[ 8i6 ] 
XXXVII. T’he Repopt of the Committee appointed by the 
Royal Society to confider of the be/l Method of adjujling 
the fixed Points of Thermometers ; and of the precau- 
tions neceffary to be ufed in making Experiments with 
thofe Injlruments. 
Read June 19, and Dec. 28, 1777. 
tT is univerfally agreed by all thofe who make and life 
A Fahrenheit's thermometers, that the freezing point, 
or that point which the thermometer Hands at when fur- 
rounded by ice or fnow beginning to melt, is to be called 
3 2 0 ; and that the heat of boiling water is to be called 
212 0 : but for want of further regulations concerning 
the manner in which this laft point is to be adjufted, it is 
placed not lefs than two or three degrees higher on fome 
thermometers, even of thofe made by our beft artifts, 
than on others. The two principal caufes of this dif- 
ference are, firlt, that It has never been fettled at what 
height of the barometer this point is to be adjufted^; 
and 
XA) Fahrenheit found that the heat of boiling water differed according 
to the height of the barometer; but fuppofed the difference to be much greater 
than 
