Report of the Kew Observatory Committee. 



99 



notes of weather, cloud, and sunshine, have been transmitted, as usual, 

 to the Meteorological Office. 



With the sanction of the Meteorological Council, data have been 

 supplied to the Council of the Royal Meteorological Society, the 

 institute of Mining Engineers, and the editor of ' Symons' Monthly 

 Meteorological Magazine.' 



During the year there occurred the death of Mr. E. Dagwell, an 

 assistant principally occupied in the Meteorological Department; his 

 connection with the Observatory had lasted since 1881. 



Electrograph. — As a result of experimental investigations made in 

 the present and preceding year, several important changes have been 

 made in the water-dropping apparatus. A new water reservoir and 

 overflow tube have been obtained, and the jet has been brought 

 much nearer the electrometer. The auxiliary battery having con- 

 siderably deteriorated, it was sent to the makers on November 20, 

 and the instrument in consequence remained out of action until the 

 end of the year. 



Determinations of the scale value were made on March 30, June 27, 

 July 27, and October 24, by direct comparison with the Portable 

 Electrometer, White No. 53. 



Inspections. — In compliance with the request of the Meteorological 

 Council, the following Observatories and Anemograph Stations have 

 been visited and inspected : — Yarmouth, North Shields, Alnwick 

 Castle, Fort William, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Deerness (Orkney) 

 by Mr. Baker; and Radcliffe Observatory (Oxford), Holyhead, Fleet- 

 wood, Stonyhurst, Armagh, Dublin, Valencia, and Falmouth by Mr. 

 Constable. 



III. Solar Observations. 



Sun-spots. — Sketches of Sun-spots have been made on 161 days, and 

 the groups numbered, after Schwabe's method. 



Particulars will be found in Appendix II, Table IV. 



IV. Experimental Work. 



Fog and Mist. — The observations of a series of distant objects, 

 referred to in previous Reports, have been continued. A note is taken 

 of the most distant of the selected objects which is visible at each 

 observation hour. 



Atmospheric Electricity. — The eye observations referred to in last- 

 year's Report have been discussed (' Roy. Soc. Proc.,' vol. 60, 

 1896, p. 96). Some further experiments have been carried out on 



