| Description | Present at the meeting of the Committee for ascertaining the length of the Seconds Pendulum: the President in the Chair; Mr Barrow; Mr Brande; Mr Browne; Mr Combe; Sir H Davy; Mr Gilbert; Captain Kater; Colonel Mudge; Dr Wollaston; Dr Young
Reported by the Secretary that as requested by the President and Council he had written a letter to J. Barrow Esq Secretary of the Admiralty, enclosing a list of instruments which they mean to recommend for the use of the two Northern expeditions, and to recommend to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty Captain Edward Saabine as a proper person to conduct experiments on board one of the vessels.
Instruments listed;
1. A variation Compass by Dollond, one for each expedition
2. Eight reflecting compasses by Captain Kater, made by Jones
3. Two Magnetic Needles
4. Two Dipping Needles
5. Four Marine BArometers
6. Four of Sir Henry Englefield's portable Barometers
7. Two Apparatus for bringing substances from the bottom of the sea
8. Chronometers
9. Forty Spirit and Mercurial Thermometers
10. Two Thermometers for ascertaining the temperature of the sea at different depths
11. Two of Dr Wollaston's Macrometers
12. Four artificial Horizons
13. Four Electrometers
14. Two apparatus for ascertaining the quantity of air in water
15. Two instruyments for ascertaining the Specific Gravity of Water.
16. Two clocks
17. Instruments for taking floating substances out of the water.
Letter received from Mr Barrow, of 2 February 1818, confirming Captain Sabine's appontment and his being accommodated on board the Isabella under the command of Captain Ross.
Ordered that four Laboratory Tents be added to the List of Instruments for the Northern Expeditions, to protect the instruments during the Observations to be made on shore.
After discussion it was ordered that the Secretary write to the Secretary of the Admiralty requesting him to refer their recommendation of Captain Sabine to the Master General of the Ordnance for his permission to be absent, and also that a Serjeant of Artillery to take care of instruments be allowed to attend him. |