Early China Coast Meteorology: The Role of Hong Kong

Foreword to the Series

FOREWORD TO THE SERIES All of us these days take for granted the existence of weather forecasts. Nearly all of us read or listen to them — but most of us harbour some sort of feeling such as: “Why can’t they ever get it right?” This book will not answer that question, but it might provide the comfort to know that people have, perhaps unfairly, been asking it in Hong Kong for almost 130 years. MacKeown’s research tracks the early expressions of a need for a Hong Kong Observatory and the long and difficult process whereby it came into existence. Intelligent scientific interest had for long been shown in observatories in China, often encouraged by Jesuits and other foreigners, but even as late as 1870 the emperor was blaming floods and other disasters on his people failing to ‘tremble in fear and reflect on their transgressions’. Besides, most observatories at the time were more concerned with astronomy than trying to predict the weather, something that was to haunt our own observatory in its early days. It is no surprise to find the hand of Sir Robert Hart playing a part in the development of serious study of meteorological trends, encouraging the growing number of Chinese Maritime Customs offices to take an interest and record weather data. But it is Hong Kong’s role that forms the focus of this book. In 1861 Hong Kong’s famous noonday gun, which was in those days fired at 8.00 in the evening, was the only universal check on the time — and it was far from accurate. To know the exact time was not just to enable residents to set their social timetable. Far more important was the role precise time-keeping played in the navigation of ships — something of vital concern to Hong Kong. There were loud and repeated calls for an institution to be established that would issue both accurate time signals and reports of weather conditions. However, it was not until 1877 that the first steps were taken towards the establishment of an observatory. And another five years were to pass before the Hong Kong Observatory came into being. Even then the project was not without controversy, not least in the person of its first director — an interesting character and a challenging one for his government masters to contend with. For one thing, MacKeown_00_fm_rev.indd 9 02/12/2010 11:55 AM x Foreword to the Series Dr. Doberck’s priorities were brought into question when he persisted in calling himself the government astronomer. Things reached a turning point when no signal at all was raised for a typhoon that struck the city in October 1889. Then, as now, there was much comment in the press about the Observatory’s failure to do its job. However, in 1889 the critics had more justification than those of today. Matters improved and by 1912, the end of its first stage of development, the Hong Kong Observatory was on track to become the first-rate institution that it is today. This excellently researched book is yet another example of taking a relatively narrow field of interest, and perhaps an obscure one at that, and making a highly readable and fascinating result. MacKeown’s book is a must for anybody who hears that ‘the Number Three has gone up’ and wonders what on earth it means. The Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch and Hong Kong University Press are very proud of what they have achieved so far with the Studies Series. More and more people, both here and abroad, are finding that Hong Kong and its unique history and culture provide a rich and fascinating field of study. An increasing number of schools are including the history of our city and its surroundings in their curricula, for which we should be able to take some credit. We will continue to bring to the public original works that will enhance this area even further. The publications in the Studies Series have been made possible initially by the very generous donation of seeding capital by the Trustees of the Clague Trust Fund, representing the estate of the late Sir Douglas Clague. This donation enabled us to establish a trust fund in the name of Sir Lindsay and Lady Ride, in memory of our first vice president and his wife. The Society itself added to this fund, as have a number of other generous donors. The result is that we now have funding to bring...