648121-1893-Committee-on-Meteorological-Reports-and-Weather-Forecasts-Committee-on-Meteorological-Reports-and-Weather-Forecasts — Page 10

1050 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH OCTOBER, 1893.

Captain TILLETT explained the great practical importance of the daily issue of isobaric weather charts for the area between Shanghai and Cape Saint James taking in Tongking and the islands of Formosa and the Philippines. Such charts would be useful to the shipping. A mere forecast of the weather expected in this Colony, -whether it was going to rain or there were chances of a thunderstorm,-was under ordinary circumstances not of much value to a Colony that is not interested in agriculture.

The CHAIRMAN exhibited charts and explained systems of issuing meteor- ological information and daily weather charts and forecasts adopted in the United States, England, Japan, Sydney and Mauritius. The weather service in the United States was the most expensive and the most perfect. The States were covered by a net-work of telegraphic reporting stations, established at well exposed places, and worked by officers specially trained and under constant supervision from Wash- ington with instruments continuously verified. Their telegrams and telegraphic weather forecasts sent to each State have precedence urgency. Forecasts are further distributed through telephones. All is done within an hour by a large staff of officials. The magnificent daily isobaric weather charts are necessary, as there are too many stations--about 150-to allow anybody to grasp the distribu- tion of, and the changes going on in the meteorological elements at so large a number of stations except by aid of projection on weather maps. The latter are issued mainly in the interest of agriculture but are highly esteemed by masters of vessels navigating the most western portion of the North Atlantic. Their value would be further increased if they covered the West Indies. But that is not done. There are no daily isobaric charts for the West Indies. England issues isobaric weather charts which are most minute in the British Isles, for which weather forecasts are issued, and giving a rougher representation of the weather along the coasts round the Bay of Biscay and down to Gibraltar as well as on the continent. The Japanese tri-daily weather maps were shown and attention called to their minute details, and the weather forecasts for the different parts of Japan. Weather charts from Sydney were shown. The stations in New South Wales, about 30 in number, were mostly lying along the coast line and isobars could therefore not be drawn. These charts did not seem to be needed at all, as the information conveyed could be at least as lucidly exhibited in a table. The weather intelligence issued at Mauritius was highly appreciated by seafaring men. It was based on observ- ations made at the Observatory as there was no cable connection between the islands in the southern Indian Ocean. Captain TILLETT was quite right in recom- mending isobaric weather charts. Such were, in fact, indispensable, for forecasting the weather over a large area and for the proper issue of local forecasts. same time it could not be expected that forecasts in Southern China or in Europe would be as accurate as on the east coast of North America. There the depres- sions arrived from inland, whereas in South China and in England they arrive from the sea. In North China depressions arrive from inland and move towards Japan, so that in the northern part of the Far East forecasts could be issued the same as in America.

At the

Captain ANDERSON remarked that storms in Japan arrive from the west in

winter.

The CHAIRMAN stated that such was to a great extent also the case in summer.

Captain TILLETT remarked that the Japanese weather charts were not of much value to vessels leaving Japan. They might be of local use.

The CHAIRMAN said he had often heard Captains remark that they got more notice of storms raging out at sea in Hongkong than in Japan; but the system of issuing meteorological information there is nevertheless much superior to our own.

Mr. F. G. FIGG, being called upon to give evidence, explained that the number of stations in China was not sufficient for constructing isobars, so much more as the stations were all lying along the coast. They were not selected with any reference to proper exposure anywhere, e. g., the observations were made in Custom houses in sheltered positions by observers who had little or no training and whose instruments were often out of order and only to some extent compared here. It is desired to issue the forecast for the day by 10.30 A.M., but at this time usually not more than half the observations from the other stations have arrived. The forecast must be made without them, or in case of bad weather being indicated at a distance, it is delayed till more telegrams arrive. This is very unsatisfactory for the general