T.I. Rainfall.

“Thirsty Island” a Misnomer.

From a Thursday Island Correspondent.

Thursday Island, March 17.

THE rainfall records for the past forty years, as published in February “P.I.M.,” have to be somewhat re vised, and the Island’s claim to an extraordinary dryness in 1890, when it was said that only ten inches of rain was registered, must be abandoned!

So another record goes by the board!

It appears that the list which your correspondent got hold of was not actually the official one, but compiled by a private person.

Mr. Grenier, the local postmaster, who, since his arrival has been closely following the meteorological records and making careful compilation—a thing which had net been done for some years—had seen a copy of the unofficial list, and made comparison with the official records at his dis

posal. He has now prepared and made available the results, which show that there are some inaccuracies in the list published. He has also brought the official list right up to date, and to clear our postmaster of any suggestion of furnishing incorrect records, since the published list was not his, and also in order that we shall not go down to posterity as being a “dry” island, it is given herewith. It will be seen that in the “ten-inch year” we actually had over seventy inches, while the lowest rainfall was 32 inches in 1900. 1890 74.91 1901 57.09 1912 01.54 1923 77.21 1891 80.37 1902 04.07 1913 82.87 1924 00.92 1892 72.08 1903 75.12 1914 79.47 1925 05.01 1893 79.80 1904 79.00 1915 43.87 1920 44.04 1894 79.59 1905 50.93 1910 94.22 1927 80.42 1895 70.73 1900 56.70 1917 89.39 1928 71.15 1890 09.85 1907 74.77 1918 45.33 1929 75 43 1897 58.45 1908 07.71 1919 54.12 1930 53 74 1898 98.50 1909 81.77 1920 58.26 1931 60.04 1899 03.53 1910 80.00 1921 63.54 1932 50 38 1900 32.07 1911 53.11 1922 03.30 Yearly average over above period, 07.64 January was a dry month, very little rain falling until almost the end of the month, when 9.45 was recorded.

February has given us 16.45, the total for the two months thus being 25.90.