390 Report of the Kew Observatory Committee. 



Two Standard Thermometers have "been supplied during the year. 



There were at the end of the year in the Observatory undergoing 

 verification, 10 Barometers, 533 Thermometers, 12 Sextants, 4 Hydro- 

 meters, 4 Anemometers, 2 Air Meters, 2 Rain Gauges, and 2 Rain 

 Measures. 



VI. Rating of Watches and Chronometers. 



The high standard of excellence to which attention was drawn in 

 last year's Report has been fully maintained, and there has been an 

 increase not only in the number of movements entered for the class A 

 trial, but also in the number of watches which have obtained the 

 highest possible form of certificate — the class A especially good — 

 (involving the attainment of 80 per cent, of the total marks), no less 

 than 59 being so classed. 



The 746 watches received were entered for trial as below : — 



For class A, 435 ; class B, 207 ; class C, 92 ; and 12 for the subsi- 

 diary trial. Of these 10 passed the subsidiary test, 129 failed from 

 various causes to gain any certificate ; 62 were awarded class C 

 certificates, 190 class B, and 355 class A. 



In Appendix III will be found a table giving the results of trial 

 of the 59 watches which gained the highest number of marks during 

 the year. The first place was taken by A. E. Fridlander, Coventry, 

 with a keyless, going-barrel, lever-watch, No. 13,911, which obtained 

 87'4 marks out of a maximum of 100. 



Marine Chronometers. — During the year 58 chronometers have been 

 entered for the Kew A and B trials, of which 52 were certificated, 

 and 6 failed to pass. 



Considerable difficulty was experienced during the autumn in 

 regularly maintaining the temperature of the watch oven at about 

 90° F., and to overcome this, a new gas boiler — by Fletcher and 

 Company, Warrington — has been fitted up, to replace the old tubular 

 heating apparatus, which had become much worn. The opportunity 

 was taken to have a new water-tight cover made, and the non-con- 

 ducting packing material was also renovated. 



A new draw-off pipe and cap have been fitted to the refrigerator, to 

 prevent any accumulation of water from the melting ice 



The seconds contact pieces on the mean-time standard clock having 

 become much worn, the clock has been sent to Dent & Co., to be put 

 in thorough order, and to have their electric contacts fitted. When 

 ready it will be fixed in a new position in the South Hall, where the 

 temperature is very steady. 



The mean-time clock Dent 2011, kindly lent to the Committee by 

 the Astronomer Royal, is being used during the interval. 



