Sept. 24, 1874] 



NATURE 



429 



Columns 14 and l^.-T/icrmoruc/as, Dry Bull) and IK-/ Bii!i<. 

 Sliould these observations That wet and dry bulb obser- 

 be requued from all ships ? vatioiis are desirable, and should 



be obtained whenever possible. 



Column 16. — Forms and Dircitioii of Clouds. 



Is this column sufficient, or That the upper and lower 



should any notice be taken of clouds should be recorded in 



more than one stratum of separate columns, and that the 



clouds? direction from which upper 



clouds come should be recorded 



when possible. 



Column 17. — Proportion of Sky Char. 



Is it not advisable to substi- 

 tute for this heading " Pro- 

 portion of sky clouded " ? 



That it is preferable to give 

 the proportion of sky clouded 

 instead of the entry " proportion 

 of sky clear," as recommended 

 by the Brussels Conference. 



Column 18. — Hours of Rain, Fog, Snuw, &'c. 

 Is it desirable to retain this That it is desirable to retain 

 heading, or to substitute for it this heading, but that the use of 

 and No. 23, a column headed Beaufort's Notation may be con- 

 " Weather by Beaufort Nota- tiimed by those accustomed to 

 tion " ? it. 



Column 19.- 

 Should this be given accord- 

 ig to a numerical scale ? 



S/a/f of the Sea, 



That a numerical scale (o — 9) 

 be adopted, and that an extra 

 column should be given to the 

 observation. The direction of 

 the sea swell, or the different 

 swells, to be given in the original 

 column. 



Columns 20 to 22. — Temperature of Sea Surface, Specif c Gravity, 

 Temperature at Depths. 

 Is it desirable to retain these That the first two columns 

 columns, or can the observa- should be retained, 

 tions when taken be inserted Thatseatemperaturesatdepths 

 in the column for "Remarks "? should not be required from all 

 ships, and should be recorded in 

 the " Remarks." 



Cuhimn 23. — Weather. 



fVi/t-the resolution on Col. iS. 

 Column 24. — Remarhs, 



That the "Remarks" as asked 

 for by the Brussels Conference 

 should be adopted, with the ex- 

 ception of ttie observations of 

 temperature with coloured bulbs 

 at sea. 



II . — INSTRUM ENTS. 



What patlernsof instruments 

 should be employed for any 

 oKservations which may re- 

 quire them ? 



That the question of the pre- 

 cise pattern of instruments is not 

 of very great importance, so lon-^ 

 as they satisfy the tests applied 

 at the several central Institutions 

 and are compared with standard 

 instruments ; but it is recom- 

 mended that they shall be of a 

 pattern as easy as possible for 

 leading. 



The recommendation respect- 

 ing the lue of the metric and 

 centigrade systems as expressed 

 at the Vienna Congress was ap- 

 proved, and it was recommended 

 that a table of conversion should 

 >ie entered in each log to enable 

 Captains to compare barometers 

 which have diffeient scales. 



III. — I.S-STRrCTIONS. 



Is it jiossible to devise a That the Instructions should 

 general form of Instructions to be suited to the log now |)ro- 

 ensure uniformity in regard of posed by the Conterence, but 

 methods of observation and modilied to meet the various re- 

 registration ? quirements of different nations. 



Is there any reasonable 

 possibility of introducing the 

 mttric rnd centigrade systems 

 lor general use at sea ? 



The Conference requested that Capt. Toynbee's proposed form 

 of log should be lithographed and the English "Instructions" 

 printed for circulation amongst its members. 

 IV. — Observers. 



What control should be That it is necessary that all 

 exercised over the Observers instruments used should be com- 

 as to their instruments and pared with standard instruments, 

 registers? either at the central or the filial 



institutions (if such exist), before 

 and after the voyage ; and that 

 the corrections and date, &c., of 

 the comparison should be entered 

 in the log. 

 Is it desirable that all in- That it is desirable that the 

 struments employed should be instruments should be the pro- 

 the property of the central perty of the central office, 

 establishment, and lent to the That it is necessary that a 

 observers? careful examination should be 



made into the quality of the ob- 

 servations recorded, and that the 

 attention ot the observers should 

 be specially directed to any 

 errors which may have been 

 detected. 

 V. — Co-operation of the Royal Navy. 

 To what extent can ships of The Royal Navy can furnish 

 war assist in forwarding the more complete observations than 

 ends of meteorological inquiry? are possible on board merchant 

 ships, as, e.g.. 



Deep-sea soundings and tem- 

 peratures. 

 Observations in unfrequented 



parts of the sea. 

 Special experiments. 

 It is most desirable that the 

 duty of observing should be 

 intrusted to some responsible 

 Officer. 



It is therefore resolved that 

 the Authorities of the Navies 

 shall be requested to continue 

 to give such assistance to the 

 prosecution of meteorological 

 science as circumstances shall 

 permit. 

 A Report was handed in which had been drawn up by a num- 

 ber of the members who were in the N.aval .Services of some of 

 the countries represented, and it was decided that the following 

 resolutions which it contained should be adopted in lieu of those 

 given above : — 



1. " It is very important that the organisation of meteorologi- 

 cal inquiry as regards the Navies of all countries should be 

 arranged in accordance with the principles and stipulations laid 

 down by the Conference lor Marine Meteorology generally ; and 

 it is bnther important that the results of all observations made 

 (pn board ships of war in any country should be rendered acces- 

 sible for discussion by the central station for maritime meteoro- 

 logy in ihat country without prejudice to any subsequent publi- 

 cation by the respective Naval Authorities." 



2. " The Conference, while admitting th.nt the introduction of 

 measures calculated to improve the condition of meteorological 

 inquiries in the Navy must be left to the Authorities of the respec- 

 tive Navies, is nevertheless of opinion that .all care should be 

 taken to secure uniformity .as to mode of observation, and espe- 

 cially to provide for the comparison of all instruments used with 

 the respective standard instruiiicns of the Central Institutes." 



3. " The Conference considers it to be its duty to request that 

 those entrusted with the management of .scientific affairs on board 

 men of war will lend their strenuous support in securing from the 

 Naval Authorities in each country such regulations as will place 

 meteorological inquiry on board such ships in as favourable a 

 position as may be deemed consistent with the execution of the 

 ordinary duties of the .Service, and will also induce the com- 

 manders to render to such inquiries all the assistance and further- 

 ance in their power. The Conference, knowing that such regu- 

 lations must be framed according to the requirements of each 

 countiy, expresses, nevertheless, its opinion that, inasmuch as 

 meteorological observations require considerable experience, 

 they should be entrusted to experienced Officers on board suitable 

 vessels. " 



