Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-10
AS TO TROPICAL LIFE.
Opinions OF Mr.. R. Dec. Ward on The phiIip
pine Climate.

with the coming Of the rainy seasol
in the Philippines, there IL, naturally
much concern felt regarding the pos
! sibility Of our troops being able d
| Withstand its effects sufficiently SO tina
| the present campaign can be effective
| ~ carried on. \ great deal of light /
cast upon the subject by some concm
| sions which have been arrived at N,
Mr.. Robert Dec. Ward. Instructor il
ciimatDloey in Harvard University
after z careful study based upon tn,
reports Of the most reliable authorities
These views are far from encouraging
either as regards the welfare Of ou
troops or the prospects Of American,
being able II settle there permanently
in the future: but. based az they arr
upon an expert scientific knowledge oi
climatic phenomena. they are exceed
ingly interesting
The climate of the Philippines. ac-
cordinG to Mr.. Ward. may " az
Scribcd MS a tropical insullr climate
This means that there are no shar,
contrasts Of temperatures: that tn.
mean temperature is high, the rainfall
large, the air very moist ana the winds
regular. The islands are under TIL.
control Of the northeast trades. oi
Honsoons, from November to April
and Of the southwest monsoous from
May to october. During the prevalence
Of the northeast winds occurs the cool
or OF dry season, ana with the south
west monsoon comes the warmer and
rainy season. During the intervals be
tween the seasons there are spells Of
variable weather ana Gains. with Very
heavy showers. In the dry season
many parts of the islands have little
or no rain. and the ground is 50 thor
oushly dried UP that it opens iii cracks.
Everything is thcn covered with dust,
and vegetation presents a most
pathetic appearance. The distribution
Of. the rain. however. depends very
much upon the local topography, ana
when one district is dusty another noc
far away but with different topo-
graphic surroundings, may be muddy.
The Spaniards describe the seasons At
Manila in words which mean, six
months Of dust. six months Of rain. ana
six months Of everything. Thunder
storms, often Of great violence. occur
frequently in the intervals before ana
81
Typhoons. which CORES pond to out
West Indian hurricanes, are apt To
pass near or across the northern
islands Of the Philippine group. cs-
pccialy during the months Of Septem-
Der, October ana November. They are
great revolving storms of cXtraOr-
binary violence. and usually do an
immense amount Of damage to ship
ping As well as 10 houses on shore.
Fortunately. they seldom occur south
Cf nine degrees north latitude.
The Jesuit Observatory at Manila has
furnished rs with the only series OF me-
tooroloeiCal observations made in thc
islands. From these records we learn
that the average temperature for the
year is 50 degrees. April, May and
June are the hottest months; May lead
ing Tho three. December ana January
are the coolest, with on average Of n.
The highest temperature ever recorded
is 100 degrees, and the lowest a. Most
persons would think that the heat az
Manila is nothing to be afraid of if the
temperature never goes above 100 de-
grccs. but it must bc remembered that
the heat which the human body feels
the so-callcd sensible temperatures
not indicated by the ordinary thcrmom-
eter. but depends very largely upon the
humidity of the air Air which shows
% degrees upon the thermometer Will, II
it be dry. feel cooler than air at SO de
grccs which is very moist. 1t IS the
high relative humidity Of the air in the
tropics which makes it seem so hot and
oppressive: which gives it the charac-
ter of clubhouse air" It is this hot
house air which acts so deletcriously
upon the white man who comes from a
cooler climate. We have read much
Of the heat in our own southwestern
states. i'll summer. and the papers have
stated over and over again that the
in the Philippines are not
nearly so high, and that therefore our
soldiers will have no difficulty in en-
during the campaign. The dry air Of
Arizona and New Mexico in July. how
ever. offers no parallel to the moist air
Of Manila In Arizona, although the
dry bulb thermometer may read 20 or
. degrees higher. the relative humidity
is very much less. and the actual SEN
sible temperatures felt by the body are
very likely 20 or so degrees less than in
the nOIHDuSc dlI u AIdiilif.. - -hAiiiid
the average relative humidity is IS per
cent: in September it is So per cent, and
in April 20 per cent.
AS to the rainy season: This season
comes in the Philippines with the south
west monsoon, and lasts from April or
May to September or October 1t is a
period of low barometer. frequent
Gains and very great closeness Of the
Heavy showers fall near
Is every day, although the mornings