EEPORTS 



ON THE 



STATE OF SCIENCE, 



Investigation of the Uppej' Atmosphere by Means of Kites in co-opera- 

 tion with a Committee of the Royal Meteorological Society. — Second 

 Report of the Committee, consisting of J)r. W. N. ^nkvf {Chairman), 

 Mr. W. H. Dines {Secretary), Mr. D. Archibald, Mr. C. Vernon 

 Boys, Dr. A.. Buchan, Dr. 11. T. Glazebrook, Dr. H. R. Mill, 

 and Professor A. Schuster. {Brawn up by the Secretary.) 



The results of last year's work have been published ; a description of the 

 apparatus and methods employed being given in the ' Quarterly Journal 

 of the Royal Meteorological Society,' vol. xxix., No. 126, p. 65 ; and a 

 discussion of the results obtained, in a paper by Dr. Shaw and Mr. W. H. 

 Dines, which appears in the 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal 

 Society,' series a, vol. ccii., 1903. 



The apparatus used at Crinan last year was erected at Oxshott in the 

 autumn, and it was hoped that to a limited extent the observations might 

 be continued there ; but before the end of October the wire was accident- 

 ally dropped across the main road leading from Eshcr to Leatherhead. 

 Fortunately the wire rested on trees on both sides of the road ; but before 

 it could be removed many carriages and bicyclists had passed under it. 

 This accident convinced us tliat it would be unwise to continue the work 

 at Oxshott, excepting for winds between south and north-west. The 

 winter has been devoted to an endeavour to improve the apparatus. This 

 has been accomplished : a new winding-gear has been constructed, which 

 so far has given every satisfaction, and the details of the construction of 

 the kites have been altered, so that they exei't a more uniform pull and 

 seem to be more reliable. The apparatus was brought to Crinan at the 

 beginning of August, and in view of the uncertainty about obtaining a 

 vessel, was erected on the same island as last year. The apparatus in the 

 possession of the Committee now consists of — 



I. Engine, boiler, and winding-gear used last year. 



II. New winding-gear. 



III. About 14: miles of wire, six of which have been purchased this 

 year. 



IV. Ten kites 7 feet 6 inches high j three kites 9 feet high ; materials 

 of a kite 12 feet high. 



