408 



Report of the Kew Committee. 



All the watches which obtained Class A certificates had marks 

 assigned to them, indicating the degree of relative efficiency they 

 exhibited during their trial, according to the following scale : — 



The number of marks awarded to a watch that only just succeeds 

 in obtaining an A certificate is 0, while that awarded to an absolutely 

 perfect watch would be 100, made up as follows : — 40 for a complete 

 absence of variation of daily rate, 40 for absolute freedom from 

 change of rate with change of position, and 20 for perfect compen- 

 sation for effects of temperature. 



In Appendix III will be found a statement giving the results of 

 trial of the 20 watches which obtained the highest numbers of marks 

 during the year, the first position being again attained — with 

 86" 7 marks — by the maker who occupied it — with 86*1 marks — last 

 year. 



The number of watches obtaining a high figure in the marks list 

 has, however, much increased. 



The following table will indicate the nature of the trials to which 

 ordinary certificates refer : — 





For certificate of Class 



Position of watch during test. 

















A. 



B. 



C. 



„ left 



» 85° F 



10 days 

 5 „ 

 5 „ 

 5 w 

 5 „ 

 5 „ 

 5 „ 

 5 „ 



14 days 



14 days 



1 day 

 1 „ 



i ;, 



8 days 

 8 day3 





45 days 



31 days 



16 days 



Owing to the inconvenience and delay attendant on the employ- 

 ment of one safe for both hot and cold tests, a second was procured, 

 and has been fitted up as a refrigerator, thereby enabling two sets 

 of watch trials to proceed simultaneously, and more constant tem- 

 peratures in both heat and cold to be sustained for the necessary 

 periods. 



Special attention has been given to the examination of pocket 

 chronographs, in accordance with the request of the Cyclists' Union. 



Manufacturers have also been advised of certain mechanical defects 

 in the action of the chronograph work, and latterly an improvement 

 has taken place in respect of this. 



Early in the year a communication was received from the President 



