Pare Chevalier, $.J., has kindly favoured us with the following prospectus, and with a copy of his inaugural address:
'The aim of the Shanghai Meteoroley' Society is to further by study and users tions meteorological knowledge in general, ut especially the knowledge of the maritime meteorology of Eastern Asia, such as the normal meteorological conditions prevailing along the coast, the laws of storms, typhoons, ete.
As such " knowledge is of the highest interest for navigators, and the observations taken at sea are of peculiar importance to acquire it, the main point is to vet the cooperation of marine officers. Besides, the residents ut the various ports on the coast willing to make observations will be geatefully admitted into the society.
The provisional regulations of the society shall be as follows I.—Any one who desires to be admitted into the society shall be presented by a member and seconded by another.
IL.—Members will receive on loan a small self-registering barometer, and also, if wanted, common thermometer. Together with the barometer, the society will supply the observers with all that is necessary to the working of the instrument; the sheet fitted for the barometer, bearing beth English and metric measures, TiL.—As the instruments are only issued on loan, proper care must be taken of them and in ewe any barometer does not work properly, it must be sent back to the central observatory to be cleaned or repaired, IV.—At the close of every every second month more conven atter every voyage, the barometric curves drawn by the instruments shall be sent to the central observatory.
V.—In order that these curves may be of practical use, the observers shall send at the same time 1.—The date, viz., the year, month and day of every sheet 2.—The position of the vessel, at least, for every day at neon, Obserrations of the wind (force and direction), taken ut least four times n day, viz at-4 nud 10 a.m, and p.m, or other more convenient hours, 4.—The state of the weather at the same time. jose data shall be clearly written on forms specially printed for that pur po-e.
The observer who las been supplied with a thermometer sh uld also add, to the foregoing observations, thermometric observations taken together with those of the wind.
'VI.—These observations are intended as a minimum which every voluntary observer takes to procure, us much at least as is stent with his duty, But it iva matter of course that all meteorological observations, such as frequent observations of the ind, clouds, sex currents, swell, ete, full reports on storms or typhoons and the like, will be very acceptable to the soci and members must make 2 very opportunity or procuring such I be always at their disposal at the observatory or at the meeting rooms of the M. M. 0. Association. members who have not reo ciety any instrument are nut me obligations. They undertake, however, as members of the society, to procure the advancement of science either by meteorological observations sent to the observatory or by papers to be read before the meetings of the society.
VILI.—At the end of the year the director of the central observatory will forward to the members a report on the working of the society and the results obtained.
N.B.—Such report will be printed in English as being the language more eommouly used in this country.
IX.—A general meeting of the members present in Shanghai will be held every quarter. The aim of these meetings will be to afford the members an opportunity of discussing points of practical meteorology, and to propose improvements in the working of the society.
After the president shall have given a brief account of the more interesting observations received during the last quarter, and pointed out the more desirable observations to be taken, improvements in the working of the society may be proposed and debaied.
Subsequer ly a lecture will be delivered and discussion wil! follow. Afterwards members who may have full or interesting reports on some storm or typhoon, or other meteorological phenomenon will be invited to read them before the meeting.
X.—The meetings are not to be held at stated{dates; but the time of every meeting will be fixed by the president with the assistance of the committee and notified to the members, XL—Erery member intending to read paper at the next meeting ehall notify. previously his intention to the-presiden read by the Director of the bserratory on the 18th of May before the meeting of the Mercantile Marine Officers Association Tneed not say that all my endeavours in the Sicawei observatory are directed to the study of meteorology, in the hope of furthering the knowledge of general meteorology and especially of the maritime meteorology of Eastern Asia, Such a knowledge is surely of the highest interest for navigators, but without a grent mass of accurate observations, and particularly of good observations taken at son, the advancement of that knowledge is beyond our reach, Therefore it is quite natural that Tshould be anxious how to advance the meteorologien! science and how to accumulate such accurate observations, While reflecting on that matter, it ocourred to me that the formation of x meteorological society would be an important. step in that way. In order that the barometric observations, which with those of the wind ure of peculiar importance, might be as accurate and complete as pos. sible, I am of the opinion that the members of the Meteorologicnl Society should be provided with self-registering barometers of easy management, One of these baron meters was left in the meeting rooma of the Mercantile Marine Officers Associntion fora few months and therefore you hive been able to learn how easily it is managed. The introduction of that barometer board ship would have two good effects. the one hand it would secure accurate and complete barometric observations, and on the other, by showing ata glance ull the baron metric variations during the previous days, it would afford grent advantage and security for navigation. The members of the society provided with that barometer should solid from time to time, for instance at the close of every month or every second month, the barometric curves drawn by the in: strument, with the addition of a few other observations necessary to make the bares metric curves of practical use, While I was contemplating the formation of the society and considering the difficulty of raising the money necessary to the purchase of instruments, a certain sum of money was presented to me for the benefit: of the observatory and the advancement of science, The money being sufficient for the purchase of twenty of these barometers, [thought the moment had come to form the metaorologieal society. The members will generally receive w_ self-registering barometer with all that is necessary to the working of the instrument; the charge of cleaning and repairing them being undertaken by the observatory. In return the member supplied with ai instrument must send to the Sicawei observatory all the barometric curves with the other observations hereafter indicated.
However we do not intend to limit the number of our members to that of the persons whom we can supply with these barometers. The number of the instru. we dispose of, might be insuiticient to provide every gentleman desirous to assist us with meteorological observations. Tt may also happen that" gentleman, being in such circumstances of position and place that it would be of little use to provide him with a self-registering barometer, might however be willing to make other -useful observations.
If in the nurse of time, shipowners and insurance companies, understanding that the introduction of this barometer on board is a just security for navigation, would support tne society, then it would become possible tu provide the captains more freely with these instruments. But having only limited number of them, to my regret, we
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.