4 
Singapore. 
14. The velocity of the wind was registered during nine months 
of the year only, owing to the anemometer having gone out of repair ; 
during the other three months no observations were taken. The mean 
velocity for this period was 113 miles, and the greatest in 24 hours was 
263 miles on the 5th March. 
Penang and Province Wellesley . 
15. During the year 1885, no observations of the direction and velo- 
city of the wind were taken. We hope next year to have this omission 
rectified. 
Malacca. 
16. The N.E. wind prevailed from January to April, a 4 |d again from 
November to December. * During the other months of the vear, the wind 
o to 7 
was generally S.W. 
17. The mean velocity of the wind during the twelve month* was 
183 miles, and the greatest velocity in any one day was 470 miles. 
Rainfall. 
38. The total number of registering stations in the Straits during 
the year 1885 was 29, being 18 over the number in 1884. Eighteen of 
these, viz., 7 in Singapore, 3 in Penang, 5 in Province Wellesley, and 3 
in Malacca, supplied complete returns ; the remaining 11 furnishing 
theirs only incompletely. At Singapore, new stations were started during 
the year at the Botanic Gardens, Neidpatli,. Chasserieaus Estate, and 
Bukit Timah, but, owing to the absence of the official in charge of the 
last-named station, the observations had to be discontinued in September. 
19. At the beginning of the year, the station at the Leper Asylum, 
Pulau Jerajali, which hitherto furnished returns for Penang, was placed 
under the supervision of the Colonial Surgeon, Province W^ellesley, 
and the observations there have since been embodied in the returns of 
that Settlement. A new station will shortly be opened at Balik Pulau, 
Penang, which is much required. 
20. At Province "Wellesley, no new stations were opened during the 
year, the four registering stations at the District Hospitals and the one at 
the Leper Island being found to he ample. 
21. In Malacca, seven new Stations were started in the course of 
the year 1885, iu different situations, and a few more will be opened in 
1886. Mr. Hervey, the Resident Councillor, takes a keen interest on the 
subject of the rainfall at this Settlement, and I am obliged to him for 
suggestions as to the best localities for having them. 
Singapore . 
22. On the whole, the year 1885 was a very dry one, it being, leav- 
ing out 1877, among the driest on record. The mean fall for the year 
was 67.32 inches only, and the number of days on which rain fell, 134. 
23. The maximum fall (16.37 inches) occurred in December at the 
Sepoy Lines, and on the 20th of the same month, at the same station, was 
