Page:History of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923).djvu/239

 1870-80] ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 209 follow, of which they had received proper notice, would be moved by one of the signatories. 1. That, in the opinion of this Society, the granting of public money for scientific research in cases where it does not appear that results useful to the public will be obtained, or where the re- searches proposed are likely to be undertaken by private individuals or public bodies, does not tend to the real advancement of science. 2. That this Meeting considers it inexpedient that a Physical Observatory should be founded at the national expense. 3. That this Meeting is of opinion that the Government grant to the Committee on Solar Physics at South Kensington should be discontinued. 4. That, in the opinion of this Meeting, full accounts should be published of all money expended by the Government for scientific purposes, and that in all cases the nature of the work to be under- taken should be defined as clearly as possible. Signed by Crawford and Balcarres, Edmund Beckett, George P. Bidder, G. F. Chambers, J. Kennedy Esdaile, William Noble, A. Cowper Ranyard. These are the names on the Notice given to the Secretaries. In the report of the meeting in the Observatory magazine, Airy's name is added. A different view of the matter was put forward by Mr. A. A. Common in a circular sent to all the Fellows of the Society, dated March 27. In the course of this he said : If we take a broad view of the matter, and consider it fairly, what do we find ? That we, as a Society, formed, as our Charter says, " for promoting a general spirit of inquiry in Astronomical subjects," and as our first bye-law says, " instituted for the encourage- ment and promotion of Astronomy," are actually asked to pass resolutions that will effectually stop any supplies of money from the Government for any research that may not result in something useful to the public, or for the founding of a physical observatory, which will most certainly never be founded except by National money, and to stop supplies that already exist on a moderate scale. Our first object ought to be the advancement of Astronomy this cannot be done without money. To stop the supply of money is to stop the advancement of Astronomy. It cannot be said that private individuals can do all that is necessary : there is nothing ignoble in receiving money from Government for such purposes as the founding of an Observatory, or for doing the many things that ought to be done. Let us think how we stand with regard to other nations ; pass them through your mind ; we are all behind, doing nothing, and in a state of stagnation, and while America, France, Austria, and others are founding Observatories and promoting the Science in 14