REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, 
ETC. 
Seismological Investigations.—Twenty-sizth Report of Com- 
mittee (Professor H. H. Turner, Chairman; Mr. J. J. SuHaw, 
Secretary; Mr. C. Vernon Boys, Dr. J. E. Crompig, Sir Horace 
Darwin, Dr. C. Davison, Sir F. W. Dyson, Sir R. T. 
GuazEBRoox, Professors C. G. Knorr, and H. Lamp, Sir J. 
Larmor, Professors A. E. H. Love, H. M. Macponatp, and H. C. 
Puummer, Mr. W. EE. Puummer, Professor R. A. Sampson, Sir A. 
Scuuster, Sir Napier Suaw, Dr. G. T. WatKker, and Mr. G. W. 
WALKER). Drawn up by the Chairman, except where otherwise 
mentioned. 
General. 
The Committee has to deplore the death of Professor J. Perry, who had 
been associated with its work from the early days when he was in Japan with 
Professor John Milne. The first Report of this Committee (1896, Liverpool) 
contains an account of the ‘Perry Tromometer’ by its inventor, and a note 
on trials of one form of it at Shide by Milne—so sensitive that the guns fired 
five miles away (at the funeral of Prince Henry of Battenberg) caused movements 
of 1 foot in the light spot. Perry was continuously a member of this Committee 
from its inception till his death (1920, August 5), and a regular attendant at 
its meetings. 
The clerical work at Oxford is still being carried on in the room in the 
‘Students’ Observatory’ mentioned in the last Report, as the tenant of the 
house (purchased by Dr. Crombie’s benefaction) found at the last moment 
that his arrangements for vacating it in September, 1920, had broken down. 
This has naturally hampered the work; and the serious illness of Miss Bellamy 
for several months has also had an inevitable effect on the current reductions. 
The Committee is much indebted to her uncle, Mr. F. A. Bellamy, for the way 
in which he has minimised the loss by his own personal exertions. 
Until the Royal Commission on the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge 
has reported, and the Geophysical Union has considered the international situa- 
tion (as expected at Rome in April next), no further steps of a general kind 
can be taken. 
The Committee received its annual grant of 1007. from the Caird Fund in 
January, 1921. In place of the 1007. formerly granted by the British Association 
at its annual meeting, it was resolved at the Cardiff (1920) Meeting to forward 
to the Board of Scientific and Industrial Research a recommendation that this 
sum should be granted from its funds. The Chairman interviewed the officials 
ot the Board on the matter, at their request; and it was ultimately decided 
that, instead of the application to the B.Sc. and Jnd. Res., application should 
be made to the Government Grant Fund for 300/. in place of the former 200/. 
This grant of 300/. was made in March, 1921, and placed at the disposal of the 
Committee in June, 1921. 
It may be mentioned that a member of the Committee, Dr. C. Davison, has 
during the year published an excellent ‘ Manual of Seismology ’ (Camb. Univ. 
Press, Geological Series). 
Instrumental. 
The Milne-Shaw seismograph erected in the basement of the Clarendon 
Laboratory at Oxford has worked well throughout the year, except that the 
coal strike led to a diminution of gas-pressure and consequent illumination 
for certain hours, which made the record almost useless. Mr. Bellamy and 
Mr. J. J. Shaw arranged an electric-light substitute which has performed 
fairly well. ’ 
It may be mentioned that miniature copies of the films on quarter-plates 
have been found very useful. Prints made from these show under a lens 
practically all that is required, and are very readily stored or sent by post. 
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