Report of the Kew Observatory Committee. 



391 



VII. Miscellaneous. 



Paper. — Prepared photograph paper has been supplied to the 

 Observatories at Hong Kong, Mauritius, St. Petersburg, Oxford 

 {Radcliffe), and Stony hurst, and through the Meteorological Office to 

 Aberdeen, Batavia, and Fort William. 



Anemograph and Sunshine Sheets have also been sent to Hong Kong 

 and Mauritius. 



A portable electrometer (White, No. 77) has been procured and 

 forwarded to Mauritius. 



Exhibition at Imperial Institute. — A selection of photographic 

 •curves from the various self-recording instruments, along with cloud 

 photographs and specimens of early daguerrotypes were shown 

 •during the summer at the exhibition of photography at the Imperial 

 Institute. The chairman and superintendent were included in the 

 Committee of Advice. 



Pendulum Apparatus. — The apparatus sent out to Melbourne in 

 1892 has been returned, and is now being repaired by Mr. P. Adie. 

 The air pump is receiving a new frame, and the dummy pendulum 

 a new brass shaft and fittings. 



House, Grounds, and Path. — These have been kept as usual through- 

 out the year. The road leading from Richmond to the Observatory 

 was extended inside the new enclosure, the fencing of which was 

 completed early in the year. The expense was defrayed out of the 

 balance of Extension Fund brought forward from last year. 



To meet an increased demand for gas, a new and larger main has 

 been laid between the Observatory and the building outside, which 

 contains the platinum thermometer room and clinical thermometer 

 testing apparatus. Simultaneously a larger meter and new gas 

 governors were fitted up in the Observatory. 



First Assistant Director at Mauritius Observatory. — At the request 

 of the Colonial Office, the Committee undertook the task of selecting 

 and recommending a candidate for the post of First Assistant 

 Director at the Royal Alfred Observatory, Mauritius. Their choice 

 fell on Mr. J. Folkes Claxton, previously engaged in the Meteoro- 

 logical and Magnetic Department of the Royal Observatory, Green- 

 wich, and their nomination was approved by the Colonial Office. 

 Subsequent to his appointment in December, Mr. Claxton spent a 

 few days at the Observatory to familiarise himself with the patterns 

 of meteorological and magnetic instruments in use at Kew. 



At the request of the Acting Director of the Central Physical 

 Observatory at St. Petersburg, submitted through the Meteoro- 

 logical Council, an account of the Observatory, dealing more espe- 

 cially with its functions as a meteorological station, along with plans 



