The Scottish Meteorological Society

Abstract

AT the annual meeting on March 23, Dr. Arthur Mitchell, F.R.S.E., in the chair, it was stated in the Report of the Council that since last meeting in July two new stations had been established—one at Lednathie, Kirriemuir, and the other at Comrie, Perthshire. During the summer and autumn the Secretary inspected twenty-six stations. In addition to the ordinary work of the office he had prepared a third paper on the climate of the British Islands, embracing the rainfall, which would appear in next issue of the Journal. As regards the Ben Nevis Observatory, the observations during the winter had been carried on by Mr. Omond and his assistants every hour by night and by day, without the break of a single hour, except during a great storm which raged around the Observatory in February, when from 6 p.m, of the 21st to 7 a.m, of the following day Mich was the violence of the wind, that for those fourteen hours no light could be carried outside by which the thermometers could be read. The directors had given permission for the erection of a seismometer for registering earth-movements at the Observatory, a grant of 200l. for its erection having been obtained by Mr. George Darwin and Prof. Ewing from the Government Grant Committee. The total cost of the erection and maintenance of the Observatory up to January 31, 1885, was 5935l., which was 325 in excess of the subscriptions and other moneys received. The actual cost above what was originally estimated amounted to upwards of 1600l. This excess arose chiefly from the additions it was found necessary to make to the buildings, the extra furnishings required for the new portion, the great cost of making and maintaining the road, and of the transport to the top of building materials and stores. It was hoped that the public, to whose liberality this great national observatory owed its existence, would by additional subscriptions enable the directors to place the Observatory in efficient working order. The work at the Scottish Marine Station continues to be prosecuted with energy and success. The Council had recommended that the grant from the Fishery Fund of the Society for the year ending November next be increased from 250l. to 300l. In November, 1884, an application on the part of the Tweed Salmon Commissioners was made to the Council for advice and assistance in investigations which the Commissioners had resolved to undertake into the salmon disease, and questions generally affecting the salmon fisheries; and the Commissioners were now carrying out a scheme of observations recommended by the Council.