# Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan/Series 1/Volume 3/Part 2/Observations on the Climate at Nagasaki during the year 1872

OBSERVATIONS ON THE CLIMATE AT NAGASAKI DURING THE YEAR 1872.
BY
Dr. GEERTS.
Read before the Asiatic Society of Japan on the
17th March, 1875.
———o———
The climate of Nagasaki is better known than that of any other place in Japan, because we have the most complete meteorological records of it. The observations formerly made at Desima by order of the Dutch Government and the continuation of these observations by ourselves extend over a period of twenty years.
Professor F. J. Stamkart calculated from the journal 1st January, 1845, to September, 1848, a first series of averages. The results of this elaborated report can be found in the Annals of the Royal Academy of the Netherlands (Verhandelingen van het koninklijk Nederlandsch Institut van Wetenschappen).
A second series of averages was calculated by the Royal Meteorological Institute of Utrecht, out of the journal kept at Desima by different physicians of the factory. These observations run down to September, 1855. The results together with an excellent review are published in the Annals of the said Institute over the years 1855 and 1856.
A third series calculated from the journal, kept at ​Desima by Pompe van Meerdervoort, comprises the years 1857–1862, and was published at Desima in 1862.
Out of these three series a very valuable review was made by J. van Gogh, Captain R. N. Navy, and published in the Annals of the Royal Academy of Amsterdam and also in the Annals of the Meteorological Institute of Utrecht, for the year 1866, (Overzicht van de heerschènde winden en daarby waargenomen barometerstanden te Nagasaki).
In 1871 I received the necessary instruments for instituting meteorological observations and of these I erected a station at the (Japanese Government) medical school of Nagasaki, and commenced my journal on the 1st November of that year. I have now the honour to present to the Asiatic Society a series of observations for two months during 1871 and for the whole of the year 1872, and these will be followed in a short time, by the results for 1873. Although my journal has been kept according to the rules of the international congress for meteorology in millimeters and centigrade degrees, I have thought it advisable to send to the Society the results reduced to English inches and Fahrenheit degrees, because it is still a fact, although very much to be regretted, that the scientific metric system and the centigrade thermometer have found up to the present time but few adherents among the public of England and America.
Before speaking of my observations, I may here mention, the desirability that other observers in Japan should keep their journals according to the rules of the Congress held last year at Vienna under the presidency of Professor Buys Ballot of Utrecht. At the next Congress of international meteorologists which will be held in Utrecht in the month of September of this year, deliberation on many other points will be held having the object of promoting unity in observing and registering.
I am indebted to my learned friend Professor Buys Ballot for the communication of the process-verbal of the Congress, and will mention here the general rules adopted by the permanent Committee, for the sake of other ​observers in Japan, who perhaps would like to know them. These rules are: 1st Conformity of instruments and proved accuracy of the same; 2nd Directions of wind to register with English initials N. NNE. NE. etc ; 3rd averages of clouds with the numbers 0-10 (0=a perfect bright sky; 10=a thick cloudy heaven); 4th, The year commences with 1st January; the days commence at midnight; the hours are marked 0-12 A.M. and 0-12 P.M. 5th, it is recommended to calculate the five days averages of temperature adopted by Dove. 6th, after each Lustrum, commencing with the year 5n+1 the results of observations of each station are published by the Congress in the sane manner. 7th, The centigrade degrees are to be used, at least in mentioning the results of the barometer, (inches of Paris to be wholly abandoned).
I deem it unnecessary to prove the utility of adopting these rules, because it must be evident that by unity in registering and observing only we can satisfactorily add to our knowledge of the great atmospheric movements which take place over the whole globe.
In June, 1873 the Superintendent of the Danish Telegraph Company made an arrangement with me and other gentlemen in Hongkong, Shanghai and Amoy to transmit daily by cable the following observations, viz.: reading of the barometer and the thermometer attached, direction of wind, force of wind, dry and wet thermometer, state of the weather, hours of rain, quantity of rain. These telegraphic records have been published at the telegraph station at each of the places every day at noon since July, 1873. We have adopted English inches and Fahrenheit degrees in their publication, because they are designed for the use of navigators in these waters, and these are chiefly English and Americans, who are seldom acquainted with the metrical system. It is much to be desired that Yokohama or Yedo should take a part in forming the telegraphic meteorological returns, and that the Meteorological Congress should find some means of financial aid towards the recording and transmission of these observations.
