REPORT OF THE KEW COMMITTEE. XXXV 



connected therewith must be done by, and at the expense of, the Kew Com- 

 mittee of the British Association, and to the satisfaction of this Board's 

 Officer in charge of the district. 



" I am to add, that this communication was made to you before the First 

 Commissioner came to this Office, and that he was not made aware of it 

 when he gave directions for the letter of the 5th January last to be written 

 to you, in which he informed you that he would consider the propriety of 

 including the cost attending the laying on gas and performing the repairs 

 therein referred to, in the Estimates of the ensuing year. His attention 

 having now been directed to that communication of the 2nd June last, he 

 is of opinion that the decision of the Board thereby conveyed must be ad- 

 hered to, and that he is unable consequently to undertake the laying on gas 

 at the Observatory, or to incur any portion of the expense attending it. 



" With regard to the repairs referred to in your letter, the First Com- 

 missioner desires me to state that he will shortly communicate with you upon 

 the subject. " I am, Sir, 



" your most obedient Servant, 



" Alfred Austin, Secretary" 



" J. Gassiot, Esq." 



"Clapham Common, June 3, 1856. 



" My Lord Duke,— At the suggestion of Col. Sabine, I forward your 

 Grace a copy of a correspondence I have recently had with the Board of 

 Works relative to the lighting of Kew Observatory with gas. 



" The letter alluded to of 2nd June 1855, and a copy of which I enclose, 

 is printed in the Report of the Kew Committee. I may also state that 

 in an interview with Sir B. Hall, on 18th last December, both Colonel Sabine 

 and myself explained the particulars of my former correspondence with the 

 Board of Works ; this has possibly escaped Sir B. Hall's recollection, for we 

 left him with the impression that he would grant our request ; and this was 

 further confirmed by a letter received from Mr. Austin, on January 5th, vfho 

 in reference to our application says, ' the Chief Commissioner will consider 

 the propriety of including the amount in the Estimates of the ensuing year.' 



" I cannot therefore but feel much disappointed at the result, which, if 

 confirmed, will prevent the Committee from carrying out those scientific 

 researches they have in contemplation. 



" Hoping your Grace may induce Sir B. Hall to reconsider the applica- 

 tion, * "I have the honour to be. My Lord Duke, 



" Your obedient Servant, 



"J. P. Gassiot, 



" His Grace the Duke of Argyll, Chairman of the Kew Committee." 



President of the British Association." 



" Clapham Common, July 17, 1856. 



" Sir, — I duly received your reply to my last letter of 19th May, and 

 having communicated to the President and Council of the British Association 

 your final determination not to incur any portion of the expense of laying <m 

 gas to the Observatory, I have now the pleasure of informing you that the 

 Royal Society has, from a small fund bequeathed for scientific purposes, 

 most liberally placed the sum of £250 at tlie disposal of the Kew Committee, 

 in order that the work may be no longer delayed. 



" I have respectfully to request you will be pleased to give the necessary 

 directions to the Officer in charge of the district, referred to in Mr. Austin's 

 letter of 27th May (but whose name, designation, or address I have no 



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