REPORTS 



ON THE 



STATE OF SCIENCE, 



Fifth Report of the Committee, consisting of Professors A. 

 Johnson {Secretary), J. G. Macgregor, J. B. Cherriman, and 

 H. T. BovEY and Mr. C. Carpmael, appointed for the purpose 

 of promoting Tidal Observations in Canada. 



The Committee desire to refer to a previons report, in which it was 

 announcecl that the then Minister of Marine (the Hon. G. Foster) had 

 directed that some preliminary investigations should be made by Lieut. 

 Gordon, E..N., who was to put himself in communication with Prof. 

 Darwin. The Minister, however, said that the existing expenditure on 

 hydrographic surveys made it necessary to postpone for the time the 

 consideration of further steps concerning tidal observations. 



Your Committee was reappointed last year to keep the subject before 

 the notice of the Government, in the hope that this systematic tidal work 

 would be begun this year. In May last an interview was obtained with 

 the Hon. C. Tupper, the present Minister of Marine, at which Sir Wm. 

 Dawson was present. The Minister expressed himself as entirely favour- 

 able to the institution of the proposed tidal observations, but said that 

 the financial position as regards the expenditure on hydrographic surveys 

 was the same as last year, and that therefore no further steps could be 

 taken as yet in the matter. 



It is believed that since the interview some of the expenditure in 

 hydrographic surveys has ceased, and as there is reason to believe that 

 other Cabinet ministers are in favour of the proposed measure, the Com- 

 mittee deem the prospects of carrying it into execution very satisfac- 

 tory. 



There is no doubt about the anxiety of shipmasters to have the tidal 

 investigations set on foot immediately, and the Royal Society of Canada 

 deem the matter of such great practical importance, that at their last 

 meeting they appointed a special Committee to give enerj^etic support to 

 the action of this Committee. 



