Account of appropriations from the Government Fund of £4,000 made by the Lords of the Committee of Council on Education, on the recommendation of the Council of the Royal Society. 1878. D. Gill, to defray expenses connected with a Determination of the Solar Parallax by Observation of the Diurnal Parallax of Mars .... Rev. Dr. Haughton, for aid in the Numerical Reductions of the Tidal Observations made on board the "Discovery" and "Alert" in the late Arctic Expedition.... J. A. Broun, for continuation of Correction of the Errors in the Published Observations of the Colonial Magnetic Observatories ...... J. P. Joule, for an Exhaustive Enquiry into the Change which takes place in the Freezing and Boiling Points of Mercurial Thermometers by Long Exposure to those Temperatures Professor Jenkin, for Experimental Investigations on Friction W. C. Roberts, for Researches on Metals and Alloys in a Molten State passing through Capillary Tubes J. Kerr, for continuation of Electro-optic and Magneto-optic Researches.... J. N. Lockyer, for continuation of Spectroscopic Researches.. Dr. O. J. Lodge, for Investigations into the Effect of Light on the Residual Charge of Dielectrics; on the Conductivity of Hot Glass, and other Transparent Conductors; on Electrolytic Conduction and other subjects Mr. Stevenson, for aid in carrying on Observations of the Temperature of Salmon Rivers in Scotland, and other Meteorological Observations.... ...... .... W. Galloway, for further Investigation of the Explosive Pro- J. E. H. Gordon, for continuation of Experimental Measurements of the Specific Inductive Capacity of Dielectrics .... H. Tomlinson, for Researches on the Alteration of Thermal and Electrical Conductivity produced by Magnetism; and on the Carried forward.... 100 100 100 100 £1550 Brought forward. Alteration of Electrical Resistance produced in Wires by H. Alleyne Nicholson and R. Etheridge, jun., for aid in examining the Fauna of the Silurian Deposits of the Girvan District, Ayrshire, and in publishing a Descriptive List of the same W. K. Parker, for assistance in continuation of Researches on the Morphology of the Vertebrate Skeleton, and the Relations of the Nervous to the Skeletal Structure, chiefly in the Head .. R. McLachlan, for aid towards the expense of publication of a Revision and Synopsis of European Trichoptera . C. Callaway, for aid in working out the so-called Eruptive Rocks of Shropshire, and in verifying certain points in Local Geology.... H. T. Stainton, in aid of the Publication Fund of the Zoological Record Association ..... J. W. Dawson, for aid in excavating erect Trees in the Coal Formation of Nova Scotia, in Beds where they are known to contain Reptilian and other Remains.... Professor A. H. Garrod, for aid towards production of the Second Fasciculus of an exhaustive Treatise on the Anatomy of Birds Rev. J. F. Blake, for aid in continuing the publication of a Synopsis of British Fossil Cephalopoda Dr. W. A. Brailey, for Researches on the Causes determining the Tension of the Globe of the Eye in Man and Animals, and on the Physiological Influence on this Tension of such substances as Atropia, Daturin, Eserin, and Pilocarpine ... W. Saville Kent, to pay for Microscopical Apparatus for the further Prosecution of Investigations into the Structure and Life-History of certain Lower Protozoa Dr. R. H. Traquair, for aid in preparing and publishing a Monograph on the Carboniferous Ganoid Fishes of Great Britain E. A. Schäfer, for payment of an Assistant in continuing his Histological and Embryological Investigations. .... H. Woodward, for continuation of work on the Fossil Crus-tacea, especially with reference to the Trilobita and other Extínct Forms, and their publication in the Volumes of the Palæontographical Society Professor Seeley, for an Examination of the Structure, Affinities, and Classification of the extinct Reptilia and allied Animals.... Dr. Wright, for continuation of Researches on certain points £1550 100 75 300 50 25 150 50 100 100 50 50 ver 50 75 75 Brought forward.. Dynamics; on the determination of Chemical Affi of Electrical Magnitudes; and on some of the less nmer, for continuation of Researches into (1) the ffins (2) Suberone (3) Aurin .... for a Research on Standard Industrial Curves rtley, for Investigation of the Fluid Contents of cies; of the Properties of the Phosphate of Cerium ; Estimating the Carbonic Acid in small samples of Photographic Spectra...... -ong, for continuation of Researches into the Phenol £2875 300 250 100 150 250 crative Expenses... 3925 75 £4000 Report of the Kew Committee for the Year ending The Kew Committee has had its strength increased during the past year by the accession of two new members, Professor W. G. Adams and Professor G. C. Foster, and is now constituted as follows: General Sir E. Sabine, K.C.B., Chairman. Magnetic Work.-The Magnetographs have been in constant operation throughout the year, but only few magnetic disturbances have been registered, the period being one of almost continued magnetic calm. The most notable perturbation was that of May 15th. The scale values of all the instruments were re-determined in January, in accordance with the usual practice. A slight alteration has been made in the cases enclosing the horizontal and vertical force magnets; zinc cylinders with glass covers being substituted for the glass shades lined with gold-leaf previously employed, which were found to be very expensive to replace in case of breakage. The tabulation of the magnetic curves has not been continued during the year, the time of the department being very fully occupied with the verification of magnetic instruments. The Committee have referred the whole subject of the reduction of the accumulated magnetograph records to a Sub-Committee, with a view of considering what steps shall be taken to utilize them to the best advantage. The monthly observations with the absolute instruments have been made as usual by Mr. Figg, and the results are given in Tables appended to this Report. The catalogue of the documents and papers in the late Magnetic Office, directed by Sir E. Sabine, having been completed, a selection was made of all those relating to marine observations, and at the request of the Hydrographer, these were transferred to the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty. The magnetic instruments have been examined and knowledge of their manipulation obtained by Lieutenants Speelman and van Hasselt, of the Dutch Navy; Professor Greene, of the United States Navy; M. Hooreman, of the Brussels Observatory; and Dr. T. E. Thorpe, F.R.S. The latter gentleman made a series of base observations at Kew before and after an extended tour, for the purpose of a magnetic survey along the fortieth parallel of latitude in the United States. A large magnet and a journeyman clock, the property of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, which have been for many years at Kew, have been returned to the former establishment at the request of the Astronomer Royal. Information on matters relating to terrestrial magnetism and various data have been supplied to the Hydrographic Office, Mr. Adie, Mr. Archbutt, Mr. Gordon, and Mr. Frost. Meteorological Work. The several self-recording instruments for the continuous registration respectively of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind (direction and velocity), and rain have been maintained in regular operation under the care of Mr. T. W. Baker, assisted by J. Hillier. The daily standard eye observations, for the control of the automatic records have been made regularly, as well as daily observations in connexion with the Washington synchronous system. The tabulation of the meteorological traces has been regularly carried on by Mr. Hawkesworth, and copies have been transmitted weekly to the Meteorological Office. In compliance with a request made by the Meteorological Council to the Kew Committee, the Observatories at Aberdeen, Armagh. Falmouth, Glasgow, Stonyhurst, and Valencia have been visited and their instruments inspected by Mr. Whipple, who has also inspected the telegraph-reporting and climatological stations throughout Ireland, an allowance has been made by the Meteorological Office to Kew, for the time occupied by Mr. Whipple on this duty. With the sanction of the Meteorological Council, weekly abstracts of the meteorological results have been regularly forwarded to and published by "the Times," "Illustrated London News," and "MidSurrey Times;" and meteorological data have been supplied amongst others to Mr. G. J. Symons, F.R.S., Dr. Rowland, Mr. Mawley, and the Institute of Mining Engineers. VOL. XXVIII. G |