19. In January Mr. J. I. Plummer for 20 years Chief Assistant in the Observatory went on leave, prior to retirement, and in view of my own retirement in the year now current it was decided to appoint a Director Designate of the Observatory. Mr. T. F. Claxton, for several years Director of the Mauritius Observatory, received the appointment. He arrived in the Colony at the end of last May in order that he might gain some experience of the meteorological conditions obtaining in the Far East before I left the Colony.
At the instance of the Government, Mr. Claxton visited the Observatories at Manila, Tokio and Sicawei in October and November in order that he might become in touch with the Directors, and acquire an insight into the methods adopted in those institutions.
HONGKONG OBSERVATORY, 9th February, 1912.
F. G. FIGG,
Director.