Proceedings. 189 



pointing out the conditions under which bathing is dangerous, 

 and the reason. In the case of crested waves and surge 

 rollers, for instance, there is a strong undercurrent which 

 tends to submerge the bather and carry him out to sea. 

 He found that the specific gravity of the English Channel 

 is very variable, increasing after a storm and diminishing in 

 fair weather. This is doubtless caused by a greater amount 

 of heavy sea water being brought in from the Atlantic than 

 is neutralised by the excess of rainfall. He also pointed 

 out that his readings of wind pressure in the open gave a 

 much lower pressure than is commonly supposed to exist, 

 as he rarely got a pressure of more than 61b. or 81b. A set 

 of portable instruments for use in such investigations, being 

 adapted for service in hotels, on piers, and on board ship, 

 where the conveniences of an observatory are not available, 

 was exhibited. 



Ordinary Meeting, April 15th, 1890. 



Professor Osborne Reynolds, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., 

 President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Harry Grimshaw, F.C.S., stated that he was 

 engaged in inquiries respecting the hygrometric properties 

 of the Lancashire atmosphere, as compared with the 

 United States, with special reference to the cotton-spinning 

 industry, and that he would be glad to receive information 

 as to where reliable meteorological records for Bolton and 

 Blackburn could be found. 



Mr. J. J. ASHWORTH stated that he had recently made 

 inquiries from a Denton manufacturer with a view to ascer- 

 taining if there had been any tendency to increase in the 



