METEOROLOGY. 375 



the international reduction tables ; ninth, to draw up a scheme of instruc- 

 tions for the observation of cirrus clouds; tenth, to invite different nations 

 to prepare catalogues of the meteorological literature of the respective 

 countries. {Nature, xxvi, p. 370.) 



Lieutenant-Colonel Donnelly, E. E., made some introductory historical 

 remarks to Professor Stokes's first lecture of April, 1881, at the South 

 Kensington Museum, which was the first of the series, from which we 

 extract the following : 



" It has been considered desirable that some explanation be given of 

 what has led to the formation of this Committee on Solar Physics, and 

 w^hat has led to the giving of these lectures. 



" Our history commences in the year 1875, when the Eoyal Commis- 

 sion on Scientific Instruction and the Advancement of Science made 

 their eighth and final rejjort, strongly recommending the establishment 

 by the state of an observatory for solar physics. 



'' In 1870 a very large and influential deputation from the British Asso- 

 ciation had an interview with the then lord president of the council, the 

 Duke of Richmond and Gordon, with the view of urging on the Govern 

 meut the necessity of taking action on this and other recommendations 

 of the royal commission. 



" The representation by the council of the British Association was fol- 

 lowed by a memorial from a number of eminent men of science. It was 

 under those circumstances that the lords of the committee of the Council 

 of Education, in August, 1877, referred the question to Professor Stokes, 

 Professor Balfour Stewart, and General Strachey, for their opinion as 

 to whether a start could not be made by utilizing the advantages offered 

 by the laboratories at South Kensington. 



" Just at that particular time the Indian Government had made arrange- 

 m ents for having daily jjliotographs taken of the sun's disk at Dehra-Doon, 

 in the jSTorthwest Provinces, by Mr. Meins, who, while he was sapper in 

 the lloyal Engineers, had been trained by Mr. Lockyer. The committee 

 of three, already referred to, reported at the end of 1877, and they state 

 wlnit, in their opinion, may be done at once and without entailing any 

 serious cost. The re])ort is published in the Parliamentary jiaper of 

 March 20, 1879. Kothing, however, was done at that time, and in ISTo- 

 vember, 1878, the Duke of Devonshire, as chairman of the Eoyal Com- 

 mission on Scientific Instruction and the Advancement of Science, wrote 

 again, calling attention to the subject and strongly urging that the 

 report of this committee should be acted upon. In 1879 a small sum, £500, 

 was taken in the estimates for the expenses of the Committee on Solar 

 Physics, and this has been continued ever since. As soon as that vote 

 had been put in the estimates with the sanction of the treasury a com- 

 mittee was formed, consisting of the gentlemen already mentioned, 

 namely. Professor Stokes, Professor Balfour Stewart, and General 

 Strachey, to whom were added Mr. j^orman Lockyer, Cai)taiu Abney, 

 and Colonel Donnelly, E. E. This committee make annual reports to 



