Damping of electrical measuring instruments

An improvement to an electrical measuring instrument having a rotary moving part capable of longitudinal movement in relation to the remainder of the instrument and including a damping arrangement comprising co-operating pads fitted respectively to the moving part and an adjacent fixed part to define a gap between the adjacent surfaces of the pads containing viscous liquid held in position by surface tension, the improvement comprising one of the pads being formed of glass-filled plastics material and the gap, when seen in cross-section, having substantially parallel sides which diverge at the edge of the gap, preferably to define a wide-angled V. Preferably the second pad has a smooth surface and may be formed of a light metal.