METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE LY JAPAN 49 



to the variation house, but there is more light inside the room. Wild's 

 magnetic instruments and earth-inductor are used in making absolute 

 observations. 



The electric potential gradient of air near the ground is recorded 

 by means of Benndorf's self-recording electrometer, and water dropper 

 collector. The results of magnetic and electric observations are pub- 

 lished in " Tlie Annual Report of the Kakioka Magnetic Observatory." 



Mount Tmliuha Meteorological Observatory. Mt. Tsukuba lies in 

 the southeastern part of the Kwanto plain not far from Tokyo. It can 

 be reached by train from Ueno station in about three hours, by 

 changing cars at Tsuchiura. The Observatory is situated on the top 

 of one of the two peaks of the mountain, and has a height of 869 

 metres above sea-level. In the Observatory meteorological and seis- 

 mological observations are taken. 



Meteorological stations attached to the Central Meteorological Obser- 

 vatory. Besides the local meteorological observatories there are a number 

 of meteorological stations directly attached to the Central Observatory. 

 These stations are mostly established on the islands and promontories 

 which are regarded as very important localities from a meteorological 

 point of vigw. These stations are equipped with meteorological and seismo- 

 logical instruments of latest designs. The observations taken at them are 

 daily telegraphed or cabled to Tokyo for the purpose of weather-forecast. 



Local Meteorological Observatories. In the local meteorological 

 observatories meteorological observations are made at fixed hours 

 every day, i.e. every four hours beginning at 2 a.m. In some of them 

 hourly observations are made day and night. The variations of the 

 meteorological elements are recorded by self-registering instruments. 

 Seisraological observations are also made. 



Each observatory issues daily weather forecasts and storm-warnings 

 for the prefecture to which it belongs, and j)ublishes daily bulletins 

 and weather charts upon receipt of the collective weather telegraph 

 messages sent from the Tokyo Observatory or by catching the wireless 

 data messages broadcasted by the observatories at Tokyo and Kobe for 

 ships at sea. 



These weather forecasts and storm-warnings are telephoned or 

 telegraphed to subscribers, and are distributed to all the principal 

 towns and villages by telephone. They are also displayed by special 

 w(;ather flags for the benefit of farmers and workmen. We eive 



