1868.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 73 



weekly register table, which Mr. Blanforcl erroneously supposes 

 represented the total rainfall according to the report of this office for 

 the whole period of the cyclone. Further, the quantity of rain from 

 midnight to 4 a. m. of the 2nd November, was 2'74 inches and from 

 5 to 10 a. m. it was drizzling. This quantity was only inserted in 

 the Register table of the office at 10 a. m. of the 2nd November. 

 It would be thus seen that from 5 p. m. of the 1st to 10 a. m. of the 

 2nd November, the actual rainfall was 3*41 inches. Mr. Blanforcl 

 states that the rainfall given by M. Lafont for the 24 hours from 

 7 a. m. of the 1st November to 7 a. m. of the 2nd idem was 6*87 

 inches ; whereas the rain recorded in the observatory for the same 

 period amounts to 3'86 inches. This disparity between the two 

 statements may, in my humble opinion, be accounted for by the height 

 and local position of the two rain gauges under comparison. I may 

 observe that in a storm, it is by no means improbable that the receiver 

 of the observatory rain gauge being on the top of a high building, 

 collects less than the actual rainfall. A greater portion of the 

 rain being carried off by the force of the hurricane horizontally across 

 the mouth of the instrument ; whereas a rain gauge fixed on the ground 

 and surrounded by buildings is likely to shew a much larger quantity. 

 I have given above a bare statement of facts. My position, I 

 humbly conceive, does not permit me to comment on the reflections 

 which Mr. Blanford, without due enquiry, has thought fit to make on 

 the observations which I have the honor to take in this office, 

 indirectly hinting, for reasons which I hope I have shewn to your 

 satisfaction to be wholly groundless, that they are inaccurate and 

 therefore unreliable. 



I have, &q. 



(Signed) Gopeenatha Sen, 

 In charge of the Observatory. 

 Mr. Blanford said that a few remarks from him would be necessary 

 to explain certain portions of the correspondence just read. With 

 regard to the destruction of the anemometer, he could endorse Colonel 

 Thuillier's assurance that every precaution was taken to fix the vane- 

 rod firmly ; and so firmly had it been fixed, that some of the stays 

 retained their place, the sheet lead which had covered the roof having 

 lapped over the vane, and by sheer force torn the collar of the rod from 



