648121-1893-Committee-on-Meteorological-Reports-and-Weather-Forecasts-Committee-on-Meteorological-Reports-and-Weather-Forecasts — Page 1

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH OCTOBER, 1893. 1041

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.—No. 362.

The following is published.

By Command,

G. T. M. O'BRIEN, Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 7th October, 1893.

SIR,

METEOROLOGICAL REPORTS AND WEATHER FORECASTS.

(Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, to Colonial Secretary.)

HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG, 22nd August, 1893.

I have the honour to wait upon you with the accompanying copy of a numerously signed letter from the representatives of shipping interests in the Colony asking the Chamber to bring to the notice of the Government the desirabil- ity of appointing a Committee to inquire into the system adopted at the Observatory of issuing meteorological reports and furnishing weather forecasts; and the Com- mittee, on behalf of the Signatories, beg that you will be good enough to lay the letter before His Excellency the Governor for his favourable consideration.

The question of storm warnings and the necessity for early and somewhat more widely spread information regarding atmospheric disturbances and the probable course of typhoons forming in the neighbourhood, or in the track of vessels about to leave Hongkong, are subjects on which the Chamber has, on several occasions, addressed the Government. The value of such information to a com- munity which is largely interested in shipping, and also to the very large native boat population frequenting the Harbour, can scarcely be over-estimated, and the Committee is pleased to have the opportunity of expressing its concurrence in the suggestion put forward by the representatives of shipping interests.

A Committee such as is suggested including, as it does, experts with local experience, associated as they would be with a gentleman of Dr. DOBERCK'S scientific attainments, could hardly fail to arrive at very valuable results, and the Committee venture respectfully to urge upon His Excellency the desirability of acceding to the request contained in the letter under consideration.

I have the honour to be,

The Honourable G.. T. M. O'BRIEN, C.M.G.,

Colonial Secretary,

HONGKONG.

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

F. HENDERSON,

Secretary.

(Enclosure in Letter of Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, of 22nd August, 1893.)

HONGKONG, 10th August, 1893.

SIR,

In reference to the annexed report (1) of proceedings at a lecture and discussion at the British Mercantile Marine Officers' Association, we beg to bring to the notice of the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce the suggestions made by Captain TILLETT for an improvement in the present meteorological reports and weather forecasts issued by the Observatory, and in the system by which they are made available for the information of ship-masters who may be proceeding to sea shortly after the time at which these notices are understood to be made public.

F. HENDERSON, Esq.

Secretary, Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.

(1) Not printed, but see Daily Press of 24th July, 1893.