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SCIENCE. 



[X. S. Vol. XXI. Xo. .5.34. 



and become more easterly at the height 

 of a quarter of a mile, then falling calm, 

 and even though the kites were lifted by 

 the motion of the vessel to a height of 

 nearly three miles, the southwest anti- 

 trade, which is supposed to form the re- 

 turn-current, was not encountered, though 

 it has been reported at a much lower alti- 

 tude upon the Peak of Teneritfe. The 

 temperature was found to decrease up to 

 •a third of a mile in height, where there was 

 an inversion of temperature persisting 

 throughoiit a thick stratum and then a 

 rapid decrease with increasing height, these 

 changes being analogous to those pre- 

 vailing within areas of high barometric 

 pressure over the land. The interesting 

 investigations of Professor Hergesell fur- 

 nish additional evidence of the importance 

 and feasibility of carrying out soundings 

 of the atmosphere across the equator and 

 into the southeast trade-winds. The em- 

 ployment of kites to obtain meteorological 

 observations on steamers pursuing their 

 I'egular courses, the practicability of which 

 the writer demonstrated on a voyage across 

 the Atlantic in 1901 (see Science, Vol. 

 XIV., pages 896-7), was discussed and it 

 was reported that two German steamship 

 lines and a Spanish company had agreed 

 provisionally to allow observations with 

 kites to be made on their steamers. In view 

 of the importance of studying the meteoro- 

 logical conditions high above the oceans, 

 the committee requested the meteorological 

 bureaus of the various countries to propose 

 to their maritime agencies that kites be 

 employed on the mail and other subsidized 

 vessels, the results of these negotiations to 

 be reported at the next conference. 



Recording instruments for balloons and 

 kites were discussed in detail, but it was 

 considered inexpedient, at the present time, 

 to recommend the adoption of any special 

 type of instrument, though the committee 



requested that a description of the instru- 

 ment employed should accompany all pub- 

 lished observations. The errors of aneroid 

 barometers, caused by residual elasticity 

 and by temperature, were said to be less 

 with the Bourdon tubes than with the 

 usual cylindrical vacuum-boxes and, con- 

 sequently, the foroier are to be preferred 

 for ballons-sondes. Very light instru- 

 ments of French and German construction 

 were exhibited, in which the barometer was 

 a Bourdon tube and the thermometer either 

 a bimetallic bar, bent in circular form, 

 or a German-silver tube inclosed in a 

 polished one. Professor Hergesell showed 

 his instrument for manned balloons, where 

 the necessary ventilation of the thermom- 

 eters is supplied by an exhaust fan, placed 

 in the thermometer-tube just mentioned, 

 and driven by a storage-battei-y and Dr. 

 Shaw, secretary of the London Meteorolog- 

 ical Office, presented Mr. Dines 's simple 

 meteorograph for kites that costs but 

 twelve dollars. An apparatus was shown 

 hy the writer for determining on a moving 

 steamer the velocities of the true and ap- 

 parent wind — which latter only is utilized 

 in kite-flying— the speed and course of the 

 vessel enabling the triangle of forces to 

 be solved. Most of the other apparatus 

 which was brought before the conference 

 related to the balloons or their accessories. 

 The closing session of the conference was a 

 ceremonious one at which Count de La 

 Vaulx, of Paris, and Dr. Person, of Berlin, 

 gave accounts of the longest balloon voj'- 

 age, from Paris to Kief, and the highest 

 ascension, to 35,000 feet, executed by them 

 respectively. 



As is usual at these international gath- 

 erings, the social entertainments and visits 

 to scientific establishments were the most 

 interesting features. The first of these 

 was an informal reception at the Grand 

 Hotel before the conference opened, fol- 



