552 Oironicles of Science. [,Oct., 



On the otlier hand, investigations carried on here in London 

 have led to the idea that the deep-sea temperatures hitherto 

 recorded, many of which were far helow 39^, have been as a gene- 

 ral rule much too high. No account had been taken of the alter- 

 ation in shape of the thermometer-bulb produced by the com- 

 pression to which it was subjected in deep soundings. 



On this subject Prof. W. A. Miller submitted to the Eoyal 

 Society, in June, a notice of a thermometer calculated to register 

 correct temperatures, independently of pressure. The principle 

 on which this new thermometer is constructed is one which had 

 been tried by Admiral FitzEoy some years ago, and it is this. 

 The entire thermometer is enclosed in an outer glass coating, the 

 interval between the two surfaces being nearly completely filled 

 with a liquid. Compression of such an instrument only causes the 

 hquid to fill a larger proportion of the intermediate space, and the 

 bulb of the internal thermometer is entirely unafiected. 



In Admiral FitzEoy 's thermometers this liquid was mercury ; 

 in Prof. Miller's it is spirit. We leam from the paper submitted 

 to the Society that the new instruments have been subjected to 

 very severe hydraulic pressure in a special apparatus, constructed 

 by Mr. Casella, their maker, and have performed very well. 



The * Porcupine ' has been furnished with these instruments, 

 and we may hope that the savans who take part in the present 

 dredging expedition in the Atlantic will bring home some tho- 

 roughly trustworthy information us to the physical condition of the 

 sea beneath the surface. 



Eeport of the Meteorological Office. — The Eeport of the Meteoro- 

 logical Committee for the year 1868 has just appeared. The value 

 of the information contained in its seventy-two pages must not be 

 judged of by its price, which is only 5fZ. It consists of two parts, 

 with copious aj)pendices. From the summary of Part I. we learn 

 that the department of marine meteorology has made steady pro- 

 gress during the year in the discussion of observations relating to 

 the equatorial portion of the Atlantic Ocean, and in the collection 

 of new observations. We have already noticed the charts of sea- 

 surface temperature which have 'appeared, and we learn that in 

 addition to these charts materials have been supplied to the Admi- 

 ralty for the compilation of pilot charts. 



The system of telegraphic weather intelhgence, established by 

 the Committee, is in active operation, and storm warnings are sent 

 to 101 stations on our own shores and to the adjacent coasts of 

 the Continent. The work of the ofiicc in this department is carried 

 on in cordial co-operation with that conducted in I'oreign countries. 



As regards the land meteorology of the British Islands the 

 seven observatories are in active work, and the most earnest atten- 

 tion of the Committee has been directed to the utilization of the 



