OF THE SOCIETY. 127 



1913. 



''In this and other departments very important assist- 

 "ance is anticipated from the Magnetic Observatory about 

 "to be established at Hobart Town by the authority of the 

 "Home Government. (18) 



''In the prosecution of the plan of a Journal which we 

 "have thus briefly sketched, it will be our aim to adhere, 

 "as much as possible, to a simple exposition of facts, as 

 "they present themselves in ISiature; and especially to 

 "shun all unnecessary discussion upon dubious and unde- 

 "termined questions of theory. Such discussions must, we 

 "conceive, in our present circumstances, be both prema- 

 "ture and injurious. They are not likely to be possessed 

 "of much scientific value in themselves; while they could 

 "hardly fail to divert attention from the less showy and 

 "imposing, but incomparably more solid and important, 

 "object of preparing and accumulating materials for future 

 "and more advanced inquirers to operate upon. We should 

 "like to impress upon this Journal the useful character of 

 "being a trustworthy repository of well-ascertained facts — 

 "a faithful record of the interesting forms and laws under 

 "which mineral, vegetable, and animal existences exhibit 

 "themselves in this comparatively unknown region of the 

 "globe. Such a character may take off from its c^ualifica- 

 "tions as a work of popular interest ; but we are persuaded 

 "it will add greatly to its value in the opinion of those 

 "who are best able to judge of its merits. 



"The importance of such a Journal to the interests ot 

 "the Colony is sufficiently apparent. .The knowledge com- 

 "municated by it may, in numerous cases, contribute 

 "directly to the development of its natural resoiuxes. In 

 "a soil and climate destined by nature for agriculture, 

 "geological, and botanical researches are calculated to be 

 "of the highest practical value 



"Now the information which a scientific journal might 

 "afford, in regard to the qualities of soil, the different kinds 

 "erf manure, and even more appropriate methods and in- 

 "struments of cultivation, might materially aid in dispos- 

 "ing and encouraging, as well as directing, the settler to 

 "more vigorous and successful exertions, both in widening 

 "the limits of cultivation, and augmenting the fertility of 

 ^'the land already cultivated. 



(18) The reference is to the Rossbank Observatory, established in Hobart 

 in 1840 by Sir .James Clark Ross, of the Antarctic Expedition in the Erebus 

 and Terror. (Dr Lillie's paper had been written before the arrival of 

 the expedition. For an account of the f stablishment of this Observatory see 

 Ross' Voyage of Di.<<covery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Benions 

 durincr the years 1839-13 (London. 1847), chapter v. There is a sketch of the 

 Observatory at p. 95 of vol. i. The six sided stone buildings between Govern- 

 ment House and the cottage now occupied by the Private Secretary was one of 

 the Observatory buildings. 



