
"From Time Ball to Atomic Clock" - the History
The book - "From Time Ball to Atomic Clock" - by Anthony Dyson of
Information Service Department, traces the general history of
meteorology as a science, particularly in China, where much early
work was done and important discoveries made.
The initial suggestion for the establishment of an Observatory in
Hong Kong was made in 1879 and by the summer of 1883 two men - Dr.
William Doberck, the Government Astronomer, and his assistant,
Frederick Figg - had arrived in Hong Kong. They formally began work on
January 1, 1884.
A time service for mariners was established in Tsim Sha Tsui, where
a large time ball was dropped each day at 1 pm. The time ball - later
moved to Signal Hill - was used until 1933. More recently, the Observatory
time service has been supplied by an atomic clock.
Apart from many details on the Observatory's historical development, the
publication, with six pictorial sections and many illustrations, provides
information on typhoons, the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and the
installation of modern scientific devices.
The publication is available at $34.00 a copy from the Government
Publications Sales Centre and the Observatory.
|