492 KEPOBT— 1889. 



The tones were e Jl, f'sh, e", b", corresponding respectively to 4, 6, 8, 10 nodal 

 meridians. The sounds in all cases became less clear as the edge was departed from, 

 but no nodal circles of latitude could be detected. The note of this bell is given by 

 the makers as E natural. 



8. Seismological Work in Japan. Bij Professor John Milne, F.B.S. 



The first part of this paper was a brief account of work which had been done 

 in Japan. This related to seismometry, the nature of earthquake motion, the 

 making of a seismic survey, the protection of buildings against earthquakes, the 

 vibrations of railway trains, observations on artificially produced disturbances, the 

 work of the Japanese Earthquake Bureau, sea waves, the curvature of volcanoes, 

 earth tremors and their relationship to distant winds, &c. 



The second part of the paper dealt with phenomena which were difficult to 

 explain, Amongst these we had the preliminary tremors of an earthquake ; the 

 extremely high velocity of earthquake propagation, which even reached 20,000 feet 

 per second ; the variation in velocity and period with the intensity of the initial 

 disturbance ; or as a disturbance radiated, the relationship between normal and 

 transverse motion, &c. 



The last part of the paper treated of observations yet to be made. Amongst 

 other things the author suggested the extension of observations on the velocity of 

 earthquake propagation, such observations possibly leading to the determination of 

 constants representing the rigidity of large rock masses, — continuous observations 

 to determine whether there are changes in the value of J, observations to deter- 

 mine the existence or non-existence of suboceanic land-slides, the establishment 

 of a magnetic observatory on the side of a volcano the lava of which was known to 

 be highly magnetic, observations in a mine beneath the sea to determine the effects 

 of tidal load, tromometric observation in a coal-mining district where there is fire- 

 damp, observations on earth-currents near an active volcano or in connection with 

 large faults, observations on earth oscillations in a district where there is evidence 

 showing that such movements have been rapid. It was shown that there were 

 special reasons for making such observations in a country like Japan. 



9. On the Vibration of Railway Trains. Bij Professor John Milne, F.B.S. 



The instrument which the author described consisted of three parts which 

 respectively recorded on a continuously-moving band of paper the vertical, the 

 transverse, and the longitudinal vibratory movements of a railway-carriage or a 

 locomotive. 



The most important feature in this instrument was that its action depended 

 upon the existence of ' steady points,' such as we find in modern seismographs, 

 and the writing of the records was not dependent upon the movement of bodies 

 having considerable stability like the bob of an ordinary pendulum, such as are 

 found in seismoscopes. 



The instrument has worked satisfactorily in Japan, across the American Con- 

 tinent, and on all the lines upon which it has hitherto been tried in England. 



The information it gives is as follows : — 



1. For the Traffic Manager. — It shows ^vhen a train stopped and for hoio long 

 it stopped, whether at a station, a signal, on the line, or on a siding. It shows 

 where the train went quickly and where it went slowly, &c. 



2. For the Track or Line Inspector. — It indicates all curves and grades. It 

 shows all abnormal irregularities on a line, — as, for instance, at points and cross- 

 ings, variations in gauge, want of ballast, springy portions of the road, faults in 

 ties or sleepers, irregular yieldings on bridges, &c. 



3. For the Mechanical Engineer. — It shows when a locomotive is properly 

 balanced, when it is burning too much coal, &c. 



Three types of the instrument have been constructed: — 



1. Only recording the vertical component of motion, to time trains, and to give 

 general information respecting the state of a line. 



