24 Report of the Kew Committee. 



Experiments were made with a spare Barograph belonging to the 

 Meteorological Committee, in order to ascertain the amount of optical 

 distortion, if any, produced by the lenses. 



"Waxed paper for photographic purposes has been supplied to the 

 Meteorological Office (3 reams), to the India Office (1 ream), and to the 

 Eadcliffe Observatory (| ream). 



Instruction in the use of magnetical or meteorological instruments has 

 been given to the following gentlemen : 



Dr. E. van Bijckevorsel in magnetical work. 



Nav. Lieut. Dixon, E.N., H.M.S. ' Nassau,' in magnetical work. 



Staff Comr. Creak, E.N., made observations with a Fox's Circle for 

 H.M.S. < Challenger/ and with a Fox's Circle for H.M.S. Nassau.' 



Capt. Evans, C.B., E.E.S., made some observations with a magneto- 

 meter constructed after his own design. 



Photographs of the portable magnetic instruments, of the most ap- 

 proved patterns, have been taken for the use of persons seeking in- 

 formation. 



In the month of May a request was received from Col. J. T. Walker, 

 F.E.S., Superintendent of the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India, 

 through the Chairman of the Committee, for provision to be made at the 

 Observatory for vibrating pendulums. 



In the year 1865 two pendulums lent by the Eoyal Society for use in 

 India had been vibrated at Kew by the late Capt. Basevi ; and it was neces- 

 sary that these pendulums should be vibrated again on their return, and 

 that at the same time two pendulums obtained from the Imperial Aca- 

 demy of Sciences at St. Petersburg should also be vibrated. 



The Committee at once complied with the request ; and at the expense 

 of the Indian Government preparation was made for the experiments in 

 the south hall on the basement story, by removing for a time the appa- 

 ratus for testing sextants, and building up from the foundation-arches 

 two solid isolated supports for the Eussian clock and pendulum. 



Capt. Heaviside, E.E., the officer charged with the duty of making 

 the pendulum experiments, arrived in England in July, and, finding all 

 the arrangements satisfactory, at once commenced his experiments, which 

 are still in progress. 



Endeavours were made, in connexion with the arrangements just 

 mentioned, to obtain an electrical time communication between Kew 

 and the Eoyal Observatory at Greenwich ; but the proposal failed of 

 success. 



Instruments. The Kew Standard Barometer, Newman 34, has been 

 cleaned by Messrs. Negretti and Zambra. 



In January a new Minimum Thermometer by Casella was obtained to 

 replace the old instrument, which had been accidentally broken. 



The several pieces of Mechanical Apparatus, such as the Whitworth 

 Lathe and Planing Machine, procured by Grants from either the Govern- 