​The present observers on the China and Japan coast have all taken up their work without material profit or proper assistance. The latter is absolutely necessary if there is to be a perfect regularity in observing. Great credit is due to the Great Northern Telegraph Company, and its Director M. Dreyer, for the care with which they give their disinterested aid for the advancement of the meteorological knowledge of the China and Japan coast.
As I have already mentioned, these observations are made at the Physical School in Nagasaki, and the point of observation is 650 meters distant E.S.E. from the former place of observation at Desima. The reservoir of the barometer is placed 37 metres above the medium level of the sea, which height was determined by myself by levelling.
The hours of observations are 7 A.M., 9 A.M., 12 M., 3 P.M. and 6 P.M. I was obliged to choose these hours, because I had to bring them into accord with my other daily occupations.
All observations are made with the same instruments, the correctness of which were before exactly determined. The position of the instruments remained unchanged.
The direction of wind is given in true bearings (not magnetic). The magnetic deviation was determined by me on the 26th September 1871 with a magnetometer by Gauss. I found it to be 2 degrees 37 min. W.
The Anemometrical degrees are those of Admiral Beaufort with some slight alterations.
| 00 | = | Calm. |
| 01 |
| 02 | = | Light breezes. |
| 03 |
| 04 | = | Moderate breeze. |
| 05 | = | Moderate breeze. |
| 06 | = | Moderate wind. |
| 07 | = | Moderate wind. |
| 08 | = | Strong wind. |
| 09 | = | Very strong wind. |
| 10 | = | Storm. |
| 11 | = | Typhoon. |
| 12 | = | All destroying Typhoon. |
​The Barometer is a standard one of the Meteorological Institute with a vernier to read to tenth parts of millimeters, and the thermometer reads to tenth parts of centigrade degrees.
No fire is ever placed in the room in which the instrument is fixed, and the direct sunlight has no access to it.
All barometrical numbers in these tables are corrected to the freezing point (32 degrees Fahrenheit) and the level of the sea. Correction for capacity and capillarity has been made by the placing and division of the scale.
The thermometers were all examined in snow on the 13th December 1870. All numbers of temperature are corrected. The psychrometer hangs on the N. N. W. side of the institution in the open air, but perfectly protected against direct sunlight.
Brightness of the sky.—In these tables we have adopted the old style, that is 0 represents a very cloudy dark sky; and 10 a wholly cloudless atmosphere.
Rainmeter. This instrument stands at 46 meters above the level of the sea on the platform, which is erected on the roof of the School. At the same place the weather-cock with wind-guage is attached. The quantity of rain is measured every 24 hours.
Results.
Direction and force of wind.
The experience and journals of many seamen have long since shewn that, in the China sea, from the island of Formosa, along the China coast up to the Japanese Archipelago, two monsoons of different duration prevail during the year. These are the S.W. monsoon from June till September, and the N.E. monsoon from October till May.
Nagasaki is decidedly situated within the regions of these monsoons, but there is a slight variation in the direction of the north-east monsoon at that place. During June, July and August the S.W. monsoon prevails at Nagasaki perfectly in the same direction as in the China sea; the N.E. monsoon, however, turns more towards the N. and N.N.W., a fact chiefly caused by the geographical ​situation of the place, which is wholly surrounded by hills of from 400 to 1,400 feet height, except between the points of S.W. and S.S.W.
As is the case in the China sea, we find that in Nagasaki the north monsoon (for here it is more correct to speak of it as a north and not a N.E. monsoon) has more than twice as long a duration as the S.W. wind. September and sometimes the first days of October are the periods at which the S.W. changes to the North monsoon, whilst the change from the N. to the S.W. wind takes place much more gradually during the two month’s of April and May (and sometimes in the last days of March.) East and south-easterly winds are comparatively rare in Nagasaki although it must be said that these winds are the true carriers for these place, as well as for a large part of the east coast of the Japan islands. It is nearly always sure that there will be rain, if E. and S.E. winds prevail for one day or longer. This fact is easily explained. The E. and S. E. winds, which have travelled over the warmer parts of the Pacific Ocean must necessarily get saturated and yield their water when they are cooled by the vegetation on the Japanese coast, in the same manner as is the case with the S.W. wind on the west coast, of Europe.
In regard to the prevailing winds and the height of the barometer, the year may be divided into two monsoon periods, and in order to give a simple review of these periods I have constructed Tables 1 1871 and Tables I. II. III. for 1872. These figures show how many times in each hundred observations the wind has been N. E. and S. W. and so on. The length of the triangle outside the circle gives, by comparison with the scale, the relative number of winds, which have prevailed during each period. If for instance the N wind only should have prevailed in the month of December 1871 (Table I. 1871), the radius N. would have had the length of the whole scale (100). But the N. wind blew only 23. 2 times in each hundred observations, and therefore the length of the radius is 23. 2 parts of the scale. We have placed the numbers expressing ​the per-centage of wind directions inside the circle of the diagram.
