428 THE MANILA OBSERVATORY 



Seven years later, when the cit}' of Manila and the Philippine 

 Islands in general were beginning to appreciate the utilit}' of the ob- 

 servatory, a subscri])tion amounting to 7,542 Mexican dollars was 

 raised for the ])urpose of enlarging the observator\' and endowing it 

 witii more and better instruments. This token of public favor greatly 

 stimulated the Jesuit fathers, and more particular!}' Father Faura. 

 to carr}' out tlieir ambition to make the Manila Oljservatory, if not 

 the very best, one of the best in the Far East. For this purpose, Father 

 Faura visited the princi{)al observatories of Europe. At Rome he had 

 conferences with the famous Italian astronomer, Father Secchi ; in 

 England, at Stonyhurst Observatory, he acquainted himself with the 

 method of maintaining a complete magnetic observator3\ From 

 thence he proceeded to Paris, where he collected all possil)le infor- 

 mation regarding meteorolog}', magnetism, and seismology. 



On his return to Manila, Father Faura brought new interest to 

 the work of the observatory. Perceiving that there was some con- 

 nection between barometric oscillations and the proximit}' of a 

 typhoon, he investigated the relation, and soon found this to be a 

 fact. Thus to Father Faura belongs the honor of l)eing the first in 

 the Far East to })redict the existence and to determine the i)robable 

 patli of these storms. Tiie first tj'phoon warning was published 

 July 7, 1879, stating that a storm was crossing the northern provinces 

 of Luzon. Later advices confirmed tlie prediction. The t3'|)hoon 

 had really crossed the island, and done great damage in the northern 

 provinces of Isabela and Cagayan. On November 18 of that year 

 the oljservator\' announced the approach of another tyi)hoon, and 

 ])redicted its course as dangerous to the city of Manila. The fore- 

 cast caused intense excitement throughout the cit}', but especially in 

 the naval department. The captain of the port, D. Alejandro Chur- 

 ruca, prohibited communication with ships in the bay and suspended 

 all traffic. The governor-general of the islands came in person to 

 the observatory to ascertain the truth of the prediction. The answer 

 was that a typhoon threatened the cit}', and that it was imperative 

 to prepare for emergencies. Precautions were then effectively taken 

 in accordance with the instructions of Father Faura. The typhoon 

 came, and, owing exclusively to the warning of Father Faura, the 

 city was prepared, and little damage was done liy the storm, but in all 

 the other parts of the island where notice could not be transmitted for 

 lack of telegraphic communication the havoc was terrible. Fort}'- 

 two shipwrecks, with great loss of life, were recorded. 



