A mild, equable, damp climate, not so hot as would be met with at a corresponding distance north of the line, never cool, and equally free from excessive heat, but very enervating; and unfortunately the health records of these islands are by no means satisfactory.
From January to early April the winds are usually from the north-west, and from May to October north-east, the remaining two months of the year being characterised by winds of very variable direction.
The two following tables will give some idea of the temperature and rainfall of a few sites in this Archipelago, arranged progressively in their order north and south of the Equator.
As examples of places in this archipelago which chance to have a special interest for English-speaking people on both sides of the Atlantic, I give below fuller data of the climates of Manila in America’s new acquisition of the Philippines, based on from 16 to 34 years of Spanish records; and of Port Moresley, in the newly established British colony in New Guinea, which naturally cannot as yet do more than furnish a single year’s experience:—
| Manila. Lat. 14° 36′ N.; Long. 120° 58′E. Near Sea-level. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Mean Monthly Temperature | Absolute Monthly Maxima | Absolute Monthly Minima | Relative Humidity | Mean Monthly Rainfall | ||||
| F. | C. | F. | C. | F. | C. | Ins. | Mm. | ||
| January | 77·0 | 25·0 | 93·0 | 33·9 | 62·1 | 16·7 | 77·7 | 1·19 | 29·4 |
| February | 77·7 | 25·4 | 95·7 | 35·4 | 61·0 | 16·1 | 74·1 | 0·41 | 10·3 |
| March | 80·4 | 26·8 | 95·9 | 35·5 | 63·3 | 17·4 | 71·7 | 0·74 | 18·8 |
| April | 82·9 | 28·2 | 99·0 | 37·2 | 66·0 | 18·9 | 70·9 | 1·14 | 29·1 |
| May | 83·3 | 28·5 | 100·0 | 37·8 | 71·1 | 21·7 | 76·9 | 4·20 | 106·7 |
| June | 82·0 | 27·8 | 97·0 | 36·1 | 70·9 | 21·6 | 81·5 | 9·62 | 244·1 |
| July | 80·8 | 27·1 | 94·8 | 34·9 | 70·0 | 21·1 | 84·9 | 14·57 | 369·3 |
| August | 80·8 | 27·1 | 94·3 | 34·5 | 69·1 | 20·6 | 84·4 | 13·87 | 351·8 |
| September | 80·4 | 26·8 | 93·7 | 34·3 | 70·5 | 21·4 | 85·6 | 14·93 | 378·9 |
| October | 80·4 | 26·8 | 94·8 | 34·8 | 68·7 | 20·4 | 82·6 | 7·54 | 191·6 |
| November | 79·0 | 26·1 | 92·1 | 33·4 | 64·9 | 18·2 | 81·6 | 5·13 | 129·7 |
| December | 77·4 | 25·2 | 91·9 | 33·2 | 60·3 | 15·7 | 80·7 | 2·13 | 53·5 |
| Year | 77·0 | 26·8 | 100 | 37·8 | 60·3 | 15·7 | 97·4 | 75·46 | 1,916·6 |
