94 S. Mis. 53. 



A communication from Captain Lefroy, R. A., was presented and 

 read, relative to the discontinuance of the magnetic observatory of 

 Toronto, Canada West : referred t(j the Executive Committee and the 

 Secretary, who were requested to memoriahze the British government 

 on the subject. 



The correspondence between the Secretary and Mrs. A. J. Downing, 

 upon the transmission of the resolutions of the Board upon receiving 

 information of the death of Mr. Downing, was read. 



The Secretary also informed the Board of the recent death of Sears 

 C. Walker, esq., and of Prof C. B. Adams, of Amherst College, Mas- 

 sachusetts ; whereupon the following resolutions, offered by Mr. Bache, 

 were adopted : 



Resolved, That the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution have 

 heard with deep regret the announcement of the death of Sears C. 

 Walker, esq., whose communications in the Smithsonian Transactions 

 on the planet Neptune have attracted the notice and won the approval 

 and admiration of astronomers throughout the world. 



Resolved, That the Regents offer to the tamily of Mr. Walker their 

 condolence on the loss which they have sustained. 



Resolved, That the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution have 

 heard with regret the decease of their valued correspondent, Prof. C. 

 B. Adams, which occurred at St. Thomas, while he was engaged in 

 making collections in natural history, to which science he was devoted ; 

 and offer to his family their condolence on the loss which they have 

 sustained. 



The Board then adjourned, to meet on Saturday, the 12th inst., at 10 

 o'clock a. m. 



Washington, February 12, 1853. 



The Board of Regents met this day at 10 o'clock a. m. Present : 

 Messrs. Bache, Fitch, Maury, Meacham, and Pearce, of the Board, 

 and Washington Irving, honorary member. 



On motion, Mr. Pearce took the chair. 



The proceedings of the previous meeting were read and approved. 



Mr. Bache, in behalf of the Executive Committee, presented a letter 

 to be forwarded to the British Home and Colonial governments, to 

 urge the continuance of the Toronto observatory. 



The Secretary presented to the consideration of the Board the ne- 

 cessity of making provision for the investment of the surplus fimd in 

 the event of the petition now before Congress relative to it not being 

 acted on. 



The Chair stated it to be the opinion of Mr. Corcoran, who had been 

 present, that the State stocks of North Carohna would be a suitable 

 and safe means of investment : referred to the Executive Committee. 



The Secretary presented for the examination of the Board a manu- 

 script memoir, by J. A. Lapham, relative to the mounds of Wisconsin, 

 received from the American Antiquarian Society of Worcester, and 

 mentioned m the sixth Annual Report. 



The Secretarjr presented the case of the late Prof C. B. Adams, 

 whose draft for one hundred and fifty dollars had been honored by the 



