Bcport of the Kew Ohservatory Committee. 



343 



experimented on the relative merits of silk and phosphor bronze as 

 the suspension for magnets. 



Open scale magnetographs, devised by Mr. W. Watson for the pur- 

 pose of testing the disturbing action of electric railways, were in 

 operation for a few days in December under Mr. Watson's supervision. 



Dr. van Eijckevorsel visited the Observatory in June and September, 

 and observed with his magnetic instruments, in pursuance of his scheme 

 for the intercomparison of standard instruments at various Observa- 

 tories. 



Dr. L. A. Bauer also took magnetic observations in September and 

 November with instruments belonging to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic 

 Survey. 



Advice has been given to Captain Eraser, E.E., with respect to the 

 equipment for a magnetic survey of India, and to the Surveyor 

 General, Wellington, New Zealand,' in relation to- the erection of a 

 magnetic observatory in New Zealand, and the carrying out of a 

 magnetic survey there. At the request of the Agent General, a 

 complete set of magnetographs has been ordered from Mr. P. Adie for 

 New Zealand, and the unifilar magnetometer and dip circle, previously 

 lent to Melbourne Observatory, have been lent for two years to the 

 New Zealand Government. 



During the absence of Mr. T. W. Baker on inspection work during 

 part of September and October, the magnetic work was intrusted to 

 Mr. B. Forsyth, Eoyal College of Science, who was temporarily en- 

 gaged for the purpose. 



The magnetic work as a Avhole has been unusually onerous through- 

 out the year, and it seems likely to continue heavy for some time, as 

 an exceptionally large number of magnetic instruments have been 

 ordered by foreign and colonial institutions with the expressed inten- 

 tion of having them verified at the Observatory. 



Opportunities present themselves from time to time of getting 

 valuable observations made by travellers and others if they are supplied 

 with the necessary instruments. In order to be able to take advantage 

 of such opportunities, by lending instruments to competent observers, 

 when it may seem desirable to do so, the Committee have obtained a 

 unifilar magnetometer and a dip circle from Mr. A. W. Dover. The 

 expense was defrayed by a special grant, amounting to £86 55., from 

 the Government Grant Committee. 



II. Meteorological Observations. 



The several self-recording instruments for the continuous registra- 

 tion of Atmospheric Pressure, Temperature of Air and Wet-bulb, 

 Wind (direction and velocity). Bright Sunshine, and Kain have been 

 maintained in regular operation throughout the year, and the 



