92 



NATURE 



[Nov. 24, 1887 



practical shape, and that it now seemed to be time that a Com- 

 mittee of the Britisli Association should be formed for taking the 

 investigation in hand. Through the advocicy of Mr. Symon^, 

 who was unable to be present at the Conference, Sections A 

 and G had that morning agreed to recommend the appointment 

 of such a Committee in conjunction with Section C, which Section 

 would be approached next day. The work to be done was of a 

 preliminary character, and its object was rather to inquire into 

 the best methods of conducting observations on earth tremors 

 than to actually cause such observations to be made. The North 

 of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers had, 

 since the Birmingham meeting, carried on a series of seismo- 

 scopic observations at Marsden in the county of Durham ; and 

 the daily results, extending over several months and compared 

 with a barometric curve, were shown to the meeting in the form 

 of a diagram by Mr. Walton Brown, the Secretary of the New- 

 castle Institute Committee. The Institute possessed also a 

 more elaborate instrument, made after a pattern supplied by 

 Prof. Ewing, which registered the intensity and direction of the 

 tremors. Prof. Lebour stated that, although such instruments as 

 the last mentioned were probably too costly to be placed at all 

 desirable stations, this would not be the case with the simpler 

 seismoscope, which recorded merely the fact of earth tremors 

 having taken place] and the time of their occurrence. Such 

 records would be valuable, though limited. The Corresponding 

 Societies, if they would interest themselves in the matter, might 

 be the means of establishing a great network of seismoscopes 

 with a few seismographs in suitable localities, and results of 

 value would by this means be in all probability obtained. These 

 results would be valuable altogether in proportion as well- 

 equipped seismometrical observing stations were numerous. 

 The expense must in any case be considerable in the aggregate, 

 but need not be great in individual cases. A sufficiently good 

 seismoscope might be had for about £,2, a seismograph for £ii^ 

 to £,\$, and the cost of keeping them in order would not be 

 great. Prof. Lebour hoped the Delegates present would help 

 in establishing such a network of observing stations all over the 

 country, and he stated, in concluding, that he would be happy 

 to communicate with anyone interested in the subject. 



Prof. Ewing, in response to the Chairman, said that from his 

 experience of earth-tremor observations in Japan he could 

 concur in the remarks of Prof. Lebour. To investigate fully 

 the character of the motion, even at one station, required 

 delicate and CDStly apparatus, and the cost was greatly increased 

 when it was attempted to bring a number of stations into corre- 

 spondence so as to determine the motion over a large area. It 

 was possible, however, to record the fact that a tremor had 

 occurred, and even to learn something of its character by means 

 of inexpensive seismoscopes ; and it certainly seemed to him 

 that no bodie-; could more appropriately undertake that work 

 than the local Societies represented at the Conference acting in 

 conjunction with a Committee of the Association. From recent 

 observations it appeared probable that tremors would be found 

 wherever they were tested for with sufficient delicacy, so that 

 a Society undertaking the search was not likely to be disap- 

 pointed. 



At the second Conference the chair was taken by Prof. Boyd 

 Dawkins, F. R S., who was succeeded by Mr. W. Topley, the 

 Corresponding Societies Committee being further represented by 

 Mr. G. J. Symons, F.R. S., Dr. Garson, Mr. William White, 

 and Prof. R. Meldola, F.R.S., as Secretary. 



The Chairman invited discussion on the recommendations 

 received from the various Sections. 



Section A. 



Temperature Variation in Lak.'s, Rivers, and Estuaries. — 

 The following resolution was forwarded to the Secretary of the 

 Conference by the Secretary of this Section : — 



" That Mr. John Murray, Prof. Chrystal, Dr. A. Buchan, Rev. 

 C. J. Steward, Hon. R. Abercromby, Mr. J. Y. Buchanan, Mr. 

 David Cunningham, Mr. Isaac Roberts, Dr. H. R. Mill, and 

 Prof. Fitzgerald be appointed a Committee to arrange for an 

 investigation of the seasonal variations of temperature in lakes, 

 rivers, and estuaries in various parts of the United Kingdom in 

 co-operation with the local Societies represented at the Associa- 

 tion ; and that Mr. John Murray be Secretary. " 



Dr. H. R. Mill, as representing this Committee, stated that 

 the question proposed had not been fully worked out, but that 

 the few observations made showed relations of a very interesting 



kind. As a branch of meteorology, this research was particu- 

 larly promising, and was one in which the co-operation of local 

 Societies would be valuable. He proposed that the Societies 

 situated in the neighbourhood of rivers and estuaries which were 

 willing to undertake this work should appoint some member to 

 observe the temperature daily or weekly, as the case might be, 

 in accordance with the rules to be drawn up by the Committee. 

