from the ocean's surface, or from the rapid condensation of aqueous vapor and consequent fall of rain, which is always accompanied by rarification and liberation of heat, These sudden gyrating storms, of which the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans furnish many examples every year, have yet to be fully explained, as some of them are accompanied by all the phenomena of lightning, thunder and copious showers of rain. This may add to the many theories already advanced, the broad explanation that electrical changes and influences will supply. The many examples recorded of the destructive forces of these storms, these myriads of whirlwinds, traveling across sea or land, are too well known to need repetition here.

From Birt's Hand-Book of Storms, furnishing a record of hurricanes for a year's time, I find the West Indies credited with 113; South Indian Ocean, 53; Mauritius, 53; Bay of Bengal, 30; and the China Sea (Pacific), 46.

RAINFALL OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

With but very few exceptions, the island world is bountifully supplied with rain. True, some are without sufficient moisture apparently, although the profuse vegetation throughout the different groups testify to an abundant supply. About the only exceptions are some of the volcanic rocks and guano islands, whose bare surfaces, have not the requisites for attracting moisture.

At the Aleutian Isles there is more than enough, while Queen Charlotte and Vancouver Islands abound in running streams from bounteous rains. The islands along the coasts of California and Mexico are not so

fortunate in this respect; but unimportant as they are in size and products, this want is only felt locally, and is not of general importance. The Hawaiian group, with a rainfall of thirty-six inches per annum, may be said to have an abundance. The Galapagos, and islands further south, have barely a sufficiency, until the islands of Southern Chili are met, and clear on to Cape Horn, where the rainfall often reaches 200 inches in a year. The islands of Juan Fernandez, Mas-a-Fuera, Pitcairn, the Paumatous, Society, Fiji, Friendly, Samoa, Marquesas, New Caledonia, the Marshall system, etc., attest, by the profusion of natural vegetation, an abundant rainfall. New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia have copious showers, though the latter, with her immense interior wastes, with their great evaporating powers, leaves surface water scarce. The Solomon Archipelago, Santa Cruz, the New Guinea, Ireland, Britain, Admiralty islands and groups, have abundant moisture. Java, Celebes, Borneo, the Molluccas and Sumatra are in some localities, too well supplied, the fall of rain in parts of Sumatra and Borneo being from 100 to 200 inches per annum. Still further west, and in the northeast part of the Bay of Bengal, among the Khasi Hills, it is said that the mean record of rainfall for twenty years is something like 493.19 inches per annum, claimed to be the greatest recorded rainfall on the globe. The islands of the Chinese Empire, as well as the Phillippines and Japan, are all in the range of abundant precipitation. In fact, throughout the islands of the Pacific, water has never been a drawback. True, in some spots surface moisture is scarce, yet in nearly every case, where sinking has been resorted to, a plentiful supply of fresh water has been met with.

PORTS AND HARBORS.

The following exact geographical location of some of the principal harbors and ports of the Pacific islands, are taken from lists in the United States Hydrographic Office:

Anger, Java. Fourth Point Lighthouse (time ball).

6 deg. 4 min. 18 sec., S. lat.; 105 deg. 53 min. o sec., E. long. Netherlands Hydrographic Office. Austral (Tubuai) Islands.—Rouroutou Island, North Point. 22 deg. 29 min. o sec., S. lat.; 151 deg. 23 min. 41 sec,, W. long. Kulczki.

Acapulco, Mexico.-Northwest angle of Fort. 16 deg. 50 min. 56 sec., N. lat.; 99 deg. 55 min. 28 sec., W. long. Commmander Philip, U. S. N. Australia, Sydney.-Observatory. 33 deg. 51 min. 41 sec., S. lat.; 151 deg. 12 min. 39 sec., E. long. Nautical Almanac.

Australia, Adelaide Port.-Snapper Point. 34 deg.

46 min. 50 sec., S. lat.; 138 deg. 31 min. o sec. E. long. Australia Directory.

Australia, Melbourne.-Observatory. 37 deg. 49 min. 53 sec., S. lat.; 144 deg. 58 min. 42 sec., E. long. Nautical Almanac.

