REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 
XXXIX 
“It is proposed by the Committee that the instruments shall be supplied 
at a fixed price, which for the barometer the Committee expect will be about 
£3 10*., and for the thermometer not exceeding 6s. each. 
“In order to fulfil the conditions necessary to ensure the required accuracy, 
the Committee will prepare a memorandum of conditions to which each in¬ 
strument-maker will be bound to accede in accepting the contract, and the 
price will include every expense of verification. 
“ On the return of any vessel which may be supplied with these instru¬ 
ments, the Committee- will lie ready to examine the errors, for which a small 
fee will be charged to cover the expense incurred. 
“In respect to hydrometers recommended in the Brussels report, the Com¬ 
mittee suggest for the consideration of the*Board of Trade, whether any ad¬ 
vantage could be obtained by their general use at sea. 
“The Committee suggest that all contracts should be made by the Board 
of Trade with the instrument-maker, the prices being first fixed by the Com¬ 
mittee, and which will include every expense of verification at Ki’w ; and it is 
proposed that each instrument shall be stamped with a consecutive number. 
“ Should the above arrangements meet the approval of the Board of 
Trade, the? Committee will be ready to forward a barometer and thermometer 
of the construction which they consider best adapted for the objects intended, 
and Mr. Welsh, whose especial duty it will be to compare each instrument 
before it is delivered to the Board of Trade, will be happy to wait uu you at 
any time you may appoint. 
“ I have the honour to be, Sir, 
“ Your obedient Servant, 
„ m „ (Signed) “ John P. Gassiot.’ 
To T. H. Farrer, Esq., 
Secretary Marine Department, Board of Trade.” 
P.S. Should it be the wish of the Board, the Committee will readily take 
into consideration and recommend in a similar manner as they have tin’other 
instruments, a proper hydrometer suitable for ascertaining the specific gra¬ 
vity of sea water. 
(Copy.) 
" Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade, 
Marine Department, 6th April, 
“ Sir, I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council 
foT Trade to request you to convey to the Committee of the British Associa¬ 
tion for conducting experiments at Kcw, their best thanks for the prompt 
and satisfactory manner in which the Committee have acceded to their Lord- 
ships wishes as expressed in my letter of the 27th ultimo. 
1 1 am to state that. My Lords will avail themselves of the proposal of the 
Committee, and as it is desirable that no time should be lost in procuring 
the instruments in question, they will be obliged if the Committee will send 
a specimen of each of the instruments they approve (including an hydro¬ 
meter) to the Board of 1 rnde. 
“ My Lords coincide in the opinion expressed by the Committee that 
much inconvenience may in the onset arise from the attempt to combine in 
thermometers the Fahrenheit and Centigrade scales, and they would there¬ 
fore wish that the present supply should have the Fahrenheit scale only. 
“J. P. Gassiot, Esq.” 
“ I am, Sir, 
“Your obedient Servant, 
(Signed) “ T. II. Fabrbr.” 
