Page:Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Vol 4.djvu/31

Rh country for the progress of science, and I trust that its inﬂuence will be felt in the cordial union and co-operation of philosophers in planning and in executing those great systems of observations, whether simultaneous or not, which are still requisite to ﬁll up some of those blank spaces which occupy so large a portion in the map of human knowledge.

In the course of last year the celebrated Baron de Humboldt addressed a letter to me, as President of the Royal Society, expressing a wish that Magnetical Observatories, upon a uniform plan, might be established in this country and its colonies, with a view of making simultaneous observations with those which are now making, or which are in progress to be made, in different parts of the continent or Europe and of Northern Asia. I felt it to be due to the illustrious author of this communication to make it generally known to the Fellows of the Royal Society, and to beg that a committee of the Council might be appointed to consider the best mode of carrying its recommendations into effect. A very elaborate Report was consequently made by the Astronomer Royal and Dir. Christie in November last, enumerating many important consequences which might result from such a system of observations, and pointing out a series of stations where they might most eﬁiciently be made. I am happy to inform you, Gentlemen, that measures are in progress for the accomplishment of all these objects: a Magnetical Observatory, which was long contemplated and earnestly recommended by the Board of Visitors of the Royal Observatory, has been established at Greenwich, in a situation so remote from all other buildings as to be altogether free even from the suspicion of external disturbances. The Corps of Royal Engineers, which has always been distinguished for the zeal and scientiﬁc acquirements of many of its Members, has spontaneously offered to conduct the requisite observations, in whatever quarter of the globe they may be stationed; the Astronoo mer Royal has determined the species of observations to be made, and the character and construction of the instruments to be used; and the Lords of the Treasury have placed at the disposal of the Royal Society the requisite funds for their purchase. I have felt it my duty, Gentlemen, to bring these circumstances under 'our notice, not merely as formin an important part of the proceedings of the Council of the Roya Society during the last year, but as an encouraging and instructive example ot'thc facility with which extensive conopcraﬁon and assistance may be obtained in the execu- tion of any scientiﬁc object, however extensive it may be, when the practical means for performing it are distinctly and clearly deﬁned.

It is with real concern that I venture to call your attention to a letter which has been recently published, on the subject of the new Catalogue of the Library of the Royal Society, which I somewhat prematurely announced, when I last had the honour of addressing you, as preparing for publication, and as likely very shortly to appear. I was perfectly aware, when I made that announcement to you, of the nature of the correspondence which had passed between Mr. Panizzi and the Council relating to this Catalogue ; but I had