 It was first proposed to ascertain how many observers would 

 offer themselves in various parts of the country, then to draw up 

 a scheme of observations and arrange for this being adopted. 



Mr. G. J. Symons pointed out the necessity in such observa- 

 tions for having a well-considered scheme drawn up, as well as 

 for having absolutely reliable thermometers, without which no 

 observations would be of value. He also asked whether it was 

 proposed that the cost of the instruments should be met by a 

 grant from the British Association, or whether the Societies 

 taking part in the observations should provide their own 

 thermometers. 



Mr. De Ranee remarked that in the case of the Committee 

 which had been formed for the observation of underground tem- 

 peratures, and of which Prof Lebour was a member, the 

 thermometers had been supplied by the Association. 



Mr. J. W. Davis raised the question as to whether it would be 

 of use to extend the observations to the streams in manufacturing 

 districts. He also asked what the Committee proposed to 

 consider as an estuary. 



The Rev. H. Winwood remarked that it would be necessary 

 in all cases to record the depth at which the thermometer reading 

 was taken. As a point of interest bearing upon the proposed 

 observations, he stated that it had been observed that the 

 temperature of the lakes in the Hebrides had been unusually 

 high this year. 



Prof. Lebour stated that the thermometers used by the Under- 

 ground Temperature Committee had been supplied by the 

 Association, but these instruments were very costly, and only a 

 few observers had taken part in the work. He was of opinion 

 that, if numerous Societies took part in the observations, these 

 should in each case bear the expense. 



Dr. Garson expressed a hope that the temperatures would be 

 recorded on the Centigrade scale. 



Dr. Mill, in reply, said that he understood that the fact of the 

 investigation being sanctioned by a Committee of Section A was 

 a sufficient guarantee that it should be carried out in a thoroughly 

 scientific manner with properly verified instruments of a uniform 

 pattern, and employed in the same way. The experience of the 

 Scottish Marine Station for three years suggested many precau- 

 tions which should be adopted in this work. The temperature 

 of streams in manufacturing districts should certainly be ascer- 

 tained in as many cases as possible, in order to find whether the 

 increase of temperature of a river passing through a manufactur- 

 ing town is in any sense permanent. The term "estuary" 

 should in his opinion be used as meaning all parts of a tidal 

 river between the upper limit of the tide and the open sea. 

 Each local Society should be asked to supply its own thermo- 

 meters, but all these should be verified at Kew, or compared by 

 some person appointed by the Committee. The observations 

 would, of course, be made on a uniform plan, and it would, 

 probably, be found more convenient to use the Fahrenheit 

 scale, but the readings could be easily converted, if necessary. 



Section C. 



Mr. C. E. De Ranee, who represented this Section, referred 

 to the work of the three Committees which he had brought 

 under the n )tice of the Delegates on former occasions, viz. : 

 (i) The Underground Waters Committee; (2) The Erratic 

 Blocks Committee ; and (3) The Sea Coasts Erosion Committee. 

 (See last Report.) ^ 



The first of these Committees requires information as to the 

 depth of wells, the sections passed through, the height at which 

 the water stands before and after pumping, daily records of the 

 height and chemical analyses of the waters. 



The Erratic Blocks Comtnittee wants information as to the 

 position, size, and character of boulders of foreign origin that 



' The constitution of these Committees remains as last year. The 

 Secretaries are : — 



Underground IVaters, C. E. De Ranee, 28 Jermyn Street, London, S.W- 



Erratic Blocks, Rev. H. W. Crosskey, 117 Gjugh Road, Edgbaston, 

 Birmingham. 



Sea Coasts Erosion, Wm. Topley, 28 Jermyn Street, London, S.W. 



The schedules and all other information will be furnished on applicati )n 

 at the above addresses. 



