ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 7 



uniform system of nautical observations for the advancement of scientific 

 navigation. The convention held its meetings at the residence of the Bel- 

 gian Minister of the Interior, at Brussels, and was composed of delegates 

 representing the following countries : United States, England, France, 

 Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, and Portugal. M. 

 Quetelet, the director of the Observatory of Brussels, was chosen Presi- 

 dent of the Convention, Lieut. Maury having declined that honorable post. 

 Lieut. Maury opened the labors of the body with an expos", of the wants of 

 nautical science in its present state, of his own past labors for the supply 

 of those wants, and of his plan for eifecting completely the reforms need- 

 ed by the co-operation of the marines, merchant and military, of all civi- 

 lized nations. Having heard the expose of Lieut. Maury, the Convention 

 first bestowed its attention upon the instruments in general use among sea- 

 men for making their observations ; and it was resolved that efforts should 

 be made to improve several of them. The marine barometer especially, 

 was recognized to be very deficient. So faulty is it, said Lieut. M., that 

 meteorologists in their investigations into the laws of atmospheric press- 

 ure, find themselves almost constantly unable to give any value to baro- 

 metrical observations made at sea. The Conference then prepared a model 

 journal for the use of sea-captains in recording their observations. The 

 first column of this journal, indicates the number and kind of observa- 

 tions which the United States Government requires of sea-captains in order 

 to entitle them to gratuitous participation in the advantages anticipated as 

 the result of the system. They are required to record once a day, the 

 position of the ship, the direction and force of currents, the height of the 

 barometer, and the temperature of the air and water. The force and di- 

 rection of the winds must be given three times a day, and the variations of 

 the needle must be noted whenever observed. The succeeding columns of 

 the journal are intended particularly for the use of vessels of war, and are 

 to contain complementary observations, the making and record of which 

 require more time, care, and skill. When the observations shall have been 

 made and recorded in the manner prescribed, they are to be forwarded to 

 a bureau organized ad hoc, where they will be examined, and the informa- 

 tion they contain made use of for the discovery of the general facts and 

 laws, the knowledge of which is necessary for the advancement of the sci- 

 ence of navigation. The King of Sweden caused to be announced to the 

 Convention that he had already given orders that the journals kept by the 

 Swedish naval officers should be transmitted to the Royal Academy of Sci- 

 ences at Stockholm. The Governments of Holland, of Belgium, and of 

 Portugal, have taken similar measures, and the Admiralty of Great Brit- 

 ain will order meteorological observations to be made in the royal navy. 

 Lieut. M. announced that the merchant marines of other nations would be 



