xcv 



" On the Determination of a True Meridian," a problem of interest 

 to surveyors, by Mr. H. C. Kingsmill, M.A. 



After discussing the various methods usually adopted, and making re- 

 marks on the advantages and disadvantages of each, the writer 

 proceeded to describe a method, which, he said, so far as he was 

 aware, was as yet untried. The novelty consisted in a modification 

 of the well-known method of elongations, which rendered a know- 

 ledge of the latitude unnecessary for the calculations. It was theo- 

 retically simple, but as some unforeseen difficulties might occur in 

 actual work, he hoped that practical surveyors would give an 

 opinion on its merits. 



" Observations on Mr. R. M. Johnston's Vital Statistics," by Mr. 

 A. B. Biggs. 



Mr. R. M. Johnston, F.L.S., read a paper in reply to Mr. A. B. 

 Biggs' paper entitled, "A rejoinder to Mr. A. B. Biggs' criticism of 

 observations made in respect of the observed periodicity of the 

 death-rate, etc." 



In Mr. Johnston's investigations into matters bearing upon the 

 inexplicable wave-like rise and fall of the Australian death- 

 rate, he found that a searching analysis of the ordinary local 

 causes afi'orded no satisfactory explanation, but appeared to him most 

 probably to be caused by some obscure powerful influence lying beyond 

 and acting strongly through the local causes at regular periods. Hav- 

 ing compared their periodicity with the sun-spot period, and 

 with the position of Jupiter in his orbit, he found such a 

 wonderful agreement between the three that with many eminent ob- 

 servers he was inclined to believe that it could hardly be due to a 

 mere chance series of coincidences ; although the fact of an under- 

 lying causal relation could not be demonstrated owing to the com- 

 plexity and obscurity of the matters involved. Mr. Biggs agrees 

 with Mr. Johnston in supposing that there may be some causal connec- 

 tion with the sim-spot magnetic declination and death-rate periods, 

 but denies that Jupiter can have any influence whatever^ upon the 

 several matters referred to. He attempted to show this by a simple com- 

 parison of the respective periods of Jupiter's orbit and of Wolf's sun-spot 

 minima and maxima deduced from a mean of observed cycles dating 

 from early in the seventeenth century. Mr. Johnston, however, 

 showed that Wolf's sun-spot observations were not of strict 

 scientific value prior to the time when Schwabe improved 

 the system of sun-spot observations in 1832, i.e. just one year prior to 

 the series represented in his (Mr. Johnston's) diagrams, and quoted 

 Balfour Stewart to prove that no exact value can be placed as yet 

 upon the sun-spot periodicity over long periods, and hence any 

 conclusions, positive or negative, based upon a supposed known peri- 

 odicity of sun-spots for a long period are apt to be fallacious. 



Mr. Johnston also stated that even a difference occuring between 

 the periodicity of Jupiter and mean periodicity of the maxima and 

 minima of sun-spot would not be of much value in demonstrating 

 that Jupiter had no influence whatever, direct or indirect upon the 

 development of the sun-spot phenomena ; for the problem was a most 

 complex one, and Jupiter was only one of the many supposed factors 

 in the complex problem, which, as yet, is too obscure to admit of 

 proof or demonstration, either negatively or positively. The language 

 of suggestion is, as yet, all that can be admitted scientifically. 



Commander Shortt, R.N., Meteorological Observer, read a paper, 

 entitled *' Earthquake shocks in Tasmania during the years 1883-1884." 



This paper contained a list of the various shocks felt and noticed 

 at the various stations throughout the island during the years 

 1883-1884. The object of the paper was to afford the member's 



