INVESTIGATION OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE BY MEANS OF KITES. 19 
The Committee take this opportunity of recording their thanks to 
the Royal Society for their action in the matter, to the Lords of the 
Admiralty for the loan of the ‘Seahorse,’ and to Staff-Captain Crooke 
and the officers and men of his vessel for the manner in which they 
contributed to the carrying out of the observations. An account of the 
results of the experiments will be published later. 
Proposed Observations on S.S. ‘ Helga.’ 
In the course of correspondence with Mr. E. W. L. Holt, of the 
Fishery Branch of the Irish Board of Agriculture Technical Instruction, 
Dr. Shaw learned that there was a prospect of occasional kite observa- 
tions on board the s.s. ‘ Helga,’ belonging to the board, provided that the 
_ Department was not called upon to defray the expenses of the necessary 
apparatus and materials. Dr, Shaw reported the matter to the Committee, 
and reported, further, that if the Committee were willing to supply 
apparatus and gear for the experiments on the ‘ Helga’ the Meteorological 
Council were prepared to make arrangements with Mr. Dines to initiate 
the experiments and explain the method of working the apparatus, 
Of the contribution of 200/. from the Government Grant Fund made 
last year for the purpose of hiring a vessel a sum of about 90/, 
remained ; and as the loan of H.MLS. ‘Seahorse’ obviated the necessity 
for the further hiring of a vessel, it was suggested that the unexpended 
balance of the fund might be used to provide the apparatus. After 
communicating with the Royal Society upon the matter the Committee 
decided to adopt the suggestion, and Mr. Dines made ready a duplicate 
set of apparatus, which will be mounted on board the ‘ Helga’ as soon as 
an opportunity offers for commencing experiments on that vessel. 
The funds appropriated to the use of the Committee during the year 
have been :— 
£ 
Balance of Government Grant Fund left over from last year LN9O 
British Association Grant made at Southport : ~ 4 « | 50 
Anonymous Contribution by a Member of the Council of the 
Royal Meteorological Society . 5 3 ‘ - 2 ae 20D 
Provision for Continuation of the Experiments. 
The Committee of Section A of the British Association passe d 
a resolution desiring the Council to take steps to urge upon the 
Government the provision of means for co-operating in an organised 
union with the Continental nations and with India and America in the 
investigation of the upper air by means of balloons and kites. The 
decision of the Government with regard to the matter is nevertheless 
intimately connected with the action intended with regard to the Report 
of the Meteorological Grant Committee of the Treasury. The Com- 
mittee’s report was published in June, and refers in favourable terms to 
the proposed investigation, but suggests no specific grant for the purpose. 
The action of the Government with regard to the ‘finding of the report 
has not yet been made known. 
Nothing is therefore ascertained as to the prospects of an investiga- 
tion of the upper air of this country upon an official basis. In the 
meantime Mr. Dines is likely to be able with the apparatus in hand to 
obtain kite observations on the fixed days of the Meteorological Com- 
mittee, and to make further investigations with regard to improvements 
c2 
