545
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Maintenance.
$3,600 1,440
900 1,200
900
180
180
Director's Salary,
First Assistant's Salary, Second Assistant's Salary,
Salary of First Clerk,
Do. of Second Clerk,
Do. of Time-Ball Assistant,
Do. of Caretaker,
Do. of Gardener,
Do. of two Coolies and two Watchmen,
Stationery, Printing and Office Expenses, say,
Fuel,
Chemicals and Light,
Incidental Charges for Instruments, &c.
Total Estimated Annual Cost,.......... $10,000
To this will have to be added, after the first year or two, an average annual charge of about $500, for repairs and maintenance of buildings, &c. Further, if it be resolved to undertake so thorough an investigation of the phenomena of the monsoons of the China sea as seems to be suggested in Mr. BLANFORD'S letter—a process which would involve the constant examination and abstracting of a large number of ships' logs—additional clerical help will certainly be needed. On account of the expense, I have most unwillingly refrained from making present provision for a Photoheliograph, but its addition at a future time is much to be desired. As aids to investigation of solar physics and their connexion with terrestrial physics, observations with this instrument are of very great value. Apparatus and wires for observing Earth-currents would also be a desirable future addition to the equipment. In his despatch to Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH, already quoted from, His Excellency the Governor drew attention to the advisability of Seismic observations. The necessary apparatus for this purpose would not be very expensive, and could be added at any time, as it requires but little space for its accommodation. Such observations would possess considerable value, for comparison with those taken in Manila and Japan. In Japan the science of Seismology has excited great interest, and is being closely pursued, both by Europeans and Japanese. Apparatus of the best description has been procured by the Imperial Government, and placed under the charge and observation of the officers of the Meteorological Bureau (Soku-rio-kwa); and I understand that not the least interesting fact which strikes the visitor to this establishment is that one of the most delicate and perfect of all the instruments—that by which the minutest tremblings are detected—is the invention of a Japanese gentleman. A Seismological Society of Japan has also been recently started, under the auspices of Professor MILNE, F.G.S., of the Engineering College in Tokio.
The last recommendation I venture to make is that in due course an Actinometer of the best kind be provided for the Observatory. It is not a costly instrument; and at this time, when so much interest centres in sun-spots, all serial observations of solar heat possess great scientific value.
My ideas as to the proper scheme for an Observatory of the class indicated in the official papers having been thus stated, I have only to repeat my conviction that such an institution, well begun and conducted, will fulfil a want that is greatly felt. To the sciences of Meteorology and Magnetism it will render valuable contributions, which cannot but redound to the credit of the Colony. Concerning Magnetic investigations, the Astronomer Royal not two months ago stated his belief that "no branch of physics bears the same prospective importance"; while the other departments—those for Meteorological and Astronomical observations—will possess a direct utilitarian in addition to their scientific value, in that they will be the means of affording protection to marine interests and to the lives of seamen navigating these coasts. No one, perhaps, has welcomed the project more cordially than the Rev. F. FAURA, S.J., the earnest Director of the Meteorological Observatory at Manila, who has favoured me with his views on the subject, and with a copy of the design for a Magnetic building which he hopes to add shortly to his own establishment. He writes:—
"It is with the highest satisfaction that I observe the interest in the advancement of science which is taken by His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong, Hongkong is, in my opinion, a place admirably suited for the observation and study of Meteorology and Magnetism, and I have no doubt that in a short time excellent results will flow from Sir JOHN POPE HENNESSY's Observatory project, and that the institution will be blessed by all mariners, who will recognise in it a safeguard to their lives and interests. The Meteorological observations in particular, when combined with those taken in this Archipelago, cannot fail to render the most beneficial service."
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The present occasion is not the first on which the importance of extended scientific observation in these regions has been brought to public notice. Some years ago, Mr. ROBERT HART, C.M.G., the Inspector-General of Chinese Maritime Customs, to whom commerce is indebted for the admirable system of light-houses which cover the coast of China, and for other sagacious measures, wrote an able memorandum advocating the establishment of a series of meteorological stations at various points on the seaboard, and anticipating to some extent the arguments put forward last year by Mr. BLANFORD. It is much to be hoped that Mr. HART will take the present opportunity of renewing his advocacy, and will bring his best efforts to the accomplishment of that project. Such a series of stations, working in cooperation with the larger establishments in Japan, Shanghai, Manila and Hongkong, would help vastly towards the achievement of those results which the meteorologists of the world so much desire.
It may be appropriate, finally, to glance for a moment at the connexion, more or less strongly marked, that exists between the various branches of physical research which have been discussed or suggested in this report, and which lie within the scope of all well conducted and well supported observatories.
Most persons who know anything of these matters are aware that the epochs in which great solar energy is made apparent to us by an increase in the size and number of the solar spots are also epochs of unusual magnetic excitement on the surface of the earth, that violent disturbances of the sun's surface are generally accompanied by magnetic storms, and that auroral displays are similarly associated with magnetic activity. There are, perhaps, not so many who possess a knowledge of the periodic effects upon the earth's magnetic force which are traceable to the heavenly bodies, and which take the form of fluctuations recurring with strict regularity. That such influences do exist was, however, discovered many years ago, and it is now well established that, in addition to certain variations of long period, there are regular diurnal inequalities of the several elements of the magnetic force, varying with the hour of the day, that is to say, with the sun's position. They attain their maxima and minima at the same hours day after day, though some of the times vary slightly at the different seasons and in different years.
Besides these solar-diurnal inequalities, small lunar inequalities have also been detected. These are semidiurnal, going through their changes twice in each lunar day, and apparently depending on the moon's position with respect to the meridian.
Again, it has long been known that solar changes affect the earth's meteorological as well as its magnetic conditions. Observers at many stations scattered over the globe have ascertained that years of maximum sun-spots are also years of maximum rainfall, at least upon the land; and that years of minimum sun-spots are years of minimum rain—years in which some countries suffer most heavily from drought and famine. The same axiom holds good with respect to wind, which, like the rain, is most violent in years of powerful solar action. West Indian hurricanes, the cyclones of the Indian Ocean, and the typhoons of this region are most numerous in years of sun-spot frequency, that is to say, in years of greatest solar power. The statistics of marine disasters point to the same conclusion. It has also been shown that terrestrial temperature and barometric pressure are influenced more or less directly by changes of solar energy. Of the causes of sun-spot outbreaks very little is yet known, but the Kew observers have traced an interesting apparent connexion between the periodicity of solar spots and the configurations of the planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury.
Another relation which has been clearly established is that between electrical earth-currents and terrestrial magnetism. These have been shown, by long series of observations, to be strictly contemporaneous. Active magnetic energy is invariably accompanied by abnormal earth-currents, or electric storms, and calm magnetic periods are always calm earth-current periods. On the other hand, the electrical state of the air near the earth's surface, though exhibiting definite daily fluctuations, with double maxima and minima, seems to be unaffected by magnetic circumstances. Earth-currents are likewise known to have a well-marked diurnal inequality, with fixed hours of maximum and minimum.