of China as far north as Shanghai. It also contains information concerning the weather prevailing in Nagasaki and Wladiwostock.
At the beginning of the month the Barometer stood at about its mean height in these regions and Gradients were slight. Overcast weather prevailed during the month and Gradients were slighter than during preceding months except on a few days, when they indicated NE, E or SE Winds. Moderate or fresh East Gales of Wind were experienced on the 1st, 4th, 6th, 9th, 18th and 28th.
The Standard Barometer at the Observatory is placed 110 feet above Mean Sea Level. The bulbs of the Thermometers are about 109 feet above Mean Sea Level and 4 feet above the ground, except the Maximum Thermometer, which is a few inches higher, and the Terrestrial Radiation Thermometer, which is about one inch above the ground. The four Thermometers are fixed in a Stephenson Screen at a distance of 75 feet SW. of the main building, but they are placed over dry earth, as the levelled ground round the Observatory has not yet been turfed. The Barograph and Thermograph were adjusted in the course of the month. The self-recording Anemometer was started in January, but the Anemograms were not used till the 1st of March. The self-recording Rain-gauge and the Sun-shine Recorder were used from the same date.
The self-recording meteorological instruments will be described and the methods adopted in their use will be explained in my Annual Report.
out.
At Victorin Peak, the instruments, except the Radiation Thermometers, are placed in the Look- The Barometer is about 1,823 feet above Sea Level. The bulbs of the Thermometers are about 4 feet above the floor, except the Maximum and the Terrestrial Radiation Thermometers, which are placed at the same height above the ground as at the Observatory. Unfortunately the Solar Radiation The Thermometer was not properly placed, and the readings are therefore somewhat defective. Barometer was not properly registered since the 12th. At Cape d'Aguilar the Thermometers are placed about 170 feet above Sea Level in a wooden screen 2 feet above the ground, except the Maxi- mum Thermometer, which is a few inches higher.
Table I exhibits the readings of the Barometer reduced to 32.0 Fahrenheit, but not to Sea Level, at the Observatory and at Victoria Peak.
The Mean Height of the Barometer at the Observatory was 29.909. The atmospheric tide can scarcely have appreciably exceeded 0.106. The highest reading of the Barometer registered was 30.136 at 10 a. on the 12th, the lowest was 29.716 at 4 p. on the 6th.
Table II and Table III exhibit the readings of the Thermometers (Fahrenheit) at the Observatory, Cape d'Aguilar, and the Peak.
The Mean Temperature during the month was 62.3 at the Observatory, 61.15 at Cape d'Aguilar and 58.2 at the Peak. The Highest Temperature registered was 76.1 on the 27th, at the Observatory; 75.8 on the 3rd, at Cape d'Aguilar; and 69.3 on the 27th, at the Peak. The Lowest Temperature was 54.9 on the 10th; at the Observatory; 55.6 on the same day, at Copo d'Aguilar; and 17.0 on the 9th and 10th, at the Peak.
The Mean Temperature in Hongkong decreased one degree Fahrenheit for every 560 feet ascended