Director of magnetic and electric research. Mr. Louis G. Schultz, who shall have charge of the magnetic observatories and observations in atmospheric electricity and special electric and magnetic research.

Director of upper air research.-Dr. Oliver L. Fassig, who shall have charge of balloon and kite observations and the discussion thereof. Messrs. Schultz and Fassig will arrange for cooperation in the taking of electrical observations from kites.

Observer in charge of property.—Mr. Charles S. Wood, who, under the general control of the supervising director, shall have charge of the premises, repairs, improvements, heating and lighting, power plants, horses and vehicles, meteorological observations and forms, and the mess and forage funds. He may correspond direct with the central office in regard to the details of the work with which he is charged.

Each official will discuss his own observations and, so far as possible, correlate the events shown by his reports with those indicated by the observations of others. There will be a cheerful willingness to cooperate for the general good of the institution and the advancement of the science of meteorology.

There will be no publication in the bulletins of the Bureau of mere argument of abstract theories in science. The place for such is the scientific publications, which are open to all. No more data will be published in the announcement of results than are necessary to make clear the subject-matter, except when the data are new.

The prime object of the institution, viz, the taking of observations and the gathering of data with which to make experimentation and prosecute research, will be kept in mind. Unpublished data will be open to the use of all recognized investigators, and cooperation with other scientific workers will be encouraged. Questions that may directly or indirectly be of value to the science of meteorology will be proper subjects for investigation. The field of inquiry will therefore be a broad one.

PROBLEMS IN INSTRUMENTAL EQUIPMENT AWAITING SOLUTION.

For a number of years Prof. Charles F. Marvin, the official in charge of the instrument division, has endeavored to give a portion of his time and efforts to the study of problems which are directly related to the development of new apparatus and the perfection of the equipment now in use. Such efforts seemed to be indispensable, in order to keep pace with the demands for better instrumental devices. Thus far, however, while the value of such work has been conceded, it has had no recognized place or funds in the yearly schedule, and much of the little that has been done was accomplished only by effort during extra hours when the official in charge of the instrument division could be free from the constant interruption incident to the daily routine. During the last ten years the extension of the service with respect to the instrumental equipment of stations has been very great. In 1895 only about 361 automatic instruments of all kinds were in operation at stations. The number at the present time is 1,195.

Instrumental apparatus has been greatly improved and perfected; many new designs have been brought out and other scientific work accomplished such, for example, as the partial determination of the constants of the anemometer equation and the relation of wind velocities and pressures, the determination of vapor pressures at low temperatures, studies upon the mechanics and equilibrium of kites, etc. At no time in its past history has the Bureau assumed such an attitude toward the solution of the scientific problems of meteorology as at the present time. Extensive preparations are being made for a comprehensive study of difficult matters that may require years for their solution. At the same time many of the simpler, but equally important, problems are pressing for attention, which it is hoped may be given in the near future.

Some of the investigations that can be taken up when the laboratories at Mount Weather are finished are as follows:

(1) Studies in the development of practical apparatus for the measurement and registration of evaporation, both in the interest of plant physiolgists and irrigation engineers.

(2) Apparatus for the better observation and the automatic registration of humidity, especially at low temperatures.

(3) Apparatus for the indication at local offices of river stages. Some work was done on this problem last year, but thus far opportunity has not offered to bring the matter to a satisfactory status.

(4) Apparatus for measurement and registration of solar radiation. This embraces not only the present type of station sunshine recorders, in which improvement is needed, but also the class of instruments known as pyrheliometers, actinometers, etc., such as have been employed for some years by Mr. H. H. Kimball in his special

observations.

(5) Stations need apparatus for the more exact registration of the beginning and ending of precipitation. A device for this purpose has been partly worked out by Dr. Oliver L. Fassig, but important structural and mechanical improvements are required to render this device actually available for station use.

(6) Improvements are required in telethermographs. These instruments are needed at many stations.

(7) Rain gauges are needed suitable for exposure on mountain ridges remote from the habitation of the observer and in the watersheds of great rivers, so that the precipitation-snow or rain-for a whole season can be collected and measured, even though regular daily observations be not made.

(8) Apparatus intended for the recording of lightning has already received some attention, but we should be in a position to discuss the structural details of these devices and their merits and demerits on a basis of real experience.

