1884.] of the Bay of Bengal in 1888. 139 



The Nancowry returns prove that the south-west winds in the neigh- 

 bouring part of the Bay began to increase in strength. The sky was 

 overcast during the day, and 1* 14 inches of rain were registered for the 

 24 hours preceding 1 p. m. The wind during the previous night had 

 shifted round to W. S. W. at Port Blair, and blew steadily during the day, 

 and somewhat more strongly than on either of the previous two days. The 

 sky had clouded over, and rain in small amounts began to fall. '18 inch 

 was recorded at 4 p. m. 



The weather was slightly disturbed in South Burmah. Passing 

 showers fell during the day, and thunderstorms occurred in one or two 

 cases. East-south-east winds set in at Diamond Island and at Rangoon. 

 In the interior of Burmah, winds were not so steady as they had been 

 previously. The sky was overcast at Mergui, winds were light and 

 variable, and veered from east to south during the day. 



The prevalence of S. W. winds at Port Blair and N'ancowry, and of 

 E. and S. E. winds at the Burmah stations, shews that there was on this 

 day no well-defined cyclonic circulation, or centre of large disturbance, in 

 the Martaban Gulf. 



The logs of the vessels in the Bay for the day indicate that similar 

 conditions obtained to those of the preceding day. 



The Frank Stafford, Parthenope, and Breadalbane were at the Head 

 of the Bay near the entrance to the Hooghly. They experienced fine 

 weather, light winds and calms, and a smooth sea. The Kwang Tung 

 had steamed to the north-west during the previous 24 hours, and was 

 in Lat. 15° 11' N. and Long. 92° 6' E. at noon. Her log shows that 

 there was no perceptible current in this part of the Bay at this time, 

 an almost conclusive proof of the absence of any strong atmospheric 

 cyclonic circulation in the neighbourhood. The ships Mount Stuart and 

 Scottish Hill were a little to the west of the Andamans. The former 

 was in Lat. 12° 17' N. and Long. 92° E. Her log states that the sea 

 was smooth, but that the weather was becoming unsettled. She began 

 to experience puffs or slight squalls from the north-west. The sky 

 during the day was covered with dense black clouds, and occasional 

 showers fell, which became heavier and *' smarter " as the day advanced. 

 The winds were very variable, veering from S. through W. thence to S. E. 

 and back to W. and N. W. The log of the Scottish Hill, which was 

 al)out 180 miles to the west of the Mount Stuart, gives similar informa- 

 tion. The winds were very light and variable, veering round the 

 compass, the sky was heavily clouded, and the weather dull and gloomy. 



Hence the various observations indicate the continuance and slight 

 development of the conditions which, according to our experience of the 

 meteorology of the Bay, precede the formation of cyclonic storms. On 

 the other hand, they give no evidence of the existence at this time of a 



