NEW ANEROID TABLES

Abstract

For a number of years topographers and air surveyors have regarded improved hypsometry as a desideratum. Of hypsometric instruments, the boiling-point thermometer and the barometer are practically the only two in use, and even the barometer is commonly represented solely by the aneroid. Since improvement of the lastnamed offered the best hope of success, a Service Committee was formed some three years ago to endeavour to secure at least some progress in both the construction and the use of the aneroid: it would seem that they should have no reason to be dissatisfied with their labours. The Committee was constituted of representatives of the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty, the Geographical Section of the General Staff, the Meteorological Office of the Air Ministry, and of the National Physical Laboratory. It is obvious that not much material progress would have been made without the concurrence of the manufacturers; accordingly four of the leading makers of this kind of instrument took part in the later deliberations. The delivery of the requisite tables has taken much longer than was anticipated; on the other hand, one of the makers delivered instruments to the new specification with encouraging promptitude.