It can immediately be seen from these diagrams that northerly winds have prevailed during the months of November and December, 71.
The wind-rose on Table I. 1872, shew the direction and percentage of winds (a.) over the whole year, 1872, (b.) over the changing months April, May and September, (c.) over the time of the S.W. monsoon in June, July and August, and (d.) over the period of the N. monsoon, October, November December, January, February and March.
The first diagram shows that N., S.W., N.E., N.W. winds are the most prevailing during the whole year, whilst S., S.S.E., S.E., and E. are much more rare.
The following diagram shows how in the changing months April, May and September, the direction of wind is very variable and that N. and N.E. winds have still during these months a preponderance over the S.W. wind. The wind diagram c. shows clearly how the S.W. monsoon prevails in June, July and August, whilst diagram d. explains the N. monsoon.
Table II. contains diagrams made up from 1,000 observations formerly made at Desima, during a period of 15 years. Although they agree in the main with our diagrams over the same months of the year, 1872, they differ slightly in some subordinate points.
They are however not very important, because the diagrams agree in the main points.
Table III. 1872, contains the diagrams for each month of the year 1872, and can easily be understood after the explanations we have already given.
Table V shows that the highest barometer prevails in the coldest months January and February when the atmosphere has its maximum density, whilst the lowest barometer occurs in August, during the prevalence of the S.W. monsoon.
It is however a very remarkable fact, not easily to be explained, that during June, July and August at the ​time of the S.W. monsoon, the barometer is higher during S.W. winds and the lowest with the northerly and N.E. winds. In the winter, when the N. monsoon prevails, we see the highest barometer, quite as in other countries, with N.N.E. and N.W. winds, and the lowest with S.W. winds, when the monsoon wind is disturbed. Thus we find that in each monsoon period the highest pressure of the atmosphere exists when the relative monsoon wind reigns freely without disturbance.
The greatest difference of barometer in 1872 was 1.29 inch. The fluctuations or differences between lowest and highest barometer are the following:—
It will be seen that the greatest fluctuation took place in May (0.86).
The highest barometer of the year was on the 19th February=30.52.
The lowest on the 31st July=29.23.
The temperature of Nagasaki is largely affected by the warm current, Kuro shiwo or “black stream,’ ’which runs as another gulf stream along the whole east coast of Japan, and causes chiefly the much milder climate of the eastern coast as compared with that on the west coast. The meteorological data which have been procured on the west coast of Japan are unfortunately very few. It is, however, certain that a most decided difference of temperature is to be observed between places on the east and west coast of Japan. It would be of great value to have an ​accurate journal of one or more places on the west coast, to show the very great influence of the Japanese Gulf stream.
Although in regard to direction of wind the year in Nagasaki is divided into two monsoon periods, it is not so in regard to the temperature of that place. The thermometer shews us that the year must be divided into four nearly equal seasons.
The lowest temperature in the open air (shade) was in 1872 on the 4th February=25.9 degrees Fahrenheit, and the highest on the 2nd and 3rd August=93.0 degrees Fahrenheit.
The coldest month is January with the medium temperature of 41.2; the warmest month is August with the medium temperature 82.3. In the two months July and August the heat is quite tropical (81.9 and 82.3.) Inside the house the thermometer in 1872 never fell to the freezing point. The lowest temperature was on the 23rd January=35.6. The highest on the 2nd August=89.6.
The number of rainy days in 1872 was 122 or exactly one-third of the 366 days of the year. The quantity of rain over the whole year was 47.71 inches, or about 2.5 times as much as falls in London during one year and nearly twice as much, as falls in Amsterdam. This year was characterized by a very short rainy season, which period ordinarily commences in the beginning or middle of June. In 1872 the greatest number of rainy days occurred in April, it having 15 rainy days with a fall of 11.04 inches. Next to April comes June with 13 rainy days and 5.66 inches of fall, then follows August with 12 rainy days and 5.73 inches of fall. October was in 1872 the dryest month, it having only 4 rainy days and 0.95 inch of fall.
December gives the largest number of misty days 19.1, although it must be observed that mist in Nagasaki exists chiefly in the morning and evening. Mist very seldom prevails during a whole day. Snow only fell in 1872 in January and February together on twelve different days.
