LXXVIII THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Upper Air Investigations 



It would appear from those recovered that the balloons now 

 used reach greater heights, or else develop small leaks and in either 

 case drift further than do those obtained from Europe, and are 

 lost in the unsettled parts of the country. 



The supply of instruments from England was exhausted during 

 the year, and it then became a necessity either to give up the work 

 or make the instruments here. The latter course was adopted and 

 all the instruments required in this work can be made in the office. 



Hitherto hydrogen was made from Calcium Hydride which was 

 only obtainable in Germany. The supply on hand when the war 

 broke out was sufficient to last for some time, but steps were taken 

 to obtain hydrogen by other means when this supply became ex- 

 hausted. Fortunately there is now a large hydrogen plant in Toronto 

 where very pure hydrogen is made by electrolysis, and the company 

 have very kindly agreed to supply the requirements of the office. 

 The Meteorological Ofi^ce is thus in the happy position of being en- 

 tirely independent of foreign sources for the supplies required for 

 balloon work. 



The development of aviation is creating a demand for a know- 

 ledge of the atmosphere, and the National Advisory Council of the 

 United States is advocating an extensive series of observations to 

 obtain this knowledge and as its importance is just as great to Canada 

 as to the United States, a similar survey should be carried out in 

 Canada. Balloons are being sent up in Toronto for the work, but 

 the city is a poor place for such work owing to the excessive smoke. 



At the request of the Royal Flying Corps, Mr. Patterson, Physi- 

 cist in the department, is giving a course of lectures to the Cadets 

 on Meteorology with special reference to aviation. 



Barograph and Thermograph. The barograph and thermograph 

 for recording the pressure and temperature of the air on the 

 top of Sulphur Mountain, at Banff, have been put in working order 

 but they cannot be installed until a cable is placed between the two 

 stations. 



Earth Temperature. Progress has been made with the record- 

 ing apparatus for the measurement of earth temperatures, and it 

 is hoped that a set of five or six platinum thermometers automatically 

 recording the earth temperature to within less than 0-1 per cent will 

 be installed during the summer. 



Electrical Potential of the Air. The polonium used for the col- 

 lection became exhausted, and was replaced by a radio-active paint 

 of good intensity, and is working very satisfactorily. 



