XXXIV REPORT — 1856. 



" Office of Works, &c., Dec. 20, 1855. ■ 

 " Sir, — I am directed by the Chief Commissioner of Her Majesty's Works, 

 &c., to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated the 18th inst., relative 

 to certain works considered to be necessary by the British Association at the 

 Observatoi-y at Kew, and to inform you that the subject will receive consi- 

 deration. " I am. Sir, 



" Your most obedient Servant, 

 (Signed) " Alfred Austin, Secretary." 



" J. Gassiot, Esq." 



" Office of Works, &c., Jan. 5, 185C. 

 " Sir, — Witli reference to your letter dated the 1 8th December last, request- 

 ing on behalf of the Kew Committee of the British Association that gas-pipes 

 may be laid on to the Observatory at Kew, and that certain repairs may be 

 also done to that Building at the expense of this Department, I am directed 

 by the Chief Commissioner of Her Majesty's Works, &c., to acquaint you 

 that he has caused an estimate to be made of the cost of the Works required 

 by the Society, which amounts to a large sum, and that there are not any 

 funds voted by Parliament out of which such cost can be defrayed. 



" I am however directed to add, that the Chief Commissioner will consider 

 the propriety of including the amount in the estimates of the ensuing year. 



" I am, Sir, 



" Your most obedient Servant, 

 (Signed) " Alfred Austin, Secretary" 



" J. Gassiot, Esq." 



"Clapham Common, May 19th, 1856. 

 ** Sir, — I duly received the communication from your office, of 5th of last 

 January, stating that you had caused an estimate to be made of the cost of 

 the Works required at the Observatory in the Old Deer Park, Richmond, 

 and that you would consider the propriety of including the amount in the 

 annual estimates. 



" I have been informed that the usual estimates have been voted by the 

 House of Commons : — may I therefore beg the favour of your acquainting 

 me, for the information of the Kew Committee of the British Association, 

 whether it is arranged that the laying on of the gas to the Building, and 

 effecting the necessary repairs should now be commenced ? 



" Permit me also to explain that it would be very advisable, in order to 

 prevent additional outlay, that no further time should elapse as to the repairs 

 of the Building. " I have the honour to remain. Sir, 



" Your obedient Servant, 

 (Signed) "J. P. Gassiot, 



Chairman of the Kew Pommittee" 



" The Right Hon. Sir Benjamin Hall, Bart., M.P., 

 Chief Commissioner of Parks, Palaces, &c. &c." 



" Office of Works, &c., May 27, 1856. 



" Sir, — I am directed by the First Commissioner of Her Majesty's Works, 

 &c., to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated the 19th inst., request- 

 ing that you may be informed whether it is arranged that the works for 

 laying on gas at the Observatory at Kew, and for the necessary repairs, 

 should now be commenced. 



" In reply, I am directed to call your attention to a letter addressed to you 

 by this Board on the 2nd of June last, to the effect that there would be no 

 objection to the use of gas at the Observatory, but that the whole of the work 



