Report of the Kew Committee. 83 



but having regard to the important changes going on in the horizontal 

 component of the earth's magnetism, on that part of the globe, they 

 were not able to recommend the Secretary to interrupt the observa- 

 tions as suggested. 



Marine Telescopes. The arrangements described in last year's Report 

 for the examination of Marine telescopes and binoculars have been 

 completed, and a circular has been approved of by the Committee for 

 issue to the public, stating that such instruments will in future be 

 tested at Kew on payment of the following fees : 



Marine telescopes and superior binoculars .. 2s. 6d. each. 

 Opera glasses and pocket telescopes . . . . Is. 6d. 



The Secretary of the Admiralty has communicated with the Com 

 mittee with reference to a proposal that all such instruments purchased 

 for use in H.M. Navy should be examined at the Observatory prior to 

 their acceptance from the contractors' hands. 



Photographic Lenses. Captain Abney, at the suggestion of the 

 Camera Club, as well as Mr. Galton, have proposed to the Committee 

 the establishment of a system of testing and certifying lenses con- 

 structed for use in photographic cameras. Captain Abney has pro- 

 posed a scheme of examination, and experiments are in progress with 

 a view to carrying it out at the Observatory. It has, however, been 

 found difficult as yet to fix upon one which would permit of a suffi- 

 ciently exhaustive examination being conducted for the low fee which 

 has been suggested, as probably the only one likely to make the certifi- 

 cates popular. 



Ships' Lights. The Committee have had under consideration the 

 very important subject of the examination of ship's lights for the 

 Mercantile Marine, by a system based upon the method now in 

 operation at H.M. Dockyard at Chatham with reference to the lamps, 

 lenses, and coloured shades used in H.M. Navy. 



The inland isolated position of the Observatory, and the heavy and 

 cumbersome nature of the lanterns, appear to the Committee at 

 present to offer an almost insuperable objection to the adoption of 

 this at Kew. There are no funds available for the alternative plan 

 suggested of setting up a branch establishment at some locality on the 

 banks of the Thames below London. 



Exhibition. The Committee contributed to the Annual Exhibition 

 of the Royal Meteorological Society held in March last, a collection of 

 apparatus for observing atmospheric electricity, principally that used 

 at Kew by Ronalds or subsequent observers. 



A list of the various objects with references is printed in the 

 catalogue prepared by the Society.* 



* See ' Quarterly Journal/ vol. 14, p. 235. 



G 2 



