10 REPORT OF THE 



ficer the Council conceive that they have again found in Mr, 

 Edward Charlesworth. This gentleman, since he entered 

 upon the office of Keeper of the Museum in July last, has ful- 

 filled its duties in a manner which leaves nothing to be 

 desired. His statement to the Council, containing a full ac- 

 count of the improvements which have since been made in 

 the Museum, and of its present condition, is subjoined to the 

 Eeport. (See page 14,^ 



At the same time that the Council expended on the Mu- 

 seum and Library such sums as they deemed necessary to sup- 

 ply some of their most prominent deficiencies, they thought it 

 right to attend to the application of the Astronomical Curator 

 for an improvement of the apparatus under his care. In 

 furtherance of this object, Mr. Newman undertook, in the 

 early part of the year, to deliver a Course of Lectures on 

 Astronomy ; the proceeds of which after the payment of the 

 expenses, he liberally placed at the disposal of the Council. 

 And they are happy to state that he has reported very 

 favourably on the merits of the new Transit Instrument which 

 has in consequence been mounted in the Observatory, executed 

 by an ingenious artist of this city (Mr. Cooke), with a pecu- 

 liarity in the construction of the object-glass, which is worthy 

 of attention. 



For the employment of this instrument the Observatory 

 may perhaps suffice, even in its present state ; but the Council 

 cannot but express a hope that the building, which as yet 

 is unadapted to any but the simplest observations, may here- 

 after be enlarged and improved, so as to become at once more 

 available for astronomical use, and more ornamental to the 

 gardens in which it stands. 



One of the buildings within the grounds, which possesses 

 no little interest, as being a remnant of the Monastery of St. 

 Mary, has been put into a state of effective repair, and has 

 afforded two spacious rooms, the upper of which was prepared 

 for the Geological Section of the Association. The lower 



