The searle's method consists of two frames with a spirit level placed between them(the spirit level just lies on one frame while in other frame,it's placed on a screwgauge).The two frames r hung from a rigid support with two wires of same length & radius & of the materisl whose young's mod. is to b found.Then the load on one frame is kept constant while that on other one is incremented.As that frame moves down,spirit level does not remain horizontal ,then it's made horizontal by rotating the screwgauge.From the screwgauge reading we get the net strain.Then we can definately find "Y"