272 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 



MATHEMATICAL TABLES. 



Report of Committee on Calculation of Mathematical Tables (Prof. E. H. 

 Neville, Chairman ; Prof. A. Lodge, Vice-Chairman ; Dr. J. 

 WiSHART, Secretary ; Dr. J. R. Airey, Dr. W. G. Bickley, Prof. 

 R. A. Fisher, F.R.S., Dr. J. Henderson, Dr. E. L. Ince, Dr. J. O. 

 Irwin, Dr. J. C. P. Miller, Mr. F. Robbins, Mr. D. H. Sadler, 

 Mr. W. L. Stevens, Dr. A. J. Thompson and Dr. J. F. Tocher). 



General activity. — Seven meetings of the Committee have been held, in 

 London. 



The grant of £150 has been expended as follows : 



Wages and insurance for computer for six months . 

 Purchase of calculating machine .... 

 Checking calculations for Vol. VI (balance) 

 Calculations for Bessel functions of order greater than i 

 Secretarial and miscellaneous expenses 



Resignation of Dr. Comrie. — At the outset of the year's -work the Committee 

 received with deep regret the resignation of Dr. Comrie, who had entered 

 business as a professional computer. The Committee desires on this occasion 

 to place on record its appreciation of the services Dr. Comrie has rendered 

 during the past eight years, and in particular of the work he has done as 

 secretary. The successful translation of the activity of the Committee into 

 published volumes owes a great deal to his enthusiasm and efficiency. 



Employment of Computers. — The resignation of Dr. Comrie raised the 

 questions of the location of the Association's National Accounting Machine, 

 which had been housed for some years at H.M. Nautical Almanac Office, 

 and of the provision which should be made for regular work with the 

 machine. Prof. Fisher offered to house the machine in the computing room 

 of the Galton Laboratory, and this offer was gratefully accepted, W. L. 

 Stevens, who is in charge of the computing room, being added to the 

 Committee. It was considered that the best way of arranging for the 

 calculations to be carried out was to employ a whole-time computer, who 

 would work in the Galton Laboratory, and F. Cleaver was appointed to this 

 post in January. The arrangement has worked very well, and it is con- 

 sidered a great advantage that members of the Committee who undertake 

 to be responsible for particular tables should be able to call at will on the 

 services of a computer who is familiar with the National machine. 



Several part-time c mputers have been engaged under the direction of 

 members of the Committee on work for which machines less elaborate than 

 the National were suitable, and in this connection it is a pleasure to acknow- 

 ledge the readiness with which permission was granted for computers to 

 use the equipment of the Mathematical Laboratory of the University of 

 Liverpool. 



The Committee has purchased an additional calculating machine, of the 

 Triplex-Brunsviga type. 



Bessel Functions. — The tabular matter of the Committee's sixth volume, 

 which is the first volume of Bessel functions and contains the four principal 

 functions of orders o and i , is now in the press ; the printed sheets are being 



