176 REPORT— 1872. 



Interim Report of the Committee appointed for the purpose of making 

 experiments on instruments for Measuring the Speed of Ships and 

 Currents by means of the difference of height of two columns of liquid, 

 — the Committee consisting of Prof. W. J. Macquorn RankinEj 

 C. W. Merrifield, F.R.S., Mr. F. J. Bramwell, and Mr. Alfred 

 E. Fletcher (Secretary). 



Your Committee have to report that, owing to the business-eugagements of 

 the Members, it has been found imjjossible to hold a meeting at a sufficiently 

 early date to enable a systematic plan of operations to be agreed to and acted 

 upon, and also that a proposed experimental trip in a yacht has been un- 

 avoidably postponed. No expense has been incurred, and no part of the 

 grant of =£30 has been drawn. 



Your Committee recommend that they should be reappointed, and that the 

 sum of ^30 should again be placed at their disposal. 



Rejyort on the Rainfall of the British Isles, by a Committee, consisting 

 of Charles Brooke, F.R.S. {Chairman), J. F. Bateman, C.E., 

 F.R.S., J. Glaisher, F.R.S. , R, W. Mvlne, C.E., F.R.S., Prof. 

 J. Phillips, F.R.S., T. Hawrsley, C.E., Prof. J. C. Adams, 

 F.R.S., Prof. J. J. Sylvester, F.R.S., C. Tomlinson, F.R.S., 

 R. Field, C.E., Dr. Pole, C.E., F.R.S., Prof. D. T. Ansted, 

 F.R.S., A. Buchan, F.R.S.E., and G. J. Symons, Secretary. 



YoTTR Committee have the pleasure of reporting that every branch of rainfall 

 work continues in efhcient working order, and that, notwithstanding the very 

 limited funds at our disposal and the long illness of our Secretary during the 

 winter, all arrears have been overtaken, and, owing to the completeness of 

 the orgp.uization, no hitch or interruption occurred. 



At the Meeting of the British Association in Edinburgh, very strong repre- 

 sentations were made to your Committee respecting the desirability of es- 

 tablishing additional rain-gauge stations in different parts of the Highlands ; 

 and as your Committee had long been aware of the necessity which existed 

 for these stations, and, moreover, as somewhat larger funds than usual were 

 at their disposal, they resolved on taking every means in their power to secure 

 the efficient establishment of these stations. In addition to ordinary cor- 

 respondence, oi;r Secretary took two special steps to secure the most promis- 

 ing possible distribution of the new gauges. In the first place he wrote to 

 iEr. Euclian, the Secretary to the Scottish Meteorological Society, acquaint- 

 ing him with the assent of the Committee, and requesting him to state what 

 number of gauges he coiild provide good observers for. On receipt of his 

 reply ten gauges were sent to him, which he was kind enough to distribute 

 as follows : — 



1. Springfield, Tain, lloss. G. Sannox, Arran. 



2. Kilmalcolm, Port Glasgow. 7. Kilchoman, Islay. 



3. Arrochar, Loch Long. 8. Port Charlotte, Islay. 



4. Strahane, Brodick, Arran. 9. Port Ellen, Islay. 



5. Strathfillan, Perthshire. 10. Clcnbaru Abbey, Mull of Cantiro. 