| Table of Temperatures in Malay Archipelago. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Island | Latitude | Mean Annual Temperature | Coldest Month | Hottest Month | Difference | ||||||
| Name | Temperature | Name | Temperature | |||||||||
| F. | C. | F. | C. | F. | C. | F. | C. | |||||
| Bayombong | Lugon | 16° 29′ N. | 76·1 | 24·8 | December | 70·8 | 21·6 | May | 80·0 | 26·7 | 9·2 | 5·1 |
| C. Boliano | „ | 16° 23′ N. | 77·5 | 25·3 | „ | 73·6 | 23·2 | „ | 81·3 | 27·4 | 7·5 | 4·2 |
| Manila | „ | 14° 35′ N. | 79·5 | 26·4 | January | 76·1 | 24·5 | „ | 82·9 | 28·2 | 6·6 | 3·7 |
| Malion | „ | 18° 9′ N. | 77·6 | 25·4 | „ | 74·2 | 23·4 | „ | 81·6 | 27·6 | 7·5 | 4·2 |
| Iloilo | Sebu | 10° 42′ N. | 79·8 | 26·6 | „ | 77·1 | 25·1 | „ | 82·4 | 28·0 | 5·2 | 2·9 |
| Carlotta | Negros | 10° 25′ N. | 77·5 | 25·3 | December | 75·5 | 24·2 | „ | 80·6 | 27·0 | 5·1 | 2·8 |
| Bohol | Bohol | 9° 30′ N. | 78·6 | 25·9 | February | 76·2 | 24·5 | June | 80·6 | 27·0 | 4·5 | 2·5 |
| Sandakan | Borneo | 5° 49′ N. | 80·5 | 26·9 | Dec.-Jan. | 79·0 | 26·1 | Apl.-May | 81·9 | 27·7 | 2·9 | 1·6 |
| Papar | „ | 6° 49′ N. | 77·6 | 25·4 | „„ | 76·1 | 24·5 | June | 79·3 | 26·3 | 3·2 | 1·8 |
| Padang | Sumatra | 0° 56′ S. | 79·8 | 26·6 | November | 79·1 | 26·2 | May | 81·0 | 27·2 | 1·8 | 1·0 |
| Palembang | „ | 2° 50′ S. | 80·6 | 27·0 | January | 79·8 | 26·6 | „ | 81·4 | 27·4 | 1·4 | 0·8 |
| Baryermassing | „ | 3° 34′ S. | 79·9 | 27·1 | December | 80·0 | 26·7 | „ | 81·9 | 27·7 | 1·8 | 1·0 |
| Amboina | Seram | 3° 41′ S. | 79·3 | 26·3 | July | 77·4 | 25·2 | February | 81·0 | 27·2 | 3·6 | 2·0 |
| Lahat | Sumatra | 3° 48′ S. | 78·9 | 26·0 | January | 79·1 | 26·2 | April | 81·2 | 27·3 | 2·3 | 1·3 |
| North Coast | New Guinea | 4° 54′ S. | 79·0 | 26·1 | August | 77·5 | 25·3 | March | 79·8 | 26·6 | 2·8 | 1·3 |
| Batavia | Java | 6° 11′ S. | 78·6 | 25·9 | January | 77·5 | 25·3 | May-Oct. | 79·5 | 26·4 | 1·9 | 1·1 |
| Buitenzorg | „ | 6° 37′ S. | 77·0 | 25·0 | February | 78·0 | 25·5 | Sept. | 77·7 | 25·5 | 1·8 | 1·0 |
| Banjoewangie | „ | 8° 17′ S. | 79·9 | 26·7 | July | 78·9 | 26·0 | April | 81·2 | 27·3 | 2·3 | 1·3 |
| South coast | New Guinea | 9° 28′ S. | 80·5 | 26·9 | August | 77·5 | 25·3 | December | 82·6 | 28·2 | 5·2 | 2·9 |
The remarkable uniformity of these climates, albeit with a slightly more distinct tendency to variation as one recedes from the Equator, are well illustrated in these tables, as also is the dependence of season on purely local conditions in these latitudes.
