CO129-448 - Governor Sir May - 1918 [4-6] — Page 173

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Report by the Director of the Royal Observatory, Hong Kong, on Sir Napier Shaw's letter of 29th. January, 1918, to the Under Secretary of State

for the Colonies.

Had Sir apier Shaw seen His Excellency the Governor's despatch of 14/1/18, before writing his letter No. 1317 of 29/1/18, I do not think he would have recommended that

Hong Kong should adopt the Indian method of determining air and evaporation temperatures; this alêtring a practice which has been followed here without interruption for 34 years, and which is known to be more accurate than the Indian method.

The only reason against the universal adoption of the Hong Kong method is probably that of expense. The thermometers of a whirling psychrometer are more liable to be broken than thermometers fixed in a shelter.

8. I should be glad to learn if, after seeing the Governor's despatch of 14/1/18 8ir Napier Shaw considers we should reject our method of observing in favour of the Indian method.

3.

I would do so if he and the Director General of Indian Observatories consider that the need of uniformity outweighs the need of accuracy (and the objection of a break in the continuity of the Hong Kong Observations), In my opinion, however, such a step would not be in the best interests of this branch of meteorology.

4.

Availing myself of the implied invitation contained in the last paragraph of Sir Napier Shaw's letter, I venture to suggest that sling paychrometers should be used at least in all first clasa observatories, and in as many second order stations as possible. Further, that first class observatories should conduct experiments (first suggested, I believe, by Mr. J. R. Sutton of Kimberley) to ascertain what corsections should be applied to the readings of unaspirated wet bulb thermometers in various