which it may be considered useful to put on record. Records of experiences of meteorological phenomena such as we have just had, besides being of passing interest, are so frequently of use in practical dealings with various subjects that for this reason opportunities to record unusual phenomena should not be neglected. It does not however, come within the province of this department to go much further into the meteorological aspects of the subject than is demanded in connexion with its injurious effects on vegetation.
After a period of ordinary Hongkong dry, cool weather rain fell on the 13th January (1893) and continued daily up to the 16th instant. In the Gardens, at 300 feet above sea level, the following quantities of rain were registered with a Glaisher's rain gauge. January 14, .14; January 15, .35; January 16, .46; January 17, .45.
On the 15th instant the temperature fell in the afternoon to 39° Fahrenheit, thermometer at 250 feet above sea level. On the 16th at 9 a.m. it stood at 35°. On the 17th the thermometer stood at 31° at 9 a.m. which was the lowest temperature observed at the Gardens. During this period the sky was overcast except about noon on the 17th, but on the morning it was clear and the sun shone brightly throughout the day, the temperature having risen to 43° at 4 p.m.
On the 18th for a short time it was ...
Unfortunately there are no official records of temperature at Victoria Peak, 1,818 feet above sea level, but, by such information as could be obtained from private observers in the hill district and observations made here, it seems that the temperature must have fallen at the summit to about 25° or 24° F.
On the river at Canton, and en route between this port and that place, low temperatures were recorded in the reports of the steam-ships Powan and Honam. They gave: January 16 at 1 a.m. 23° about 28 miles below Canton; 10 a.m. 26° about 25 miles from Hongkong; and at 1 p.m. 25° at Canton; and on January 18 at 10 a.m. 28° about 25 miles from Hongkong.
I am indebted (Mr. Ford states) to the office of the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company for these returns.
On the Peninsula of Kowloon the cold appears to have been greater than in Hongkong; ice was seen on pools of water in the roads within 50 feet of sea level, and at the Kowloon Docks ice was observed at the bottom, 30 feet below sea level, of an empty dock.
In the harbour the rigging of ships was coated with ice.
Since the Observatory records began in 1884 the temperature has not fallen, until now, at the Observatory, below 40° F. I remember on one occasion, I think about 17 years ago (adds Mr. Ford) ice was found at Victoria Peak, but there is no record within my experience, which extends back nearly 22 years when ice was observed below 1,700 feet altitude;
which it may be considered useful to put on record. Records of experiences of meteorological phenomena such as we have just had, besides being of passing interest, are so frequently of use in practical dealings with various subjects that for this reason opportunities to record unusual phenomena should not be neglected. It does not however, come within the province of this department to go much further into the meteorologi cal espects of the subject than is demanded in conneétion with its injurious effects on vegetation.
2098
After a period of ordinary Hongkong dry, cool weather rain fell on the 13th. January(1893) and continued daily up to the 16th. instant. In the Gerdens, at 300 feet above see level, the following quantities of rain were registered with a Glaisher's rain gauge. Jenuary 14,,14; January 15, .35; January 16, .46; January 17, .45.
On the 15th. instant the temperature fell in the afternoon to 39" Fahrenheit, thermometer at 250 feet-ebove sea level. the. 16th. at 9 a.m. it stood at 359. On the 17th. the thermometer stood at 31° at 9 a.m. which was the lowest temperature observed at the Gardens. During this period the sky was overcast except about noon on the 17th, but on the morning or clear and the sun shone brightly throughout the day, the temperature having risen to 430 at 4 p.m.
for a short time the 18th. it was
Unfortunately there are no official records of temperature at Victoria Peak, 1,818 feet above sea level, but, by such informa- tion as could be obtained from private observers in the hill dis- trict end observations made here, it seems that the temperatur e must have fallen at the summit to about 250 or 240 · F
1
On the river st Canton, and en route between this port and that place, low temperatures were recorded in the reports of the steam-ships Powan and Honam. They gave:
W
at
January 16 at 1a.m. 230 about 28 miles below Centon; 10 a.m. 26' about 25 miles from Hongkong; end at 1 p.m. 250 at Canton; and on January 18 at 10 aim. 28o about 25 miles from Hongkong.
I am indebted (Mr. Ford states) to the office of the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company for these returns.
On the Peninsula of Kowloonthe cold appears to have been greater than in Hongkong;, ice was seen on pools of water in the roads within 50 feet of sea level, and at the Kowloon Docks ice was observed at the bottom, 30 feet below sea level, of an empty dock.
In the harbour the rigging of ships was coated with ice."
Since the Observetory records began in 1884 the temperature has not fallen, until now, at the Observatory, blow 40° F. I remember on one occasion, I think about 17 years ago (adds Mr. Ford) ice was found at Victoria Peak, but there is no record within my experience, which extends back nearly 22 years when ice was observed below 1,700 feet altitude;
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