-64 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



" Parties wishing to aid the Government by undertaking to make 

 observations are requested to send in their names, address, and such 

 information as to locality of dwelling and southern aspect of dwell- 

 ing, as will guide the committee in selecting the individuals between 

 whom the limited number of sets of instruments should be distributed. 

 . . . . A skeleton journal, ruled and headed, also directions and 

 tables, will be furnished with each set of instruments. 



" The times for reading the instruments have not yet been fixed, 

 but it is probable that they will be 9 oclock a.m., i o'clock and 7 

 o'clock p.m. 



" Members of the Meteorological Committee : — 



" The Honourable Richard Southey, Esq., Acting Colonial 

 Secretary, Chairman. 

 Sir Thomas Maclear, F.R.S., Astronomer Royal. 

 Charles Bell, Esq., Surveyor-General. 

 John Scott Tucker, Esq., Colonial Engineer. 

 Rev. J. C. Adamson, D.D." 



The first report of this committee was published in July, 1862, 

 and contained the following introductory remarks : — " Nearly half a 

 century ago the Colonial Government showed some interest in the 

 Meteorology of this Colony. Instnictions were given to their officers 

 in the country districts to make observations and to transmit their 

 registers to the metropolis. Some of their returns were occasionally 

 published. But want of attention to the individual character of the 

 instruments and of their localities, and the consequent impossibility 

 of applying the requisite corrections, along with the desultory 

 character of the observations, combined to render these returns of 

 little value to Science. In 1831, at the establishment of the South 

 African Institution, the subject was resumed more systematically. 

 Matters of some permanent interest are to be found in Reports issued 

 by a committee of that body from 1831 to 1837. 



" The returns of observations which were then procured by them 

 partook of the character already noticed, so that conclusions drawn 

 from them would not correspond to the present state or present aims 

 of the Science. Their Reports, however, contain notices which have 

 led to important consequences ; and they indicate, in certain instances, 

 modes of attaining results which it may be useful not to lose sight of." 



The instruments mentioned above, with the exception of the 

 Solar Radiation Thermometer, compose the equipment now supplied 

 to all our Second Order Stations. There is, however, the very 

 serious omission of a proper shelter for the thermometers, so that in 

 all probability these instruments were exposed on the verandah or 

 stoep on the south side of the house, at best a very faulty substitute 

 for a properly-constructed screen. 



A very good beginning was made by distributing instruments to 

 the following ten stations, which are fairly typical of the whole 

 Colony : Clanwilliam, Simon's Town, Somerset West, Mossel Bay, 

 Graaff-Reinet, Colesberg, Graham's Town, and Queen's Town. 



Soon afterwards was initiated the excellent plan of supplementing 

 the data obtained from these stations by records of maximum and 



