EEPOKTS 



STATE OF SCIENCE, 



Third Report of the Committee, consisting of Professors A. Johnson 

 {Secretary), J. Gr. MacGeegoe, J. B. Cheeriman, and H. T. Bovet 

 aiul Mr. C. Caepmael, appointed for the purpose of promoting 

 Tidal Observations in Canada . 



The Committee have mncli pleasure in reporting tbat altliough a grant 

 for establishing stations for continuous tidal observations has not yet 

 been made by the Dominion Parliament, yet preliminary steps have been 

 taken under the direction of the Minister of Marine (the Hon. G. E. 

 Foster) which point to their early establishment. 



At an interview with the minister in May, in which the President of 

 the British Association (Sir J. William Dawson) took part, it was stated 

 that, although the Hudson Bay Expedition had ended, yet another source 

 of expenditure had taken its place, as the Canadian Government had 

 undertaken to pay half the cost of a re-survey of the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 by the Admiralty. When this work, which would probably occupy two 

 years, was finished, it was hoped that a special grant would be made for 

 systematic tidal observations. Meanwhile, authority had been given to 

 Lieut. Gordon, B.N., commanding one of the Dominion cruisers, to make 

 some preliminary observations, and to spend some small sums of money 

 in getting assistance in making them. 



In the course of the interview, the minister said that directions would 

 be given to Lieut. Goi'don to put himself in communication with Prof. 

 Darwin. This has since been done. 



The Minister of Marine is conscious of the facilities offered in con- 

 nection with the Association, and by the use of the ' tide-predicter ' of 

 the Indian Government, for the reduction of the observations. The 

 importance of the harmonic analysis has been fully dwelt on. Under 

 these encouraging circumstances the Committee consider that the pro- 

 spects of the speedy establishment of stations for continuous observations 

 are hopeful. 