Bandger Massin, Borneo.-Residency flag-staff. 3 deg. 18 min. 55 sec., S. lat.; 114 deg. 35 min. 8 sec., E. long. Netherlands Hydrographic Office. Batavia, Java.-Observatory (time ball). 6 deg. 7 min. 40 sec., S. lat.; 106 deg. 49 min. 7 sec., E. long. Netherlands Hydrographic Office. Barrow Point, Alaska.- Highest latitude of the United States. 71 deg. 27 min. o sec., N. lat.; 156 deg. 15 min. o sec., W. long. Capt. Beechey, R. N.

Bonin Islands, Peel Island.-Port Lloyd Observatory. 27 deg. 5 min. 37 sec., N. lat.; 142 deg. 11 min. 30 sec., E. long. Commodore Rodgers,

U. S. N.

Caroline Islands, Hogoleu.-North end of Isis Islet.

7 deg. 18 min. 30 sec., N. lat.; 151 deg. 56 min. 30 sec., E. long. Captain Simpson, R. N. Christmas Island.-North Point of Cook Islet. I

deg. 57 min. 17 sec., N. lat.; 157 deg. 27 min. 46 sec., W. long. Captain Skerrett, U. S. N. Fanning Island.-Flag-staff, entrance to English Harbor. 3 deg. 51 min. 26 sec., N. lat.; 159 deg. 23 min. 35 sec., W. long. English survey. Farallone Islets, California. - Lighthouse, South Islet. 37 deg. 41 min. 49 sec., N. lat.; 123 deg. o min. 4 sec., W. long. U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.

Fiji Islands.-Vanua Lavu Island, M'bua Bay, Dimba, Dimba Point. 16 deg. 48 min. 10 sec., S. lat.; 178 deg. 26 min. 14 sec., E. long. Findlay South Sea Directory.

Fiji Islands.-Viti Lavu Island, Summit of Malolo 17 deg. 44 min. 45 sec., S. lat.; 177 deg.

Islet.

9 min. o sec., E. long. English survey.

Friendly Islands.—Tonga-Tabu Island, Nukalofa; King's Garden. 21 deg. 8 min. 20 sec., S. lat., 175 deg. 8 min. 7 sec., W. long. Lieut. Heath, R. N.

Formosa Island.-Kelung Harbor, south shore. 25 deg. 8 min. 25 sec., N. lat.; 121 deg. 45 min. 30 sec., E. long. Captain Collinson, R. N.

Galapagos Islands.-Charles Island, summit (1,780 feet). 1 deg. 19 min. o sec., S. lat.; 90 deg. 28 min. o sec., W. long. Captain Fitzroy, R. N.

Galapagos Islands.- Abingdon Island, summit (1,950 feet). o deg. 34 min. 25 sec., N. lat.; 90 deg. 44 min. 10 sec., W. long. Captain Fitzroy, R. N.

Gilbert or Kingsmill Islands.—Aurorai or Hurd's Island, South Point. 2 deg. 40 min. 54 sec., S. lat.; 177 deg. 1 min. 13 sec., E. long. Findlay, South Pacific.

Hainan Island (China).—Cape Bastian extreme. 18 deg. 9 min. 30 sec., N. lat.; 109 deg. 33 min. 30 sec., E. long. China Sea Directory.

Juan Fernandez Island.-Fort S. Juan Bautista. 33 deg. 37 min. 36 sec., S. lat.; 78 deg. 49 min. 45 sec., W. long. English survey.

Ladrone or Mariana Islands.-Ascension Island, Crater (2,600 feet). 19 deg. 45 min. o sec., N. lat.; 145 deg. 30 min. o sec., E. long. Captain Sanchez, Spanish Navy.

Louisade Archipelago.—St. Aignan Island, summit.

10 deg. 42 min. o sec., S. lat.; 152 deg. 43 min. o sec., E. long. Australia Directory.

Loyalty Islands.-Mare or Britania Island, South Point. 21 deg. 42 min. o sec., S. lat.; 168 deg. o min. o sec., E. long. Admiral D'Urville, French Navy.

Manila (Island of Luzon, Phillippine Group) Cathedral.-14 deg. 35 min. 31 sec., N. lat.; 120 deg. 58 min. 3 sec., E. long. Lieut. Commanders Green and Davis, U. S. N.

Marquesas Islands.-Nuka Hiva Island, Port Tai-o

hae, French Hill. 8 deg. 54 min. 11 sec., S. lat.; 140 deg. 5 min. 6 sec., W. long. Lieutenant J. E. Craig, U. S. N.