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ROBINSON'S ANEMOMETER. 



The instrument was fixed to the end of two long pipes and was secured to the screen at about 15 feet 

 above the level (fig. 2). Observations were taken of the miles ran every two hours. This 

 instrument worked well, but the credit of its performance is due to Engineer-Lieutenant SKKI.TON, who 

 always repaired the instrument after any heavy blizzard. No spare parts having been provided, the 

 observations had to cease while the repairs were being effected. Snow was observed to collect in the cups, 

 and this necessitated their being cleared at every observation when snow was drifting or falling. Also 

 the glass face is by no means drift-tight, and unless made so, by gumming paper all round the edges, the 

 working parts inside would very soon be completely covered. 



LARGE DINES RECORDING ANEMOMETER. 



The head of this instrument was secured on the mizcn crosstrees, about 34 feet above the cistern, and 

 the pipes were led down the T'g't. back-stay, and through the top of the signal locker to the cistern in the 

 locker, During the strong drifts which invariably accompanied the southerly blizzards this head became 

 choked, and was cleared, to the best of the observer's ability, by his going aloft and knocking out the 

 snow collected in the head. Owing to its position the whole could not be taken down, and so the pipes 

 were never touched. It was found that the snow remaining in and about the head would be melted in 

 Summer by the heat of the sun, and then freezing again would stop the head from revolving. On some 

 of the anemograms this can be seen to have been the case by the line working low down and, on the 

 head being freed, shooting up to a higher level. 



This instrument, to my mind, always worked too low, and thus under-rated the strength of the wind. 

 When it was first set up, the liquid supplied was used, but when the colder weather came on, the piston 

 stuck fast. On opening it up, I found ice on the top of the liquid, then the spirit, and below that a thick 

 substance like condensed milk, which I presumed wag the glycerine, which had separated. I then took all 

 this out and filled it with spirit containing only a small amount of glycerine. In the very low temperatures 

 and calms I always found that the piston was inclined to work in thick liquid and had to stir the whole 

 lot up. Then, again, whilst shifting the anemogram, one's breath used to collect on the piston rod and 

 prevent it working easily through the collar. The clock gave a great deal of trouble, as it would not work 

 in the very cold weather, and the ink also was very unsatisfactory ; it was often found frozen and not 

 marking. 



Taking it on the whole, this instrument has many disadvantages in the antarctic climate. Could one 

 only keep the recording part down below in the warmth, it would be very much simplified, but if this 

 were done the cold would be conducted down the pipes and collect all over the cistern and piston rod, 

 and effectually stop all working. This was the case with the unused stove, the whole of the stove in the 

 Mess being covered with a thick coating of rime. Even if the pipes led up through the working stove 

 funnel, the head itself would become blocked, as around the tops of the funnels ice and snow collected to 

 some extent. I see no way to get over the fact that the orifice in the head always gets blocked. 



For a recording wind instrument I would suggest a Robinson, attached to the mast head, and led down 

 to the deck, and even down to the living space, care being taken that the connecting rods are within easy 

 reach. Such an instrument has, I own, many disadvantages, of which the height is the greatest. Should 

 the observing party be living in hut, this objection could be easily overcome, and records of direction as 

 well as force could be obtained. 



EVAPORATION EXPERIMENTS. 



About the middle of our first Winter, the question of Evaporation being discussed among the Officers, it 

 was derided to try an experiment suggested by Captain SCOTT. Two open shallow dishes, 3 inches by 

 4 inches, filled with water which was allowed to freeze, were placed on the top of the meteorological screen. 

 These were weighed before being taken out, and 24 hours later were weighed again, the difference in 



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