2

H.—l3

Return No. 5 shows the manner in which warnings were issued in advance of a depression coming from the northward. Its approach was first detected on the 9th March, and it passed the East Cape on the 11th, moving to the southward inclining to the south-south-west after passing Lyttelton. It did not approach the stations north of Auckland so closely as these areas usually do (for example of this see Marine Department Report for 1878-9), and consequently the wind at those stations came from the westward instead of the eastward of south. This return is also very instructive as showing that the force of wind on the land was not, generally speaking, greater than a strong gale, but the movement of barometer was very marked. lam indebted to Captain J. Bruce, R.N., of H.M.S. Cormorant, for -valuable observations made during the passage of this gale when the barometer fell to 2844, and the full violence of the wind was experienced, the vessel passing through the centre and experiencing the change of wind from north-east to south-west with hurricane force and a tremendous sea. The remaining returns are copies of those sent by the officers in charge of the stations, and show the manner in which information of results is forwarded to the central office; they contain remarks, <fee., relative to the warnings in returns Nos. 4 and 5. The results of warnings are always decided by the officers who receive them. This plan has been in use during the last six years; it has been always found to work well, and there can be no doubt that the verdict of those at the place must be more reliable than any data compiled at a central office. Since the last report, the work of storm warning has been on more than one occasion favoraWy noticed by the press; daily forecasts have now been published in the Wellington evening papers for more than two years past, and similar information could be sent to any other evening papers; the Press Association would probably undertake to distribute it, but to enable the morning papers throughout the colony to publish a forecast, a second daily report would be necessary. Almost the whole value of the information connected with weather forecast depends upon promptitude of transmission, and I have to acknowledge the cordial co-operation of Dr Lemon and the officers of the Telegraph Department. R. A. Edwin, The Hon. the Minister having charge of the Marine Department. Commander R.N.

No. 1.—Return showing Percentage of Correct Forecast at the undermentioned Places during the Nine Months ending 31st March, 1880.

Place. Direction of ■ Wind. Force of Wind. Barometer Movement. Sea Movement. Gales without Warning. Remarks. 9210 '81-81 82-45 B9-23 97-29 80-25 95-58 83-82 77-38 91-02 90-56 90-24 81-92 86-20 85-71 92-85 93-54 90-47 76-92 94-02 51-68 63-41 95-94 87-34 94-02 96-36 68-13 75-24 80-35 76-74 95-00 81-17 89-02 71-95 7 52-63 31-95 42-10 40-00 28-37 45-46 54-41 29-85 40-47 70-51 18-86 48-14 14-45 31-03 34-28 56-71 43-95 17-46 90-76 28-35 ■26-96 46-34 87-83 16-25 40-29 27-27 8-69 31-68 17-85 61-62 53-33 10-58 17-07 52-43 % 76-00 72-16 79-24 75-41 77-02 S4-84 85-93 80-00 75-00 77-33 77-35 83-11 82-71 7S-56 73-53 88-57 80-28 87-30 81-53 89-23 81-60 71-60 95-65 92-50 82-09 80-00 65-16 72-04 81-48 66-67 83-33 84-52 76-31 65-27 % % lokianga... tussell Vhangarei Joromandel lanukau (altitude, 900 feet) Luckland... Jrahamstown Jambridge (altitude, 200 feet) 'auranga Ipotiki !aupo (altitude, 1,200 feet) ... risborne ... Tew Plymouth Ipunake (altitude, 100 feet) fapier Vanganui !astlepoint kelson 'ophouse (altitude, 2,185 feet) Slenheim ... Vestport ... Laikoura ... Cikerangu lokitika ... Sealey (altitude, 2,180 feet) jyttelton... "imaru )amaru : faseby (altitude, 2,000 feet) "ort Chalmers jueenstown (altitude, 1,100 feet) Roxburgh (altitude, 300 feet) Salclutha... Huff 44V83 9411 1-7 1-5 The warnings are limited tc an area of 12 points of the compass. Force — 7 oi Beaufort scale is the lowest for which warnings are considered as being verified. 1-3 61-36 75-92 l'-'i 75-00 78-04 57-57 67-85 1-7 4-1 7-S 2-1 86-48 59-75 81-42 97-43 78-57 7778 52-50 60-86 1-3 100-00 83-33 Mean average for nine months ... 06 87-63 38-73 79-51 74-04