86 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



which the physicist, the chemist, and the geologist, may each carry 

 the fruits of his research, receiving back in return some suggestion, 

 some principle, or some other scientific commodity that will aid him 

 in his own field ? But to establish such a mart must be a national un- 

 dertaking, and already several nations have acknowledged their obli- 

 gations in this respect. 



Already the German Government have established a Sonnenwarte, 

 the mere building and equipment of which is to cost a large sum. 

 With an appreciation of what the spectroscope has done for this 

 inquiry, the first directorship was offered to Kirchhoff, and, on his 

 declining it, Herr Vogel has been placed in charge. In France, also, a 

 physical observatory is to be erected at Fontenay, on an equal, if not 

 greater scale, of which Janssen has already accepted the directorship; 

 while in Italy there are at least three observatories exclusively de- 

 voted to this branch of research. Nor must we forget that in this 

 country the new observatory at Oxford has been so arranged that it 

 can be employed in such inquiries. But what has England as a na- 

 tion done ? 



Some years since, at the Norwich meeting of this Association, a 



movement was set on foot by Colonel Strange, which resulted in the 



appointment of a royal commission on the advancement of science, 



with the Duke of Devonshire as chairman. This commission have 



quite recently reported on the steps that ought in their opinion to be 



taken for the advancement of scientific researcli. 



One of their recommendations is expressed in the following words : 



I 



"Important classes of phenomena relating to physical meteorology and to 

 terrestrial and astronomical physics require observations of such a character 

 that they cannot be advantageously carried on otherwise than under the direc- 

 tion of Government. Institutions for the study of such phenomena should be 

 maintained by the Government ; and, in particular, an observatory should be 

 founded specially devoted to astronomical physics." 



If the men of science of this country who procured the appointment 

 of this commission, and who subsequently gave evidence before it, w^ill 

 now come forward to support its recommendations, it can hardly be 

 doubted that these will be speedily carried into effect. 



But other things besides observations are necessary, if we are to 

 pursue with advantage this great physical problem. 



One of these is the removal of the intolerable burden that has 

 hitherto been laid upon private meteorologists and magneticians. 

 Expected to furnish their tale of bricks, they have been left to find 

 their own straw. Nothing more wretched can be imagined than the 

 position of an amateur that is to say, a man who pursues science for 

 the love of it, and is unconnected with any establishment who has 

 set himself to promote observational inquiries, whether in meteorology 

 or magnetism. 



