GEODETIC COMMITTEE. 31 



or of the Colonies and Protectorates, nor for any special investigations 

 that may be necessary. 



The Committee are of opinion that these needs might be met if for 

 that purpose the resources of the Meteorological Office, which now 

 directs the Observatories of Kew and Eskdalemuir, and receives through 

 the Eoyal Society the Government grant which has been referred to, 

 were correspondingly increased. 



Conclusions. 



8. The Committee conclude therefore: — 



(a) That a Geophysical Institute providing for the requirements 

 of Geodesy, Tidal Phenomena, and Seismology, as above 

 summarised, is requu'ed. 



(h) That such an Insti'tute would pi'ove to be of great service to 

 the State Surveys of the Empire, in providing a centre for 

 research and for the dissemination of information. 



(c) For such an Institute to be of value it must possess the good 



will of the State Surveys, and they should be represente<l 

 on its governing body. 



(d) Tliat the Institute should be situated near London, and have 



access to open ground on which practical operations could 

 be carried out ; or, alternatively, should be situated in 

 London, with, an experimental station near London. 



(e) That the Institute should form part of, or be affiliated to, an 



existing educational establishment. 



9. The Committee do not find it possible to draw up any estimate of 

 the ini-tial or annual cost of such an Institute that would be of any sub- 

 stantial value until this question of affihation has been decided and the 

 possibilities as to accommodation investigated. 



Procedure. 



10. The Committee do not feel that they themselves can carry the 

 matter much further for the present, and they suggest, for the considera- 

 tion of the Conjoint Board (to which there might, perhaps, be added, 

 for this purpose, representatives of the Colonial Office and of this Com- 

 mittee), that the Board should, in the first instance, approach the 

 Imperial College of Science and Technology and ascertain whether that 

 Institution would be inclined to consider favourably a proposal to esta- 

 blish a Geophysical Institute as one of its Departments. 



Should the reply be in the affirmative, any future steps should, 

 perhaps, be taken by the Governing Body of the Imperial College, who 

 would doubtless consult the Conjoint Board and this Committee. 



(Note. — The Committee proceeded no further, inasmuch as it was reported 

 that further steps had been taken by the Conjoint Board of Scientific Studies 

 and by the University of Cambridge, and an appeal had been issued by -the 

 University for funds to found a professorship of geodynamics and a Geodetic 

 Institute.) 



