Page:Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Vol 4.djvu/359

Rh municated by the Baron de Brunow, of the earnest desire of the Russian Government to co-operate in the magnetical inquiries now carrj^ing on in various parts of the world. A paper, containing supplemental instructions for the use of the Magnetical Observato- ries, drawn up by Professor Lloyd, has also, with the sanction of the Council, been recently printed and circulated.

The Astronomer Royal having suggested, that observations on Atmospheric Electricity might with advantage be made at the Me- teorological Observatory at Greenwich, the Council, on the advice of the Conniiittee of Physics, have concurred in these views, and have ordered that the requisite instruments should be procured for the purpose of carrying them into effect.

Reference was made to the Council, on the 10th of December last, by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for their opinion, both of the absolute and the relative merits of certain improvements in the construction of Chronometers, for which rewards were claimed by the inventors. In compliance with this request, the Council appointed a Committee, consisting of the Astronomer Royal, Mr. Wheatstone, and the Rev. R. Willis, to conduct the inquiry and communicate the result to the Council. This task they have accom- plished, and have made an able report, which was laid before the Council, and adopted by them on the 10th of June.

A large number of boxes and casts, containing specimens of natural history, received by the Lords of the Admiralty from the Antarctic Expedition, having been sent by them to the Royal So- ciety, with a view to their being placed, or caused to be placed, in such hands as were most likely to secure their present safe custody, and accompanied with the condition that they should not be alien- ated, nor described in publications before the return of the expe- dition, the Council, in conformity with this request, have transmitted them to the British Museum, together with the intimation of the wishes of the Lords of the Admiralty relative to their preservation.

The Council have to express their especial thanks for two presents made to the Society : the first, from Charles Vignolles, Esq., of an original portrait of Sir Isaac Newton, painted by Vanderbank ; the second, of a portrait of Dr. Dalton, painted by B. R. Faulkner, Esq., which was presented by a Committee appointed at Manchester for procuring a memorial of the distinguished merits of that phi- losopher.

Report on the state of the Society's Library,

The alterations in the Library of the Society, occasioned by the erection of the gallery, by the removal of the presses from the fire- place, and by the dislocation and re-union of the tracts, having ne- cessarily created much irregularity and confusion, the Council, being desirous of rendering the Library as available as possible to the Members of the Society, have turned their attention, during the last session, to provide greater facilities for reference and consultation, by adopting a new collocation of the books. With this view, after having expended the sum appropriated by the Council for the bind-