a eS eee 
REPORTS 
ON THE 
STATE OF SCIENCE. 
1 — 
Investigation of the Upper Atmosphere by Means of Kites in co-opera- 
tion with a Committee of the Royal Meteorological Society.—Third 
Report of the Committee, consisting of Dr. W. N. SHaw (Chairman), 
Mr. W. H. Dives (Secretary), Mr. D. Arncuigatp, Mr. C. Vernon 
Boys, Dr. A. Bucuan, Dr. R. T. GuAzEBRoox, Dr. H. R. Mint, 
and Professor A. ScHUSTER. (Drawn up by the Chairman and 
Secretary.) 
Tne Committee have acted throughout in conjunction with the Committee 
of the Royal Meteorological Society. 
Since the date of the last report an account of the observations made 
in the summer of 1903 has been communicated to the Royal Meteorological 
Society and published in their ‘ Quarterly Journal.’ 
Winter Observations. 
In the interval between the meeting of the Association at Southport 
and the beginning of June experimental observations have been made at 
Oxshott ; kites, of which various details have been altered, have been 
sent up almost every day on which the wind-force equalled or exceeded 
six on the Beaufort scale. The object of these experiments was to ascer- 
tain if the behaviour of the kites could be improved by alteration of 
shape, size, &c., more particularly with regard to uniformity of pull and 
stability in winds of varying force. 
As regards the first of these qualities considerable improvement has 
been effected by arrangements which will be described subsequently. 
Instruments. 
A new form of meteorograph has been designed for kite experiments 
by which the records of pressure, temperature, and humidity are traced 
upon a revolving disc of paper instead of a drum. 
The pressure is indicated by the variation of capacity of an aneroid 
box of thin metal containing air. This needs a temperature correction to 
give the actual pressure, and the necessary correction is obtained from 
the temperature trace. Temperature is recorded by the expansion of 
ether contained in a coil of thin brass tube, terminating at one end in a 
small aneroid box, the variation in the position of the lid indicating the 
1904, Cc 
