RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE. XXXiX 
« A Committee of the House of Commons haying reported in favour of the 
adoption of the Metrical System of Weights and Measures, and it being un- 
derstood that a Bill to carry into effect such recommendation will be intro- 
duced in the ensuing Session of Parliament, your Committee venture to 
suggest that the expediency of such a measure might be discussed at the 
ensuing Meeting. 
«No subject has been referred to your Committee since the last Meeting 
at Cambridge.” 
Wrorrrstey, Chairman. 
24 August 1863. 
RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL CoMMITTEE AT THE NEWCASTLE- 
upon-Tynz Meerine my Aveust AND SEPTEMBER 1863. 
[When Committees are appointed, the Member first named is regarded as the Secretary, 
except there is a specific nomination. ] 
Involving Grants of Money. 
That the sum of £600 be placed at the disposal of the Council for main- 
taining the Establishment of the Kew Observatory. 
That the Committee on Luminous Meteors and Aérolites, consisting of 
Mr, Glaisher, Mr. R. P. Greg, Mr. E. W. Brayley, and Mr. Alexander Her- 
schel, be reappointed ; and that the sum of £20 be placed at their disposal 
for the purpose. 
' hat the Committee on the Connexion of Vertical Movements of the 
Atmosphere with Storms, consisting of Professor Hennessy, Admiral FitzRoy, 
and Mr. Glaisher, be reappointed ; and that the sum of £30 be placed at 
their disposal for the purpose. 
That Mr. G. J. Symons be requested to report on the Rain-fall of the 
British Isles during the years 1862 and 1863; and that the sum of £20 be 
placed at his disposal for the purpose of constructing and transmitting Rain- 
guages to districts where observations are not at present made, The Gauges 
to be sent within the British Isles, and the loan to be cancelled should the 
observations not be satisfactorily made. 
That the Committee on Electrical Standards, consisting of Professor 
Williamson, Professor Wheatstone, Professor W. Thomson, Professor Miller, 
Dr. A. Matthiessen, Mr. Fleeming Jenkin, Dr. Esselbach, Sir C. Bright, 
Professor Maxwell, Mr. C. W. Siemens, and Mr. Balfour Stewart, be re- 
appointed, with the addition of Dr. Joule and Mr. C, F. Varley; and that the 
sum of £100 be placed at their disposal for the purpose; and that the co- 
operation of the Royal Society be requested in the construction of Standard 
Electrical Instruments. 
That Mr. Griffith and Dr. Akin be a Committee for the purpose of execu- 
ting the experiments suggested by Dr. Akin in his paper on the Trans- 
mutation of Spectral Rays; and that the sum of £45 be placed at their 
disposal for the purpose. 
That the Balloon Committee, consisting of Colonel Sykes, Professor Airy, 
Lord Wrottesley, Sir David Brewster, Sir J. Herschel, Dr. Lloyd, Admiral 
FitzRoy, Dr. Lee, Dr. Robinson, Mr, Gassiot, Mr. Glaisher, Dr. Tyndall, 
Mr. Fairbairn, and Dr. W. A. Miller, be reappointed; and that the sum of 
£200 be placed at their disposal for the following purposes:—I1st. To ex- 
