[ 1 
III. Meteoroloqical Ohserv(ifioih<, obtained Inj die Use of Kites off the West Coast 
of Scotland, U)02. 
By W. N. Shaw, Sc.D., F.B.S., and W. H. Dines, B.A. 
Received April 28,—Read May 14, 1903. 
[Plate 12.] 
The investigation, of which the results are given in the following pages, was 
undertaken by a Committee of the Royal Meteorological Society appointed in tlie 
spring of 1901, with the co-operation of a Committee appointed by the British 
Association at Glasgow. Towards the cost of the experiments £75 was contributed 
by the Government Grant Committee of the Royal Society, £75 by the British 
Association, and £25 anonymously by a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society. 
The remainder of the cost, amounting to £106, was defrayed by that Society. 
The Meteorological Council lent the instruments required for a base station at 
Crinan, and defrayed the cost of maintaining the station. The Council have afforded 
further assistance to the investigation by undertaking the tabulation of the curves 
and the preparation of the necessary diagrams. This work has been carried out in 
the Observatory branch of the Meteorological Office. 
The experimental arrangements were designed and carried out by Mr. Dines, with 
the assistance of his two sons. 
For many years past observations on the temperature and humidity of the upper 
air lying over the United States and the Continent of Europe have been obtained l:)y 
means of kites, but although this method of investigation was originally started by 
Dr. Watson, of Glasgow, in 1749, Mr. Archibald seems to have been the only 
person to make much use of kites for meteorological purposes in England. It was 
felt by many interested in meteorology that, as the British Isles lie close to the usual 
track of the cyclonic disturbances which reach Europe from the Atlantic, information 
as to the conditions prevailing in the upper air over their surface, and more 
particularly over their Western Coasts, is of especial im^Dortance. 
In the spring of 1901 a Committee was appointed by the Royal Meteorological 
Society to consider what could be done, and in the same year, at their Glasgow 
meeting, the British Association appointed a Committee to co-operate in the matter. 
These Committees, working together, decided to obtain the necessary apparatus, and 
to make observations during the three summer months of 19U2 at some convenient 
VOL. CCIL—a 348. R 2 24.10.03 
