F 9-
VI. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FROM SHIPS,
TREATY PORTS, &c.
Logs received. In addition to meteorological registers kept at about 40 stations in China, meteorological logs were received from 172 ships operating in the Far East. These logs, representing 5,763 days' observations, have been utilised for verifying typhoon tracks. The corresponding figures for the year 1921 were 168 and 5662.
Comparison of Barometers.-The corrections to ships' barometers are usually obtained by comparing their readings while at Hongkong with those of the Observatory Standard. Occasionally ship captains bring their barometers to the Observatory to be compared with the Observatory Standard.
VII. MAGNETIC OBSERVATIONS,
Horizontal force, declination, and dip are observed once a month. In the dip observations 4 needles are used in rotation, the result for each month being the mean of determinations with two needles.
In the following table are given the annual values of the magnetic elements in 1922, as derived from observations made in the new magnetic hut with magnetometer Elliott 83 and dip circle Dover 71:-
Declination (west) Dip (north) Horizontal Force (C. G. S. unit) Vertical Force (C. G. S. unit) Total Force (C. G. S. unit) 1922. 0'215 30-46-0 0'37279 0'22194 0'43386During the eclipse of the Sun on September 21, observations of magnetic declination were made every minute by Colonel and Mrs. Roberts, Messrs. Claxton, Jeffries, Evans, Badan Singh and Yuen Lai Sang. The observations were forwarded to Dr. Bauer, Director of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institute, who is collecting information from all parts of the world for determining the effect of the eclipse on the earth's magnetism.
VIII. -TIME BALL.
Time Ball.-Prior to 1920, January 1, the Time Ball on Kowloon Signal Hill was dropped daily at 1 p.m. (120th Meridian Time). It is now dropped at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and daily, except on Saturdays when it is dropped at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and on Sundays and Holidays when it is dropped at 10 a.m. only.