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Conferences.-The Director attended the Conference of Empire Meteorologists held at London in August, and the International Conference of Directors of Meteorological Services held at Copenhagen in September.
At the conference of Empire Meteorologists it was suggested that a Conference of Directors of Far Eastern Weather Services should be held at an early date to discuss the possibility of adopting:
(a) Uniform codes for local and non-local visual storm warning signals for the Far East.
(b) a uniform code for the transmission in the Far East of daily weather reports by cable.
The suggestion was agreed to and approved by the International Conference of Directors. The Director of the Royal Observatory, Hong Kong, was asked to act as Convener.
New symbols for Local Storm warnings.-Towards the close of the year, the rattan symbols of the Hong Kong Local Storm Signal Code were replaced by others of expanded metal on steel frames, which, though of different design, have the same appearance as the old symbols, at a distance.
Lithographic Work-Plans of the various schemes for an improved water supply were lithographed at the Observatory in January and special temperature charts for the Kowloon Hospital in February.
Visitors. Professor Kiyofusa Sotome, Director of the Astronomical Observatory, Tokio, and Professor Gerhard Schott, of the Deutsche Seewarte, visited the Observatory on April 5, Professor R. C. de Ward, of the Blue Hill Observatory, on April 6th. Fathers C. Repetti, from Manila, and E. Gherzi, from Zikawei, on April 30. Professor Pingjan Tsiang, Director of the Tsingtau Observatory, and Professor Coching Chu, Director of the National Institute of Meteorology, Nankin, on May 4. Dr. Wilhelm Credner, of the Sun Yat Sen University, on July 16. Dr. Sekiguti and Dr. Kunitona, delegates from Japan to the International Meteorological Conference, Copenhagen, on December 9th.
Staff-No change occurred in the European Staff during the year. The Clerical Assistant, Mr. Chan Tin Fuk, was transferred to Volunteer Head Quarters on December 13 and was replaced by Mr. R. P. Ghilote, from the Harbour Department.
The Director was on leave of absence from March 30 to December 4,