(9) The new science of seismometry has revealed how widely sensitive the seemingly rigid earth really is to vibrations in its crust and that all great earthquakes can be recorded over the entire globe by sufficiently sensitive instruments. On April 4, 1905, a great earthquake occurred in northwestern India, killing and injuring a great many people and causing the total destruction of towns and villages. The entire crust of the earth was set into elastic vibrations, which were recorded at the Weather Bureau and all over the world wherever delicate seismographs were maintained. Dr. F. Omori, secretary of the earthquake investigation committee of Japan, reports, concerning the Indian earthquake, that the large seismograph at Tokyo recorded first the waves proceeding from India to Tokyo direct via Siberia and later on those which, crossing Europe and America, reached Japan by way of the Pacific Ocean. Still more remarkable than this, the seismogram at the Osaka Meteorological Observatory showed the waves which, having reached Japan from India direct, passed on across the Pacific Ocean, America, and Europe, and finally, as it seems, returned to Japan after having made literally a complete circuit of the earth. The time required was two hours three minutes and thirty-five seconds. Certain seismic records appear to show that the crust of the earth is appreciably sensitive to great meteorological changes, and these the Weather Bureau is preparing to study with the aid of the instruments at Washington and those it is about to install elsewhere. The great delicacy of these instruments requires corresponding skill and attention in their maintenance. (10) The Weather Bureau is almost daily in receipt of requests for information relative to high-wind velocities and the relation of pressure to velocity. This is a subject in great need of further experimental investigation.

(11) Similar to the foregoing is the question of atmospheric humidity at temperatures above 100° F. The present humidity tables end at 140° F. Many inquiries are received for values at higher temperatures, such as are encountered in methods for artificial drying, etc.

The Bureau can render a distinct service to many interests by an accurate extension of the tables into the upper ranges of temperature.

There is a demand upon the Bureau for authoritative results in each of the several lines of inquiry cited above, but progress on such original work has heretofore been impossible. Now, however, with the completion of the physical laboratory at Mount Weather, and the installation of apparatus in this and other buildings at that place, these important problems may soon be attacked, with hope of success in their solution.

Extract from the report of the chief of the Weather Bureau for 1906.

MOUNT WEATHER RESEARCH OBSERVATORY.

The meteorological work of a first-order station has been maintained throughout the year, and telegraphic reports were transmitted to the central office in Washington daily at 8 a. m. and 8 p. m.

Work on the physical laboratory was resumed in July and satisfactory progress was made during the summer and fall of 1905. The building will probably be completed early in 1907.

In the preparation for kite and balloon work, a number of important instruments have been installed and made ready for systematic work. Among these may be mentioned (1) the electrolyzer, for the manufacture of the hydrogen gas employed in the kite balloon and the small rubber balloons; (2) the apparatus for the manufacture of liquid air, employed in testing thermometers at very low temperatures; (3) the apparatus used in testing the barometers, thermometers, and meteorographs employed in connection with the kites and balloons. A medium-sized power kite reel was installed in the revolving kite house early in the year, and experimental kiteflying was begun in September of 1905. During the year the stock of meteorographs, of kites, and of

kite wire was materially increased; the instrumental equipment now includes eight different styles of kite-balloon meteorographs, comprising English, German, and French designs, in addition to the Marvin type heretofore used in the kite work of the Bureau, and the new Fergusson pattern used at the Blue Hill Observatory.

In April, 1906, systematic cooperation was begun in connection with the work of the International Commission of Aerial Research by flying kites on prearranged term days, and this work is being regularly maintained.

The interior finishings of the magnetic observatory buildings, the erection of the piers, and the installation of the magnetic instruments were completed during the year. The instruments for absolute observations, except the declinometer and some auxiliary apparatus, were received and set up before January 1, 1906. The remaining absolute instruments were received and put in place by the end of May, and routine observations were established at the end of the fiscal year.

The Eschenhagen magnetographs were set up in the basement of the absolute observatory in December. 1905, and have given a satisfactory record of the magnetic elements since that time. The Wild magnetographs were received and installed by the first of June, and were being adjusted at the close of the fiscal year.

A gas plant for heating and illuminating the magnetic observatories was put in during the winter and has given satisfactory service since then.

Plans were prepared for an additional office and dwelling for the director of upper-air research, and work on this building was begun July 1, 1906.

The committee thereupon (at 3 p. m.) went into executive session, after which it adjourned.