Report of the Kew Committee for the Year ending 

 October 31, 1885. 



The operations of The Kew Observatory, in the Old Deer Park, 

 Richmond, Surrey, are controlled by the Kew Committee, which is 

 constituted as follows : 



Captain W. de W. Abney, 

 R.E. 



Prof. W. G. Adams. 

 Capt. Sir P. Evans, K.C.B. 

 Prof. G. C. Poster. 

 Mr. P. Galton. 



Mr. Warren de la Hue, Chairman. 



Vice-Adm. Sir G. H. Richards, 

 C.B. 



The Earl of Rosse. 

 Mr. R. H. Scott. 

 Lieut.- General W. J. Smythe. 

 Lieut.-Gen. R. Strachey, C.S.I. 



Mr. E. Walker. 



The work at the Observatory may be considered under the fol- 

 lowing heads : — ■ 



1st. Magnetic observations. 

 2nd. Meteorological observations. 

 3rd. Solar observations. 



4th. Experimental, in connexion with any of the above depart- 

 ments. 



5th. Verification of instruments. 

 6th. Rating of Watches. 

 7th. Miscellaneous. 



I. Magnetic Obsekvations. 



The Magnetographs have been in constant operation during the 

 year, and in accordance with the usual practice, determinations of 

 the scale values of all the instruments were made early in January. 



As regards magnetic disturbances, no very exceptional variations 

 have been registered. The principal perturbations occurred on the 

 following dates :— November 2-3, 1884; March 15-16, May 13 and 27, 

 and June 25-26, 1885. 



In February the Kew 9-inch Unifilar Magnetometer by Jones was 