| Table showing Monthly Rainfall of Localities in the MalayArchipelago. | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Singkel, S. W. coast, Sumatra | Kota Raja, N. coast, Sumatra | Sarawak, N. coast, Borneo | Sandakan, British N. Borneo | Menado, N. Peninsula, Celebes | Ternata, Small Island off Jilolo | Benkulen, S. W. coast, Sumatra | Bangawanji, Java | Kupang, N. coast of Timor | |||||||||
| Latitude | 2° 11′ N. | 5° 32′ N. | 1° 28′ N. | 5° 49′ N. | 1° 30′ N. | 0° 47′ N. | 3° 47′ S. | 8° 13′ S. | 10° 10′ S. | |||||||||
| Longitude | 97° 45′ E. | 95° 20′ E. | 110° 8′ E. | 118° 12′ E. | 124° 50′ E. | 127° 23′ E. | 102° 15′ E. | 114° 23′ E. | 123° 34′ E. | |||||||||
| Month | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. |
| January | 11·23 | 285 | 5·98 | 151 | 27·17 | 690 | 21·43 | 544 | 18·78 | 478 | 7·83 | 199 | 12·40 | 315 | 7·57 | 192 | 16·15 | 423 |
| February | 10·68 | 271 | 3·13 | 79 | 23·67 | 601 | 10·33 | 262 | 13·27 | 337 | 7·98 | 201 | 9·83 | 249 | 7·57 | 192 | 15·03 | 404 |
| March | 14·64 | 372 | 3·32 | 84 | 10·14 | 257 | 7·53 | 192 | 10·67 | 271 | 6·30 | 160 | 11·34 | 288 | 5·38 | 138 | 7·60 | 193 |
| April | 15·97 | 406 | 4·58 | 116 | 10·04 | 255 | 4·37 | 111 | 8·08 | 205 | 10·33 | 262 | 10·35 | 263 | 4·08 | 104 | 2·38 | 60 |
| May | 14·45 | 367 | 5·55 | 141 | 9·09 | 231 | 5·32 | 135 | 6·58 | 167 | 8·89 | 226 | 10·33 | 262 | 4·97 | 126 | 1·85 | 47 |
| June | 13·18 | 335 | 3·28 | 82 | 8·73 | 222 | 8·32 | 211 | 7·08 | 179 | 8·89 | 226 | 9·15 | 233 | 4·62 | 117 | 0·38 | 10 |
| July | 11·46 | 291 | 4·38 | 111 | 4·78 | 121 | 9·62 | 244 | 4·93 | 125 | 5·38 | 137 | 7·13 | 181 | 3·03 | 77 | 0·17 | 4 |
| August | 15·28 | 388 | 4·84 | 123 | 8·86 | 225 | 6·98 | 176 | 4·78 | 121 | 4·73 | 120 | 9·48 | 241 | 2·48 | 63 | 0·13 | 3 |
| September | 16·75 | 426 | 7·29 | 185 | 7·78 | 198 | 10·08 | 256 | 3·24 | 82 | 4·07 | 103 | 9·82 | 249 | 2·67 | 68 | 0·04 | 1 |
| October | 20·16 | 512 | 7·48 | 190 | 9·92 | 252 | 10·07 | 255 | 4·93 | 125 | 6·58 | 167 | 14·22 | 361 | 2·60 | 66 | 0·47 | 12 |
| November | 19·64 | 499 | 8·24 | 209 | 13·56 | 345 | 16·45 | 418 | 8·08 | 205 | 8·32 | 211 | 13·53 | 344 | 2·77 | 70 | 3·34 | 85 |
| December | 16·37 | 416 | 9·17 | 233 | 25·12 | 663 | 19·14 | 486 | 16·45 | 418 | 9·28 | 236 | 13·60 | 349 | 7·97 | 202 | 10·44 | 265 |
| Year | 179·62 | 4,562 | 67·08 | 1,704 | 159·45 | 4,050 | 129·73 | 3,296 | 106·82 | 2,713 | 88·51 | 2,248 | 131·30 | 3,335 | 55·12 | 1,415 | 59·34 | 1,507 |
| Table showing Monthly Rainfall of Localities in the MalayArchipelago. | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Singkel, S. W. coast, Sumatra | Kota Raja, N. coast, Sumatra | Sarawak, N. coast, Borneo | Sandakan, British N. Borneo | Menado, N. Peninsula, Celebes | |||||||||||||
