14 PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



be one-sided. He sees the need for organisation, and such 

 organisation is not quite unknown, and has been found bene- 

 ncial. Such occasional events as the transits of \'enus and 

 total eclipses of the Sun generally lead to some loose co-opera- 

 tion. More organised affairs were the Star Catalogue of the 

 Astronomische Gcsellschofi (a society ha\ing its headquarters 

 ir\ Germany, but with international aims). It divided the sky 

 into zones, and allotted these to certain observatories, which 

 were willing to co-operate. The catalogues actually published 

 have been contributed by Austria, England, Holland, Germany, 

 Norway, Sweden, Russia, and the United States. This 

 organised effort, started in 1868, is still going on. The other 

 and more important organisation is that of the Carte dii Cicl. 

 started in 1887, and in which our hrst President took a leading 

 part — he was connected with it from its inception, and when 

 lie died he was the President of the Commission. The scheme 

 for the variation of latitude observations is also an international 

 organisation. 



All these organisations were voluntary. In every way 

 they were useful. The prolilem is whether we can extend the 

 organisation to the whole body of Astronomers, and yet not 

 destroy their initiative. A control, however light, which would 

 destroy initiative would be fatal. At present many observa- 

 tories furnish an annual report. Thus the Royal Astronomical 

 Society in London publishes reports from most of the observa- 

 tories in the Empire ; the Astronomische Gcsellschaft does the 

 same for all the German, manv Continental, and a few Ameri- 

 can observatories ; the French Government i)ublishes the annual 

 reports of all French oliservatories. Other observatories fur- 

 nish annual reports to their own governments or controlling 

 bodies, and some of these are printed and circulated. .Still 

 other observatories, and these in no small number, pulilish no 

 reports. The change I advocate is a very small one ; it is that 

 every observatory should furnish an annual report to its 

 authority, and that these autliorities should transmit the rejjorts 

 to an international association of astronomers, for comment 

 and return. The report should be divided into sections some- 

 what as follows:— (I) Working staff' of observing astrono- 

 mers, non-obser\ing astronomers comprising computors and 

 ordinary assistants. (2) Detailed list of instruments, which cost 

 over £250 a-piece. (3) How many Observers have permanent 

 quarters in the grounds? How many non-observers have 

 ditto? (4) Efficiency of those instruments in past years in per- 

 centage of hours available for work. (5) Observations secured 

 in past year. (6) Observations i)ublisbed, being prejiared for 

 publication, etc. (7) Unpublished obserxations made in pre- 

 vious years — reason for non-publication? (8) Projected lines 

 of work. (9) General notes and explanations. 



All these reports should be examined and analysed by a 

 ccjmmittee of the international association and then ])ublished. 

 The committee would then make its suggestions to the controlling 

 bodies, leaving these to act on them or not. In this way the 



