Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 149

145

No

5

1901

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE OBSERVATORY FOR THE YEAR 1900.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

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HONGKONG OBSERVATORY, 25th January, 1901.

SIR, I have the honour to submit my annual report for 1900 to His Excellency the Governor. My sixteenth volume of observations was published last autumn, and the seventeenth volume is now being printed. It contains the usual astronomical, meteorological, and magnetic observations. During my absence on leave last year, Mr. F G. FIGG acted for me, and I found everything in good order on my return.

2. The comparison of weather-forecasts, issued daily about 11 a.m., with the weather subse- quently experienced has been conducted on the same system as heretofore (Comp. Annual Report for 1896 §5). We have:

Success 60%, partial success 33 %, partial failure 6 %, total failure 1 %.

Following the method used in meteorological offices and taking the sum of total and partial success as a measure of success, and the sum of total and partial failure as a measure of failure, we find finally that:-

93% of the weather forecasts were successful.

3. The China Coast Meteorological Register was printed every morning at the Observatory, and information regarding storms was telegraphed and exhibited on notice boards as often and as fully as such information could be justified by the weather telegrams received. This happened on 96 days in 1900. The Red Drum was hoisted twice, the Black Drum twice, the Red South Cone once, the Black South Cone 4 times, the Red North Cone 0 times, the Black North Cone once, the Red Ball 0 times, the Black Ball twice. Orders to fire the Typhoon Gun were issued 3 times. Printed bulletins were circulated on 3 occasions.

4. Telegraphic connection with Victoria was interrupted from 2.7 p. on the 28th to 7 a. on the 29th April, 1900; on the 13th June, from 4 p. to 5 p.; on the 7th July, from 10,20 a. to li.15 a., and from 11.50 a. to 12.20 p.; from 12.30 p. to 8.20 a. on the 8th; from 1 p. on the 8th to 1 p. on the 9th; from 1.15 p. on the 9th to 7.50 a. on the 10th; on the 24th from 7.10 a. to noon; on the 23rd August from 11.8 a. to 4.20 p.; from 6.15 p. on the 8th September to 10.56 a. on the 9th; on the 9th from 11.3 a. to 5.20 p.; on the 3rd October from 11:56 a. to 2.25 p.; on the 4th from 9.50 a, to 3.20 p.; from 4.10 p. on the 7th November to 1.30 p. on the 14th; from 1.33 p. on the 14th to 19.30 a. on the 15th; from 9.15 a. on the 7th December to 10.25 a. on the 8th. Interruptions occurred there- fore on 24 days, and of course, also during thunderstorms. Telephone connection with the Peak was interrupted from 3 p. on the 29th to 7 a. on the 30th July, 1900; from 4 p. on the 8th to 3.55 p. on the 9th August; on the 1st September from 11 a. to 2.30 p.; from 7 a. on the 10th to 7 a. on the 14th November; from 6 p. on the 15th to 7 a. on the 17th; from 7 a. on the 22nd to 7 a. on the 26th, ¿e. on 18 days as well as during thunderstorms.

5. During 1900 in addition to meteorological registers kept at about 40 stations on shore, 2405 shiplogs have been copied on board or forwarded by the captains. The total number of vessels, whose log-books have been made use of, was 326. The total number of days' observations (counting separately those made on board different ships on the same day) was 19248.

6. The following is a list of ships, from which logs have been obtained in 1900. The majority are steamships, and the others are distinguished as follows:-bk.. barque; sh.. ship; bqt., barquen- tine-Abergeldie, Aglaia, Airlie, Alcinous, Alesia, Alexander, Algo, Amara. Ambria, Anping Maru, Antenor, Argyle, Ariake Maru, Arratoon Apcar, Ashmore, Astoria, Asturia, Atagosan Maru, Athesia, Australian, Awa Maru, Ayr, Ballarat, Bamberg, Banca, Belgian King, Bellerophon, Benelutha, Bengal, Bengloe, Benlarig, Benlawers, Benledi. Bisagno, Bittern (bqt.), Bombay, Bonaventure (H. M.S.), Bormida, Brand, Brandenburg (S.M.S.), Breconshire, Broadmayne, Brooklyn (U.S.S.), Buffalo (U.S.S.), Calchas, Candia. Canton (P.O.S.N.Co. and I.-C.S.N.Co.), Carlisle City, Carlo Alberto (Italian man-of-war), Caermarthenshire, Cathay, Catherine Apcar, Centurion (H.M.S.), Changsha, Chasseloup Laubat (French man-of-war), Chelydra, Chihli, China (P.M.S.Co. and Austr. steamer), Chingwo, Chiyuen, Chowfa, Chowtai, Choysang, Chunsang, Chusan, City of Cambridge, City of