24 On the New Nautical Almanac. 



duals. An attempt, indeed, was made about seven years ago 

 to redress the evil, and a Committee of the Royal Society was 

 appointed to consider " whether any and what additions ought 

 to be made to the Nautical Almanac." The result however 

 was not attended with any advantage to science, as the only 

 Resolution which they came to, was the following; viz. "that 

 it would highly conduce to the interests of practical astronomy, 

 if tables of precession, aberration, solar nutation and proper 

 motion of 60 principal stars were formedjfor every day> in the 

 period of four years, including leap-year: and that a separate 

 table be given for every degree of the moon's node." And in 

 consequence of this resolution, a folio volume of tables for 

 that purpose was computed and printed at a great expense, 

 which has been complained of as a manifest waste of public 

 money; since no Observatory, except that of Greenwich, 

 would, in the present state of science, ever think of resorting 

 to so cumbrous a mode of assistance, amidst the numerous 

 helps that are afforded by more accurate and elegant tables. 



Seeing therefore no chance of improvement from this quar- 

 ter, it was proposed to bring the subject before Parliament; 

 and various papers were moved for and printed by the House 

 of Commons, with this view: but, from an assurance that Go- 

 vernment was about to take up the subject, the matter was then 

 dropped. During the last summer, however, the Board of Ad- 

 miralty (with whom the management of the Nautical Almanac 

 now rests, by virtue of a recent act of Parliament) sent an 

 official communication to the Astronomical Society of London, 

 requesting their opinion and advice, as to the alterations and 

 additions that it would be proper to make in that national 

 work ; and it is to the result of the Society's labours that we 

 now wish to draw the attention of our readers. 



The Council commenced their operations by nominating a 

 Committee, consisting of 40 members, comprising not only 

 some of the most profound mathematicians, but also most of 

 the experienced practical astronomers and nautical men of 

 science in the country, as well as the Professors from the naval 

 establishments at Greenwich and Portsmouth. This Com- 

 mittee, having met, proceeded to examine and discuss seriatim 

 the various parts into which theNautical Almanac is divided; and 

 having agreed on certain preliminary arrangements, appointed 

 a Sub-Committee to examine them more in detail, as well as to 

 examine and digest the various hints and suggestions which had 

 been forwarded to them, not onty by members of their own 

 body, who were unable to attend the meetings, but likewise 

 by other correspondents relative to this subject. The Sub- 

 Committee 



