1884.] of the Bay of Bengal in 18SS. 143 



The Parthenope and Breadalbane, near the Sand Heads, had light 

 airs and calms during the day. The ship Frank Stafford (in Lat. 21° 3' N. 

 Long. 90° 10' E.) experienced gentle northerly winds with fine weather 

 and a smooth sea. 



The S. S. Kwang Tung had advanced 200 miles to the N. W., and 

 was at noon in Lat. 17° 37' N". and Long. 90° 20' E. She experienced 

 steady north-east winds of moderate force (5) during the day. The 

 ships Mount Stuart and Scottish Hill were proceeding very slowly up 

 the Bay, and had only made about 50 miles during the 24 hours preceding 

 noon. The former was in Lat. 13° 8' N". and Long. 92° 2' E., and ex- 

 perienced similar weather to that of the preceding day. The sea was 

 smooth as hitherto. The sky was covered with dense clouds, and heavy 

 showers fell, more especially in the afternoon. The Scottish Hill was in 

 the same latitude, but 160 miles further to the west. She had calms during 

 the greater part of the day. The weather was very sultry. The air was 

 apparently almost saturated with moisture. The sky was covered 'with 

 clouds, and had an ominous appearance suggestive of bad weather. 



The observations of the 9th shew that no atmospheric whirl had 

 been initiated as yet in the Gulf of Martaban. Several of the con « 

 ditions necessary for the formation of a cyclonic disturbance were pre- 

 sent. Winds were light and variable over a considerable portion of the 

 Bay. A strong humid current was advancing over the south of the Bay 

 into the Gulf of Martaban, and was giving moderately heavy rain in 

 the neighbourhood of the Andamans and Nicobars. The rainfall had 

 hitherto been too diffused to initiate a large cyclonic disturbance. It 

 was, however, increasing in amount, and becoming more concentrated in 

 character, the one additional condition now apparently required for the 

 establishment of a large atmospheric whirl. 



10th November. — During the previous 24 hours, a further barome- 

 tric fall occurred throughout the greater part of India. The fall was not 

 so general as on the 8th and 9th, and was much smaller in amount. 

 Pressure was very considerably below the normal over the whole coun- 

 try. The distribution of pressure was generally similar to that which 

 obtained on the morning of the 9th. The area of lowest pressure in- 

 cluded the south-western districts of the Punjab and Rajputana, over 

 which there was a distinctly marked cyclonic circulation of the air. In 

 the south of the Punjab, cloud had formed to a considerable extent, whilst, 

 in the north-western Himalayas, thunder-storms with rain had occur- 

 red over the lower ranges, and snow had fallen on the higher ranges. 



In the North West Provinces, Bengal, the Central Provinces, Central 

 India, Bombay, and the northern districts of Madras, tlic sky was, as 

 it had been for some time, clear, and the weather tine and settled, but uu- 



