948 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 495. 



ing the exposition. The work to be done 

 will include the verification of measuring 

 instruments to be used by the jury of 

 awards in testing electrical machinery, and 

 the testing for the jury of awards of in- 

 struments and apparatus submitted by ex- 

 hibitors in competition. It is obvious that 

 the intrinsic merits of a galvanometer, po- 

 tentiometer, resistance standard, or other 

 measuring instrument, can not be entirely 

 determined by inspection, but only by rig- 

 orous test, and that a fully equipped test- 

 ing laboratory can render important service 

 to a jury of awards in the important and 

 responsible duties which the latter is called 

 upon to perform. A large exhibit of elec- 

 trical instruments and machinery is ex- 

 pected from European manufacturers, 

 more particularly from Germany, and 

 without thoroughly testing the competing 

 apparatus it would be impossible to dis- 

 tribute awards justly. It is proposed to 

 publish the results of these tests so that 

 they may be a permanent contribution to 

 our knowledge of electrical instruments 

 and machinery. 



This laboratory is located along the east 

 wall of the electricity building, south of the 

 east entrance. The space assigned to it is 

 nearly 200 feet long by 23 feet wide. A 

 series of rooms have been constructed, all 

 of which, except the office, are being 

 equipped for laboratory purposes. A re- 

 frigerating machine having a capacity 

 equivalent to the melting of ten tons of ice 

 in twenty-four hours will be used in con- 

 nection with the ventilating machinery and 

 heat-regulating apparatus to control the 

 temperature and humidity of the atmos- 

 phere in the laboratories. Piers and other 

 substantial supports for apparatus have 

 been installed and every effort is being 

 made to provide the facilities and appa- 

 ratus necessary to do precision testing. 



In addition to doing the official testing 

 for the jury of awards, testing for others 



will be done as far as practicable. For such 

 work charges will be made according to 

 the regular schedule of fees of the bureau. 

 The laboratory will also serve as a working 

 exhibit, and visitors will accordingly be ad- 

 mitted at certain specified times. For this 

 reason, the exhibit of the bureau in the 

 government building will be largely histor- 

 ical and educational and mainly devoted to 

 subjects other than electricity. 



EQUIPMENT OP THE BUEEAU. 



Some account of the proposed equipment 

 of the new laboratories of the bureau has 

 been published* in connection with the 

 plans of the buildings, consequently no at- 

 tempt will here be made to describe again 

 either the buildings or their general equip- 

 ment, or to go into detail regarding the 

 equipment for any particular line of work. 

 The intention of the bureau is to provide 

 every facility necessary for experimental 

 work, both for research and testing, and to 

 have a sufficient force of engineers, firemen, 

 electricians and other assistants so that the 

 service may be available at any or all times. 

 The instrument shop is already well estab- 

 lished, and the expectation is to have it so 

 well manned that any of the various sec- 

 tional laboratories can be promptly served 

 whenever the work of testing or research 

 makes the services of a mechanician nec- 

 essary. To do this will require a consid- 

 erable increase over the present force. In- 

 deed, it is likely to be several years before 

 the personnel will be so far increased as 

 to meet urgent requirements. Notwith- 

 standing the considerable force of men now 

 at work, the bureau is seriously in need of 

 more clerks, mechanicians and laboratory 

 assistants; besides research workers and 

 men to inaugurate new work, who are also 

 much needed. 



It is needless to emphasize further the 

 importance of the highest standards in all 



* Science, January 23, 1903. 



