COMMUNICATIONS AND BROADCASTING
the Colony itself is threatened, the local storm warning system is brought into use and local warnings are given wide distribution by means of visual signals, radio, telephone and Rediffusion.
The Observatory also provides all meteorological services for the general public, shipping, aviation and the armed forces. The main forecasting office and aviation weather centre are located at Kai Tak Airport which is linked by teleprinter with the Observatory. Hong Kong's area of responsibility for the dissemina- tion of weather information is extensive. Excellent co-operation by crews of ships and aircraft in sending regular and frequent weather messages have alone made it possible to carry out this task.
Meteorological soundings of the upper atmosphere are carried out daily at the Observatory's radiosonde station at King's Park.
Weather observing stations were established during the year on Waglan and Cheung Chau Islands, lying in the south-eastern and south-western approaches to Hong Kong harbour and the airport. Prior to the establishment of the station at Waglan, meteorological observations were carried out by the lighthouse keepers on the island.
The Railway
Kowloon is the southern terminal of a railway system extending to Hankow with connexions to North China. The British section of the line, which is owned by the Hong Kong Government, is operated between Kowloon and the frontier, a distance of 36 kilometres. Through services were formerly operated to Canton and to the north, but since October, 1949, when the People's Government took over the administration of China,
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