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Professor Ayrton regretted to see that, in the list rend by Mr. Brunton of the apparatus offered to the Society, there was no mention of any instrument for measuring atmospheric electricity. In the meteorological reports drawn up by Mr. Knipping and published in the proceedings of “German Asiatic Society,” there was a column headed “Electrische Erscheinungen” but that was confined to observations of lightning, thunder, meteoric stones, and shooting stars, although why the two latter were included under the head of electrical phenomena he did not know. Probably Mr. Knipping had not, therefore, at his disposal any apparatus such as was employed at Kew and Greenwich for the systematic measurement of atmospheric electricity. The importance of such measurements was not yet commonly understood, probably from their not having yet been of any practical use. This was not to be wondered at if it be considered in how few places, and for how short a time they had been made. That earthquakes were preceded by strong natural electrical currents in telegraph lines had been suspected from instances that had been observed in India and in Ireland. In a country like Japan, visited so frequently by earthquakes, it would be possible by proper observations to draw a satisfactory conclusion with reference to this, at present doubtful, connection of phenomena. In England, too, Sir W. Thomson had shewn that certain electrical states of the atmosphere were followed by rain, others by fair weather. We were at present in the infancy of this branch of science, and it was impossible to foretell what important results might occur from its being systematically studied. Mr. Ayrton, therefore, would propose that either the Washington Signal Board be asked to add to the list of apparatus that they had so generously placed at the Society’s disposal, suitable instruments for the measurement of atmospheric electricity; or, what might perhaps be better, that the President and the Vice-Presidents; in bringing the matter before the notice of the Japanese Government, should endeavour to induce them, in case they saw fit, to accept the apparatus now offered them, to render it complete by supplementing it with the necessary electrical instruments.
On the motion of Mr. Syle, the following resolution, seconded by Professor Griffis, was carried;—“That the President and two Vice Presidents of the Society be requested to address the Japanese Government in accordance with the suggestions of the Report just made by the special Committee.”
The foregoing Paper was then read by Proffessor W. E. Griffis on “The Games and Sports of Japanese children;” at the conclusion of which
Mrs. Chaplin-Ayrton remarked that Professor Griffis’ paper was most interesting. With reference to his description of children’s amusements she would add that some of the simple scientific toys were curious, such as a lantern in which the heated air in its ascent turned a wheel of prettily coloured paper, or another, a toy on the principle of the Cartesian Diver, which, being of glass was doubtless originally imported, still had