| Latitude | 2° 11′ N. | 5° 32′ N. | 1° 28′ N. | 5° 49′ N. | 1° 30′ N. | |||||||||||||
| Longitude | 97° 45′ E. | 95° 20′ E. | 110° 8′ E. | 118° 12′ E. | 124° 50′ E. | |||||||||||||
| Month | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | ||||||||
| January | 11·23 | 285 | 5·98 | 151 | 27·17 | 690 | 21·43 | 544 | 18·78 | 478 | ||||||||
| February | 10·68 | 271 | 3·13 | 79 | 23·67 | 601 | 10·33 | 262 | 13·27 | 337 | ||||||||
| March | 14·64 | 372 | 3·32 | 84 | 10·14 | 257 | 7·53 | 192 | 10·67 | 271 | ||||||||
| April | 15·97 | 406 | 4·58 | 116 | 10·04 | 255 | 4·37 | 111 | 8·08 | 205 | ||||||||
| May | 14·45 | 367 | 5·55 | 141 | 9·09 | 231 | 5·32 | 135 | 6·58 | 167 | ||||||||
| June | 13·18 | 335 | 3·28 | 82 | 8·73 | 222 | 8·32 | 211 | 7·08 | 179 | ||||||||
| July | 11·46 | 291 | 4·38 | 111 | 4·78 | 121 | 9·62 | 244 | 4·93 | 125 | ||||||||
| August | 15·28 | 388 | 4·84 | 123 | 8·86 | 225 | 6·98 | 176 | 4·78 | 121 | ||||||||
| September | 16·75 | 426 | 7·29 | 185 | 7·78 | 198 | 10·08 | 256 | 3·24 | 82 | ||||||||
| October | 20·16 | 512 | 7·48 | 190 | 9·92 | 252 | 10·07 | 255 | 4·93 | 125 | ||||||||
| November | 19·64 | 499 | 8·24 | 209 | 13·56 | 345 | 16·45 | 418 | 8·08 | 205 | ||||||||
| December | 16·37 | 416 | 9·17 | 233 | 25·12 | 663 | 19·14 | 486 | 16·45 | 418 | ||||||||
| Year | 179·62 | 4,562 | 67·08 | 1,704 | 159·45 | 4,050 | 129·73 | 3,296 | 106·82 | 2,713 | ||||||||
| Place | Ternata, Small Island off Jilolo | Benkulen, S. W. coast, Sumatra | Bangawanji, Java | Kupang, N. coast of Timor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latitude | 0° 47′ N. | 3° 47′ S. | 8° 13′ S. | 10° 10′ S. | ||||
| Longitude | 127° 23′ E. | 102° 15′ E. | 114° 23′ E. | 123° 34′ E. | ||||
| Month | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. | Ins. | Mm. |
| January | 7·83 | 199 | 12·40 | 315 | 7·57 | 192 | 16·15 | 423 |
| February | 7·98 | 201 | 9·83 | 249 | 7·57 | 192 | 15·03 | 404 |
| March | 6·30 | 160 | 11·34 | 288 | 5·38 | 138 | 7·60 | 193 |
| April | 10·33 | 262 | 10·35 | 263 | 4·08 | 104 | 2·38 | 60 |
| May | 8·89 | 226 | 10·33 | 262 | 4·97 | 126 | 1·85 | 47 |
| June | 8·89 | 226 | 9·15 | 233 | 4·62 | 117 | 0·38 | 10 |
| July | 5·38 | 137 | 7·13 | 181 | 3·03 | 77 | 0·17 | 4 |
| August | 4·73 | 120 | 9·48 | 241 | 2·48 | 63 | 0·13 | 3 |
| September | 4·07 | 103 | 9·82 | 249 | 2·67 | 68 | 0·04 | 1 |
| October | 6·58 | 167 | 14·22 | 361 | 2·60 | 66 | 0·47 | 12 |
| November | 8·32 | 211 | 13·53 | 344 | 2·77 | 70 | 3·34 | 85 |
| December | 9·28 | 236 | 13·60 | 349 | 7·97 | 202 | 10·44 | 265 |
| Year | 88·51 | 2,248 | 131·30 | 3,335 | 55·12 | 1,415 | 59·34 | 1,507 |