PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGENTS. 131 



follow these observations from da}^ to da}'- for several years can the 

 results be of much value to meteorologists as evidence whether or not 

 the sun's variability influences terrestrial climate. The Institution 

 is looking forward to establishing and operating a station in Argen- 

 tina or some other favorable situation in South America, the expense 

 to be provided for from the income of the Hodgkins fund. 



A new vacuum bolometer h^s been devised which in actual trial 

 developed 20 times the sensitiveness of the bolometer heretofore 

 used on Mount Wilson for these researches. With this new bolo- 

 meter at least one ten-millionth of a degree rise of temperature 

 could be detected and measured, and it seems not impossible that a 

 bolometric outfit could be constructed capable of detecting and 

 measuring even a billionth of a degree rise of temperature. 



The Research C oryorat'ion. — The Eesearch Corporation has suc- 

 cessfully continued its w^ork during the year and is now on a sound 

 financial basis. On October 31, 1915, the assets of the corporation 

 were $166,004.23. In these a&sets the Cottrell process patents are 

 valued at the nominal sum of $1,000. 



It will be recollected that the Research Corporation was organized 

 in February, 1912, with a capital of $10,000 and a salary roll of less 

 than $3,000. The salary roll for the ensuing year, owing to the great 

 increase in the scope of the work, will be in the neighborhood of 

 $38,000. 



The energies of the corporation have been almost entirely applied 

 m connection with the experimental precipitation processes which, 

 it will be recalled, were offered to the Smithsonian Institution by 

 Dr. Cottrell, and by it in turn offered to the Eesearch Corporation 

 for commercial development. If the successful development of the 

 organization continues other lines of research will be entered upon. 



Electrical 'precipitation of fog. — Under a grant of $2,000 made by 

 the Institution from the Hodgkins fund Dr. F. G. Cottrell has con- 

 ducted experiments at the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Fran- 

 cisco in relation to the electrical precipitation of fog. The secre- 

 tary, while visiting the exposition, saw something of the experi- 

 ments and examined the apparatus used. The most striking features 

 of the apparatus are the Thordarson 350,000 and 1,000,000 volt 

 transformers placed at the service of Dr. Cottrell. These experi- 

 ments involved the cooperation of the Panama-Pacific Exposition 

 officials, the Research Corporation, Mr. C. H. Thordarson, the Uni- 

 versity of California, the General Electric Co., and the Smithsonian 

 Institution. 



The problem of clearing fog differs from other precipitation prob- 

 lems in several respects. For instance, in the latter cases it is mani- 

 festly necessary to actually deposit the suspended matter on the elec- 

 trodes in order to accomplish the effect sought, while in the case of 



