REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, 



Etc. 



Seismological Investigations. — Thirty-Jifth Report of Committee 

 (Prof. H. H. Turner, Clmirman ; Mr. J. J. Shaw, Secretary ; Mr. 

 C. Vernon Boys, Dr. J. E. Crombie, Dr. C. Davison, Sir F. W. 

 Dyson, Sir E. T. Glazebrook, Dr. Harold Jeffreys, Prof. H. 

 Lamb, Sir J. Larmor, Prof. A. E. H. Love, Prof. H. M. Macdonald, 

 Dr. A. Crichton Mitchell, Mr. R. D. Oldham, Prof. H. C. Plummer, 

 Prof. A. 0. Rankine, Rev. J. P. Rowland, S.J., Prof. R. A. Sampson, 

 Sir A. Schuster, Sir Napier Shaw, Capt. H. Shaw, Mr. R. Stoneley, 

 Sir G. T. Walker, and Dr. F. J. W. Whipple). [Drawn up by the 

 Chairman except where otherwise mentioned.^ 



General. 



The ' Crombie Basement ' and the new rooms generally at the University Observatory, 

 Oxford, have greatly increased the facility and comfort of the seismological work 

 done there. But the massive pier, built for the seismographs, has not yet settled 

 down. Changes of weather affect it seriously, as shown by the behaviour of the 

 N.S. component mounted upon it. The E.W. component, mounted in one corner of 

 the basement on a small pier placed directly on the floor, is much less subject to 

 disturbance. Fortunately no important earthquake has as yet been unrecorded 

 because of these troubles. In passing, it may be remarked that attention was recently 

 called to the value of notes made at Irkutsk stating clearly when a seismograph was 

 out of action, and thus explaining the absence of readings which might reasonably be 

 expected for an earthquake not far away. These notes were found of great help in 

 selecting the position of an epicentre which might otherwise have seemed to be 

 excluded as unlikely. It is hoped that the practice of making such notes may be 

 generally adopted. 



Instrumental. 

 (Notes by Mr. J. J. Shaw) 



A new station has been established by Durham University at the Durham 

 Observatory, in the building formerly occupied by the almucantar. A Milne-Shaw 

 seismograph was lent in the first instance in order to test the suitability of the site ; 

 and as satisfactory results were obtained the work was put on a permanent footing. 



A promising method of forecasting weather from the microseismic movements of 

 the ground is being developed in India by Dr. Banerji, of the Colaba Observatory, 

 in Bombay ; and the Government has ordered four seismographs for these experi- 

 ments. One has already been despatched, two are on the point of completion, and 

 the fourth will follow later. 



Two other machines, also for India, are on order for the Jammu and Kashmir 

 Governments ; and one for the University of Liverpool for instructional purposes in 

 the Department of Geology. 



During the year electric illumination was fitted to the Oxford seismographs in 

 place of gas, and the results have been excellent. 



A project for installing a seismograph in South Georgia or the Falklands, as 

 mentioned below, was considered but abandoned as probably unprofitable. 



International. 



The International Geodetic and Geophysical Union is to meet at Stockholm 

 August 14-23. A memorandum has been prepared drawing attention to the very 

 unsatisfactory financial position of the Section of Seismology (largely owing to the 

 fall in value of the franc in which contributions to the Union have been paid) and 

 urging that a considerable increase should be made in the grant to the Section in 

 order that the cost of the International Seismological Summary may be completely 

 defrayed as regards printing, and, so far as possible, as regards the preparation. 



