308 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 



The Investigation of the Oscillations of the Level of the Land in the 

 Mediterranean Basin. — B,eport of the Committee, consisting of 

 Mr. D. G. Hogarth (Chairman), Mr. R. T. GOnther (Secretary), 

 and Drs. T. G. BoNNEY, F. H. GuiLLEMARD, J. S, Keltie, and 

 H. R. Mill. 



The Committee have received the following report from Mr. R. T. 



Giinther : — 



1. I left England for South Italy in June 1907, and returned from 

 Naples early in October 1907. 



2. The principal objects of investigation were the indications of local 

 alterations of the land level of the west coast of Italy beyond the 

 limits of the Bay of Naples. Incidentally, however, the opportunity 

 was taken to confirm past observations and to estimate with greater 

 accuracy than heretofore the relation of the present mean sea level to 

 certain marks upon the columns of the Temple of Serapis at Pozzuoli. 



3. The localities examined included every rocky headland and beach 

 of importance between Reggio di Calabria and Pirstuni. Measurements 

 of alterations of level of especial value were obtained at or near Palmi 

 and Gioja Tauro, at Tropea, at Pizzo Amantea, Diamante, Praia, Sapri, 

 Pisciotta, and elsewhere. To the north of Naples indications of post- 

 Roman changes of land level were obtained at Formia, Gaeta, Sperlonga, 

 Terracina, and Monte Circeo. 



4. Although I still hope to be able to visit Italy before publishing the 

 results of the investigation, it may be considered that the object for 

 wliich this Committee was appointed is accomplished. 



Gaseous Explosions. — First Report of the Committee, consisting of Sir 

 W. H. Preece (Chairman), Mr. Dugald Clerk and Professor 

 Bertram Hopkinson (Joint Secretaries), Professors Bone, Bur- 

 stall, Callendar, Coker, Dalby, H. B. Dixon, Hele-Shaw, 

 Smithells, cmc? W. Watson, Dr. Harker, Lieut.-Colonel Holden, 

 Dr. Petavel, and Captain Sankey, appointed for the Investigation 

 of Gaseous Explosions, with special reference to Temperature. 



Appendix. — The Deviation of Actual (rases from the Ideal State aiul the 



Experimental Errors in the Determination of their Speeijic Heats . . 'i'i\ 



General Scope of the Report. 



To engineers the investigation of gaseous explosions is chiedy of interest 

 because of its bearing upon the theory of the internal combustion 

 engine. The Committee have hithertt) considered it mainly from this 

 point of view, conceiving that a limited interpretation of their referencn 

 would be necessary if their labours were to lead to any result within a 

 j'casonable time, and that the limitation adopted should be determined 



