382 



NATURE 



[August i8, 1898 



lie called attention to the possibility of choosing in this way 

 between the kinetic theory of gases, which supposes a 

 temperature of 273° C. below zero, and Fourier s theory 

 which assumes that the temperature of space above the 

 atmosphere is near that of the minima observed in the polar 

 regions of the earth. 



Future international balloon ascensions were next considered. 

 It was deemed advisable that — 



For each ballon sonde an instrument should be provided to 

 serve as a basis of comparison with perfected instruments 

 whose construction may change from one ascent to another 

 on account of the improvements which may be attempted. 



It was announced that in the next international ascent of 

 ballons sondes K\x%\.x\2i, Italy and Belgium would participate, 

 besides the countries which had already co-operated. This 

 ascent was appointed for the beginning of June with certain 

 stations of the international system to be chosen as starting 

 points. The balloons should be as nearly as possible like those 

 approved by the Conference, and the directors of the various 

 meteorological systems were requested to institute observations 

 on the days of the ascents according to the principles fixed by 

 the President of the Committee. It was recommended that — 

 For the simultaneous study of the lower air strata, the 



observations from high stations be used, and especially those 



from kites and kite balloons. 



After a presentation of various methods for effecting the safe 

 landing and the recovery of ballons sondes, resolutions looking 

 to these ends were adopted. Balloons may be protected against 

 explosion caused by atmospheric electricity by covering their 

 interior surface with a solution of potassium chlorate, which 

 renders the fabric a conductor. For the measurement of atmo- 

 spheric electricity the methods of Le Cadet, Bornstein and 

 Andre are recommended, especially the former. 



Mr. Rotch read the report which he had been requested to 

 prepare on the use of kites at Blue Hill Observatory, U.S.A., 

 to obtain meteorological observations. He showed the advant- 

 ages which kites possess over balloons up to heights exceeding 

 10,000 feet, whenever there is wind. 



A letter from the Chief of the Weather Bureau explained 

 the proposed use of kites to obtain data for a daily synoptic 

 weather chart over the United States at the height of a mile or 

 more. M. Teisserenc de Bort is equipping a kite station at 

 Trappes, near Paris, after the model of Blue Hill, and General 

 Rykatcheff stated that an anemograph of his invention was 

 being raised with Hargrave kites at St. Petersburg. The Con- 

 ference recommended the use of the kite in meteorology, and 

 expressed the wish that all central observatories should make 

 such observations, which are of prime importance for meteor- 

 ology. On account of the favourable position of Mounts 

 Cimone and Etna it is desirable that at the observatories on 

 these mountains kites should be used in connection with the 

 international balloon ascensions. The Conference expressed 

 the desire that the chief observatories should be provided 

 with the kite balloon of von Parseval and von Siegsfeld (see 

 description hereafter) in order that there may be a certain 

 number of permanent aerial stations, and following the idea 

 of M. Tacchini it is hoped that kite balloons will be used in 

 Italy on Mounts Viso and Etna, and also at the Military Park 

 at Rome. 



The following new members of the Committee were elected : 

 M. Teisserenc de Bort and Prince Roland Bonaparte, of Paris, 

 Prof. Hildebrandsson, of Upsala, Prof. Pernter and Lieut. 

 Hinterstoisser, of Vienna, Captain Moedebeck, of Strassburg, 

 and Lieut, von Siegsfeld, of Berlin. The next meeting was 

 appointed for 1900, at Paris, during the Universal Exposition. 



The Committee had the opportunity of witnessing two trials 

 of the captive kite balloon, invented by Lieuts. von Parseval 

 and von Siegsfeld, and constructed by Riedinger, of Augsburg, 

 at a cost of 1000 dols., for Prof. Hergesell and Captain 

 Moedebeck. Although this form of balloon is used in the 

 German army for reconnoitring, it was now employed for the 

 first time to lift self-recording meteorological instruments. The 

 cylindrical balloon is so attached to the cable that its upper end 

 inclines towards the wind, which thus raises instead of 

 depressing it, as in the case of captive spherical balloons. The 

 wiiid enters an auxiliary envelope at the lower extremity and 

 maintains the cylindrical form, notwithstanding any loss of 

 gas. This wind bag also serves as a rudder, while lateral 



NO. 1503, VOL. 58] 



wings prevent rotation about the longer axis. The Strassburg 

 balloon has a diameter of 147 feet, a length of 557 feet, and a 

 volume of 7770 cubic feet. The gas bag is varnished linen, 

 and was filled with a mixture of hydrogen and coal gas. 

