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 i.ol 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 18th February to the 19th March 30 days, only 2/l00ths 
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, 
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. ur- 
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 m 
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 hardlv, I should think, correct. I notice that nearly all the 
entries end with “O,” 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 / 11 . 
