280 



RAINFALL OF SINGAPORE. 



Dear Mr. Ridley, 



Register of rain for the first seven months of this year. 



The following years show similar results for the months January 

 to July :— 



1872.— 36.42 inches. 



In January only 4 rain days — 2.49 inches. 

 1874.— 36.51 inches. 



In February 15 rain days — only 1. 81 inches, 

 1896.— 32.20 inches. 

 In none of these years, however, were there such long actual 

 droughts as have been registered this year. 



In the details which you printed in the Bulletin, June number, 

 from my letter there are some slight misprints, one of which is 

 rather important: the first line of page 183 should read :— 



" From the l8th February to the 19th March 30 days, only 2/lOOths" 



I do not agree with Mr. Severn that South of latitude 3, February 

 and March are generally wet months : my records show most droughts 

 in these months. Last year February was the wettest month of the 

 year. But you know the uncertainty of our climate : December, I 

 suppose would be admitted to be the wettest month of the year, but 

 some years ago the rain registered in that month was only 2^ 

 inches — the driest month of that year. 



I have great doubts, too, whether the actual rainfall is much 

 affected here by the removal of forests, situated as this island is. 

 Moreover, in he neighbourhood of the town and to 3 or 4 miles out 

 there is probably more wood than there was several years ago." Fur- 

 ther, the mean rainfall does not seem to have changed. The last two 

 years were exceptionally wet. What seems to me most remarkable is 

 that the great thunder-squalls which years ago were so frequent in 

 the S.W. monsoon half of the year, are now rare. It is a pity there is 

 no rain register on Bukit Timah. If the fall is greater there, I should 

 judge it would be rather from the elevation than the forest. 



One of the most remarkable things in this year's droughts has 

 been that the sky has been so frequently nearly cloudless day after 

 day, which as you say, is not usual here. 



The Rainfall at the Botanic Gardens, printed in the Bulletin page 

 184, is hardly, I should think, correct. I notice that nearly all the 

 entries end with **0," showing that exact returns are not taken. 

 That may not, perhaps, be very important, but none of the months 

 seem to me to be complete — certainly not May ! 



When I arrived at Singapore there was a sort of Observatory 

 here. I think it was in Gaylang Road. I don't know why it was 

 given up. But J. D. Vaughan and others kept registers, and I have 

 quite a collection of these. 



Yours Truly, 



(Sd) A. KNIGHT, 



9/8/ 1 1. 



