460 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXII. No. 823 



Hr. E. F. Stupart, director of the Canadian 

 Service, showed that temperature inversion 

 effects occur in Alberta, similar to those pre- 

 viously found by Bigelow over the Eocky 

 Mountain region in the northwestern states, 

 showing that the warming adiahatic currents 

 flow as a sheet eastward over the mountains 

 for many hundred miles in a north-and-south 

 line, from northern Alberta to Colorado. 



Mr. E. Gold gave a paper with summary 

 regarding the effects of radiation on the height 

 and temperature of the isothermal layer over 

 cyclones, anticyclones, in the tropics and the 

 temperate zones generally. The interrelations 

 of this complex problem were briefly consid- 

 ered, the result being that many more observa- 

 tions are needed, especially in the tropics. 



Professor F. G. Baily exhibited diagrams 

 and models of a sensitive seismograph, being 

 an extension of a verfical bifilar system, the 

 mirror being suspended from a bifilar hanging 

 on a bifilar. The records are promising and 

 the instrument is not heavy or bulky. 



All the papers were of an excellent quality, 

 and the discussions, though limited for lack 

 of time, were intelligent, showing that these 

 subjects are of primary interest in England. 



There are other matters of importance just 

 now occurring, under the able administration 

 of Dr. W. N. Shaw, in the British Meteorolog- 

 ical Service. The old office in Victoria Street, 

 London, is being removed to South Kensing- 

 ton, for the sake of enlarged quarters, and the 

 personnel of the service is being strengthened. 

 The Kew Magnetic Observatory, Dr. C. Chree, 

 director, long an independent and well-known 

 institution for magnetic work, has been amal- 

 gamated with the Meteorological Office, and 

 they now form one service. This office is also 

 in close touch with the South Kensington 

 Solar Physical Observatory, Sir Norman 

 Lockyer, director, so that the allied branches 

 of solar physics, atmospheric electricity and 

 magnetism, meteorological records and fore- 

 casting, are acting in close harmony. This 

 would be like uniting the astrophysical ob- 

 servatory of the Smithsonian Institution, the 

 magnetic department of the Carnegie Institu- 

 tion so far as it relates to atmospheric phe- 

 nomena, and the Weather Bureau, a policy 



which I think should be advocated until it has 

 been accomplished. There is great scientific 

 disadvantage in carrying on these lines of 

 research independently, and it should be reme- 

 died before large masses of valuable observa- 

 tions accumulate. Mr. Stupart informs me 

 that the Canadian government is establishing, 

 in connection with the magnetic observatory 

 at Agincourt, about ten miles from Toronto, 

 a fully equipped institution for balloon and 

 kite work, for atmospheric electricity in all 

 its relations to ionization, and for solar radi- 

 ation. The balloon work will be valuable in 

 supplementing the Mt. Weather work on 

 cyclones and anticyclones, because the loca- 

 tion of the southern station is such that the 

 great majority of the storms run to the north- 

 ward of it, so that the data are over-abundant 

 in the southern and scanty in the northern 

 quadrants, and make a difficult distribution of 

 material for any important discussions. I 

 am also informed that the Argentine govern- 

 ment is making large extensions of their 

 service along similar lines of general physics. 

 Since it' is necessary that meteorology should 

 be carried on by governments with consider- 

 able resources, on account of the necessity in 

 forecasting of an elaborate organization for 

 collecting data promptly, it follows that they 

 at the same time assume the responsibility for 

 the maintenance of researches tending to im- 

 prove the service for the public utility. 



Meteorology is a difficult subject, and it re- 

 quires unusual effort and expenditure of . 

 money to make any important progress. It 

 is evident, however, that scientists in all parts 

 of the world are in agreement with the policies 

 pursued by the three governments just men- 

 tioned as the most practical way of attacking 

 the great problems in question. 



Frank H. Bigelow 



Sheffield, Eng., 

 September 7, 1910 



TEE TENTH ANNUAL NEW ENGLAND 

 INTERCOLLEGIATE GEOLOGICAL 

 EXCURSION 

 The party will assemble late Friday after- 

 noon, October 21, at the Hanover Inn, Han- 

 over, N. H. After supper there will be a pre- 

 paratory meeting, at which short expositions 