​Thunder and lightning are rare in Nagasaki. The year 1872, however, embraced more thunder days than is usual. The number of thunder days during the year was sixteen; April alone had four.
The brighest month of the whole year was October (7.6) and the most cloudy mouth was April (4.5). In October and November the greatest number of cloudless days was observed (together 10).
Only three earthquakes were felt, and particular care was taken in observing them. None of the earthquakes were very severe, and none of these caused any accident.
The number of storms in, 1872 was 19. April gives the largest number (5), and then March with 4 storms. In September, October, November, January and February no storms took place in 1872.
In Nagasaki no typhoon occurred during 1872.
The relative humidity was greatest in April (87), and after that July (79). The least humidity occurred in November (66) October (67) and February (67).
A meeting of this Society was held on 17th ultimo, at the Grand Hotel, Dr. Hepburn in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved, and it was announced that the following gentlemen had been elected ordinary members of the Society: Dr. Müller, Yedo; Mr. F. R. Wetmore, Yokohama.
The Rev. Mr. Syle then proposed that in view of the increased number of the foreign community residing in Yedo the Society’s meetings should in future be held at Yokohama and Yedo alternately.
Professor Ayrton said that he cordially seconded the motion made by Mr. Syle, because, in addition to adding to the convenience of the few of the Tokei members who now regularly attended, he considered that alternate meetings in that city would largely increase the utility of the Society, since there were resident there many men who, from their ability and profession, were well able to contribute valuable papers, but who now but rarely coming to the meetings scarcely bore in mind how important such a Society as this might ultimately become. Also he thought that of those who were anxious to come many were completely deterred by domestic arrangements preventing them leaving home for the night. The resolution was unanimously agreed to.
​Mr. Goodwin then read his paper “On some Japanese popular Legends.”
At the close of the paper Professor Ayrton asked whether the tales Mr. Goodwin had related were really proved to have any connection with one another? Their apparent identity was indeed very striking, but he thought there were other stories somewhat resembling the above, and which would tend to shew that in any country there were many tales all more or less of the same kind, so that among the number there might happen to he accidentally a legend in one country almost identical in illustration with the legend of another country; for instance the moral of the tales of “the Wen” and of “the Hunchback” is that of the “Forty Thieves” in the Arabian Nights and of the “Tongue-cut sparrow” as told by Mitford. Again, the tales of idle wishes narrated to us by Mr. Goodwin are somewhat similar in character to the German tale of the “Three Black Puddings.” The study of the legends of different countries would, however, as it becomes gradually developed lead to this result, if it lead to no other, that it would shew whether or not legends similar in character had a common origin, and consequently such a study would certainly be valuable.
Dr. Hepburn agreed in the main with Mr. Ayrton, and adduced the fact that proverbs teaching identically similar lessons are to be found among all nations.
Mr. Howell said that the identity of the moral would not be sufficient to establish the claim to relationship, but that identity of illustration went far to prove it.
A paper by Dr. Geerts entitled “Observations on the Climate of Nagasaki in 1872” was then read, in the absence of the writer, by Mr. Brunton.
Mr. Ayrton remarked that mention had been made in Dr. Geerts’ paper of the observations being taken at the time appointed by the International Congress. He would be glad to know whether Dr. Geerts observed four times or only twice during the twenty-four hours. The suggestion contained in the paper that observations made at Tokio, or Yokohama, would be very valuable combined with those of Nagasaki reminded him of the instruments offered some time back to the Asiatic Society by the Signal Bureau at Washington, the conditions of the acceptance being that the observations should be recorded at the hours settled by the International Congress. The matter was, as far as he remembered, placed at the time in the hands of a Committee consisting of Mr. Brunton and Dr. Murray: he would be glad to hear the result, if the plans were matured. Additional interest has been given to Meteorological observations by Professor Balfour Stewart’s review of Provost Lloyd’s “New Treatise on Magnetism,” in which it is shewn that there is a strong reason for believing that the variations of the magnetic elements of a place are produced by atmospheric disturbances in the upper regions, firstly: because the rare air being a partial conductor would have generated ​in it electric currents due to its passage across the earth’s lines of force, which currents would attract or repel magnets on the earth’s surface and would also react on the earth’s magnetism: secondly, because it has been shewn that there is a connection as regards periodicity between the connection currents of the earth and the sun’s spots, between cyclones and hurricanes and the sun’s spots, and between the sun's spots and disturbances of terrestrial magnetism, so that there is every reason for thinking that variations of meteorology are associated with variations of terrestrial magnetism.