STRAITS METEOROLOGY. 251 



point to the Rainfall Returns as conclusive. Of tins difference of 

 opinion, an example was afforded in the apparently contradictory 

 views published in the Forest Report, 1883, paragraph 25 and 

 Appendix E. 



In 1880, Mr. Wheatley, in his most useful paper on our Rainfall 

 in Journal No. YII, was careful to express no definite opinion ; 

 though the necessities of his argument about " the one great influ- 

 ence at work — the monsoons " required him to attach little weight 

 to any local cause. 



The enquiry into the degree and mode of this " monsoon" influence 

 has, since he wrote, been much facilitated by the extension of the 

 Dutch observations in Netherlands India, to which I have referred 

 above. The Director, Dr. Van dee, Stok has kindly sent me 

 his Records of Rainfall, in which he is now able to give the mean 

 for four years in 166 stations throughout this great region. The 

 following summary of the 20 principal places, named in geographi- 

 cal order, to the North and South of the Equator respectively, has 

 been compiled from these Dutch Returns ; and they show how 

 closely the degree of excess or defect of rain in 1882'followed the 

 degree of North or South in the observing station. The fact of 

 excess or defect is, it will be seen, entirely governed ( except in 

 the case of three headlands ) by the question whether a place lies 

 North or South of the Equator, which is in this matter presumably 

 equivalent to " monsoon" influence. 



Table oe Netherlands India Stations. 



Comparing the Rainfall in 1882 with the Mean Annual Amount. 

 ( in millimetres. ) 



[The places in brackets are headlands exceptionally situated, which differ 

 from neighbouring- places less exposed. It is noticeable also that while the 

 rest of the Straits followed the law here observed and had deficient rain, 

 Penang, which belongs rather to further India than Malaya, had a marked 

 excess. 



The places in italics lie South of the Equator.] 



