Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 158

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fering with the going of the clock or the adjustment of the springs themselves. Subsequently a shunt was introduced into the circuit which works the relay in order to prevent any spark occurring at these points. The standard mean time clock has likewise been going without interruption, a little additional oil being added to parts of the movement on November 16. The rate of this clock at the present time is not satisfactory. The time-ball clock was cleaned on February 25.

13. The errors of the time-ball are given in Table II. There were seven failures in 1899. The ball is not dropped on Government holidays. Upon March 14th it was under repair, and upon October 21st the Chinese assistant omitted to take the key of the time-ball tower with him. It was dropped successfully 340 times. The causes of the failures mentioned above are as under:-On February 28th a particle from the buff used in cleaning the platinum points on February 25 pre- vented actual contact and there was therefore no discharge current, on March 13th, the piston jambed between the tooth and the back of the cylinder, on June 22nd a corroded wire in the coil of the dis- charge circuit, on June 24th during the repairs attempts were made to drop the ball by means of hand apparatus but failed, on September 4th the piston would not rest on the tooth owing to the spring at the back of the lock having become slack, on September 5th the lock did not discharge owing to the fault on the previous day having been over-corrected, on December 17th no discharge current, proba- bly the clock had not been put in circuit. The probable error was in January ± 0.09, in February +0.22, in March± 0.09, in April± 0.13, in May± 0.13, in June± 0.27, in July ± 0.10, in August 0.16, in September ± 0.09, in October± 0.11, in November± 0.09 and in December

± 0.10.

Table II.

Errors of Time-Ball in 1899.

means too late.

+ means too early.

Date.

Jan.

Feb. March. April. May. June. July. August. Sept.

Oct. Nov.

Dec.

I

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

8

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

3333

+0.2

0.1

+0.3

0.1

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1 +0.3

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.2

0.1

0.1

+0.3

+0.2

+0.2

0.1

333838

0.1

0.1

-0.3

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

83233

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

333333

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.2

338388

0.1

0.1

-0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.4

+0.3

0.1

0.1

...

0.1

0.1

-0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.5

+0.3

0.1

0.1

+0.4

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

9

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0.1

+0.3

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

10

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.2

0.1

0.1

11

0.1

0.1

01

0.1

+0.4

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.3

0.1

0.1

12

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.4

0.1

+0.2

0.1

-0.2

0.1

0.1

13

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.2

+0.5

0.1

+0.3

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

-21

31

29972287ASHBALASAD

14

+0.2

0.1

15

0.1

0.1

16

0.1

0.1

0.1

17

0.1 +0.3

0.1

18

0.1

+0.7

0.1

19

0.1 +1.1

0.1

20

0.1 +1.1

0.1 -0.9

0.1

+1.2

0.1

0.1 -0.4

0.1

23

0.1

0,1

0.1

24

0.1

0.1

0.1 +0.2

25

26

30

3338238

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1 +0.3

888:888888833333

-0.2 +0.6

0.1

+0.6

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.2 +0.7 +0.2

+0.8

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0.1 +0.8 +0.3

+0.5

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.2

+0.8

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.9

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.6

+0.2

0.

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

01

0.1

6.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

-0.4

-0.2

U.I

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.3

+0,2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.4

+0.2

0.1

0.1

-0.3 +0.2

0.1

+0.3

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

+0.2

18388388

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

14. Mr. J. I. PLUMMER determined the time and took charge of clocks, chronometers, chrono- graph and the time-ball. Mr. F. G. FIGG issued weather-forecasts and storm-warnings, and made magnetic observations. Miss DOBERCK, who was on leave during five months, attended to marine meteorology. The native assistant, under close supervision of Mr. FIGG and myself, attended to the meteorological instruments and the construction of meteorological tables, assisted by the native staff of computers and telegraphists.

15. The cisterns of the barograph and standard barometers are placed 109 feet above M.S.L. The bulbs of the thermometers are rotated 108 feet above M.S.L., and 4 feet above the grass. The solar radiation thermometer is placed at the same height. The rim of the rain-gauge is 105 feet above M.S.L., and 21 inches above the ground.