Page:History of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923).djvu/223

 1870-80] ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 195 secure a result which proved to be 8"-77o"-04i. On his journey home, at the request of the Chief of the Military Staff of the Khedive at Cairo, and with the consent of Lord Lindsay, he measured a base line near the great pyramid in connection with the projected survey of Egypt, and on his return to Dun Echt he was occupied during the years 1875 and 1876 in collecting and reducing some of the astronomical results of the expedition. But in 1876, Gill resigned his position at Dun Echt, and, probably induced by his experience in the observation of Juno, determined to make similar observations of Mars at this opposition in 1877, when the geometrical conditions were exceptionally favourable. Observations would be made most suitably from a station near the Equator. He applied to Lord Lindsay for the loan of the heliometer provided that he could otherwise obtain the financial means for the expedition, and this was readily granted. In the autumn of 1876 he asked the Government Grant Committee of the Royal Society for a sum of 500 to enable him to carry out his scheme from St. Helena or the Island of Ascension, under- taking to defray any costs which might exceed 500 at his own charge. The Committee did not feel justified in granting so large a sum for one object, especially as they had many applica- tions for other purposes, but recommended that the amount should be provided independently from Government funds. Feeling some uncertainty as to the success of this proposed course, and to present undue delay, Gill applied to the Council of our Society, who received his request very sympathetically. At the ordinary meeting of the Society on March 9, the Astronomer Royal brought the matter to the notice of the Fellows, urging the necessity of the observations and suggesting that the sum might be provided by a subscribed fund, to which he himself was prepared to contri- bute 20. Dr. De la Rue made the suggestion that the money bequeathed by Mr. Carrington might be used for the purpose ; but failing that, he generously offered to subscribe 100. Finally, the requisite sum of 500 was voted by the Council from the Society's funds on the understanding that 250 would be repaid to the Society on the joint security of Lord Lindsay, Dr. De la Rue, and Mr. Spottiswoode, if that sum were not obtained from some other source. In 1878, however, this sum of 250 was provided from the Government Grant Fund of the Royal Society, and the accept- ance of the generous offer of these gentlemen and others was not necessary.* 250 to the Society " in grateful remembrance of a like sum paid out of the funds of the Society in aid of my expedition to Ascension."
 * By his will Sir David Gill, who died 1914 January 14, left the sum of