THE MANILA OBSERVATORY 435 



count of the great eruption of the famous volcano Ma3fon, which on 

 June 25 and 26, 1897, burst forth with tremendous activity, reducing 

 to ashes innumerable dwellings and killing hundreds of people in the 

 surrounding districts. The same fatlier has prepared, but not yei 

 published, an account of the Philipi)iiie earthquakes of 1897, and 

 more i)articularly of the Zamboanga earthquake of September 21 of 

 the same 3'ear. 



There are not many first-class magnetic observatories in the world, 

 but it may be asserted that the magnetic department of the Manila 

 Observator}'- is one of them. It is situated in a s])lendid position, has 

 the finest of instruments, and its scientific results have been highly sat- 

 isfactory. The department is located in a separate l)uilding, inclosed 

 in the grounds adjacent to the normal school and not far from the 

 meteorological and astronomical departments. It is sufRciently dis- 

 tant, however, from other buildings to be free from tlie influence of 

 any substance capable of disturbing the magnets. 



Meteorological reports are received daily from stations along the 

 China coast, from Japan, and also from the minor stations of Luzon, 

 except in time of disturbance. After a careful examination of these 

 reports, the i)robable state of the weather for the following twenty- 

 four hours is predicted, and then the ordinary weather note finally 

 redacted. This forecast is then telegraphed to the chief officer of the 

 port of Manila and to the United States admiral at Cavite. The daily 

 maximum and minimum temperatures are given out each day to the 

 newspa])ers of the city. 'J'wice every day, moreover, at 10 a. m. and 4 

 p. m., the observator}' sends to tlie chief officer of the port tlie atmos- 

 pheric pressure, temperature, direction and force of the wind, and 

 probal)le state of the weather. At the same hours tiie observatory 

 transmits ever}' day b}^ caljle the same observations to the more im- 

 portant stations of Jai)an and tlie China coast. 



Whenever there are signs of any change in the weather the work and 

 vigilance of the ol)servatory are greatly increased, as is also its resi)on- 

 sibility. When the first signs of a typhoon are detected observations 

 are re[)eated more frequently, especially of the different forms and 

 directions of clouds; more fre([uent, and even hourly, reports are 

 demanded from those of tiie secondary meteorological stations of the 

 island of Luzon, wliere the weather assumes a more threatening ap- 

 pearance ; information concerning the whereabouts and progress of the 

 storm is given out freely to the pul)lic of Manila, to the chief ollicer 

 of the port, and any one who desires it, especially those concerned in 