 The weight of the balloon complete is 230 pounds, and the 

 steel cable holding it weighs 2 pounds per 100 feet. The 

 azimuth, altitude, and traction of the cable are recorded by 

 a dynamometer invented by Riedinger. The meteorological 

 instruments are contained in a basket (with open ends, through 

 which the wind blows, but covered elsewhere with nickeled 

 paper as a protection against insolation), suspended some 40 

 feet below the balloon. The self-recording instruments were 

 a barometer and thermometer of Richard and a Robinson 

 anemometer recording electrically. Although the kind of gas 

 employed was hardly sufficient to lift the unnecessarily heavy 

 basket and its contents, weighing 80 pounds, yet the trials made 

 in rainy and windy weather were fairly successful, and a height 

 of about 1000 feet was reached. Without instruments the 

 balloon had remained for several days above the city, and had 

 withstood a gale. 



The Committee also saw a hastily organised ascent of the 

 ballon sonde, " Langenburg," which is a silk balloon of about 

 14,000 cubic feet capacity. When filled with coal gas it had 

 an initial ascensional force of about 440 pounds in excess of 

 its own weight and that of the instruments, contained in a 

 cylindrical basket, which was open at top and bottom for 

 ventilation, and was also covered with nickeled paper. They 

 comprised a barometer and thermometer of Richard, and the 

 metallic thermometer of Teisserenc de Bort, which all recorded 

 on smoked paper. Owing to the premature launch of the 

 balloon the ballast was left behind, and the escape of gas, 

 owing to the too rapid ascent, prevented a great height from 

 being reached. The balloon rose at about 6 p.m. with a 

 velocity of nearly 23 feet per second, and disappeared in the 

 strato-cumulus clouds in five minutes. It attained an altitude 

 exceeding 6 miles, and fell about 60 miles south-east of Strass- 

 burg, where it was found the next day. Unfortunately the 

 shock caused by the breaking loose of the balloon stopped the 

 clocks of the thermographs and prevented records of temperature 

 from being obtained. 



An official account of this Conference will be published in the 

 French and German languages, together with the special reports 

 prepared by the experts. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Among the measures which received the Royal consent on 

 Friday was the London University Commission Bill. 



Mr. a. J. Herbertson, Lecturer on Geography in the 

 Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh, has taken the degree of 

 Ph.D., nmlta cum laude, in the University of Freiburg, Baden, 

 in the special subject of geography. The subject of his thesis 

 was the mean monthly rainfall of the globe, illustrated by 

 twelve original maps. 



The resident professorship of Physics and Mechanics 

 in the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, has been 

 filled up by the election of Mr. John Alexander Johnston. 

 At Edinburgh Mr. Johnston was first medallist in advanced 

 honours class of mathematics, and first medallist in advanced 

 honours class of physics, and in 1894 he graduated M.A. with 

 first class honours in mathematics and physical science, and 

 afterwards obtained the Drummond scholarship for proficiency 

 in physical science, as well as other open honours. At Pembroke 

 College, Cambridge, he was awarded both minor and foundation 

 scholarships, and graduated fourteenth wrangler in the mathe- 

 matical tripos. 



A SPECIAL and valuable feature of the Museum of the Pea- 

 body Institute at Salem, Mass., is referred to by Mr. W. E. 

 Hoyle in the course of a description of museums in the United 

 States and Canada, contained in the report of the Manchester 

 Museum, Owens College (1897-8). Mr. Hoyle mentions that 

 at close intervals throughout the entire collection special coloured 

 labels are displayed, calling attention, by title and shelf number, 

 to books in the public library referring to the immediate group, 

 so that a student or pupil from the public schools need only 

 transcribe on a bit of paper a set of numbers and present it at 

 the delivery window of the public library to be provided at 

 once with the books on the special subject desired. 



