The flying boat base adjacent to the airfield is used by British Overseas Airways Corporation services to the United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan. The latter is a new service inaugurated in March. Amphibian aircraft used on a ferry service to Macau and one private aircraft also occasionally operate from the water. Control of the alighting area is maintained by a launch carrying radio telephony and fire fighting equipment.
The excellent record of freedom of fare-paying passengers from accidents within the Colony, which has stood since flying began in 1930, was marred at the end of the year by a disaster to a foreign airliner which resulted in the death of 28 passengers. An attempt at piracy in the air, probably the first against a com- mercial air service, led to the destruction of a locally registered aircraft and the death of 26 people. This accident occurred near Macau.
Although Hong Kong is a free port and duties are levied on only a few classes of goods, the movement of currency and bullion is controlled. The profits made on gold lead to attempts at evasion of regulations and many valuable seizures have been made by the airport customs officials. It is the aim to make immigration for- malities as simple as possible and the unrestricted movement of An agree- Chinese between China and Hong Kong continued. ment between the neighbouring. Portuguese colony and Hong Kong made it easier for residents to travel between these two places. A bilateral air agreement with the Philippines was signed during the year. Hong Kong was represented at a conference in New Delhi of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Meteorological Services.
Meteorological services are provided by the Royal Observatory for the general public, merchant shipping, civil aviation and the armed forces. The main forecasting office is located at Hong Kong airport, and is linked to the Observatory by teleprinter and telephone. The Observatory remains the administrative centre, and its work includes the typhoon warning service, marine weather service, meteorological observations, climatology, training and research.
As a great seaport, Hong Kong is responsible for providing a weather service and typhoon warnings to ships in the northern part of the China Sea and along the China coast. Close co-operation is maintained between the Observatory and ships of all nationalities, and the large number of weather reports now received from ships at sea is of great value in the forecasting work.
Civil Aviation, which requires a weather service of great efficiency, has made ever increasing demands on the Royal Obser-
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