Report of the Kew Committee for the Year ending 

 October 31, 1888. 



The operations of The Kew Observatory, in the Old Deer Park, 

 Richmond, Surrey, are controlled by the Kew Committee, which is 

 constituted as follows : 



Mr. Warren de la Rue, Chairman. 



Captain W. de W. Abney, C.B., 



R.E. 



Prof. W. G. Adams. 

 Staff- Commander E. W. Creak, 



n.N. 



Prof. G. C. Foster. 

 Mr. F. Galton. 



Admiral Sir G. H. Richards, 



K.C.B. 



The Earl of Rosse. 

 Mr. R. H. Scott. 

 Lieutenant- General R. Strachey, 



C.S.I. 

 General J. T.Walker, C.B. 



The work at the Observatory may be considered under the fol- 

 lowing heads : 



1st. Magnetic observations. 

 2nd. Meteorological observations. 

 3rd. Solar observations. 



4th. Experimental, in connexion with any of the above depart- 

 ments. 



5th. Verification of instruments. 

 6th. Rating of Watches and Marine Chronometers. 

 7th. Miscellaneous. 



I. MAGNETIC OBSERVATIONS. 



There have been no changes introduced in the magnetographs 

 during the year, but the building operations referred to later 

 on have involved the introduction of several pieces of iron, in the 

 shape of girders, standards, rails, &c., both temporarily and perma- 

 nently, into the field of action of the magnets, and will there- 

 fore somewhat complicate the corrections necessary to render the 

 observations comparable with those made prior to the alterations. 

 Fortunately the building in which the absolute observations are 

 made is sufficiently remote (about 100 yards) from the main building 

 to be quite unaffected by these sources of magnetic disturbance. 



The photographed magnetic curves representing Declination, 



