REPORT RELATIVE TO THE TORONTO OBSERVATORY. 99 
Report relative to the expediency of recommending the continuance of 
| the Toronto Magnetical and Meteorological Observatory until De- 
cember 1850, adopted by a Committee of the British Association at 
Swansea, August 1848, consisting of the following Members :—Lord 
Wrorresxiey, Chairman, the Dean of Exy, Rev. Dr. Luoyp, 
President of the Royal Irish Academy, and Lieut.-Col. SaBine. 
Ar the Cambridge meeting of the British Association, it was recommended 
that the Toronto Observatory should be continued on its then footing until 
the 31st of December 1848, unless in the mean time arrangements could be 
‘made for its permanent establishment. 
The Observatory is built on ground lent by the Council of King’s College 
at Toronto without charge, under the condition that when Government 
should discontinue the conduct of the Observatory, the building should be 
given over to the College, who would thereby have the option of continuing 
the observations should it appear desirable to do so. 
- The building of the University, in which some progress had been made, 
has been suspended until a bill shall have passed the Canadian Parliament 
by which the Board of Management will be determined; when there is 
reason to hope that the Observatory may be placed under the charge of the 
Professors of the College, and become a permanent establishment ; to which 
desirable result Government may possibly contribute by making a transfer of 
the instruments as well as of the buildings. 
The question to be now considered is therefore the expediency of recom- 
mending the continuance of the Observatory by Government for a year or 
two longer, until the affairs of the College shall be in a condition to enable 
the question of its permanent establishment to be brought before the authori- 
ties by whom the College shall hereafter be conducted. 
The present state of the Observatory with regard to objects accomplishe 
and objects for the accomplishment of which provision is made, is a 
follows :— 
Six years of hourly-observation were completed on the 30th June in the 
present year. This has been considered a sufficient duration for this Ja- 
evious routine, and as furnishing a sufficient basis for the deduction of 
“Mean numerical values and mean diurnal variations of the magnetic and me- 
teorological elements for every five days throughout the year. From the 
Ist of July 1848, therefore, night observation has ceased except at times of 
‘great magnetical and meteorological disturbance ; and a reduction of one of 
the assistants has consequently been made. Observations are now made at 
gonvenient hours of the day, which compared with the mean values at the 
‘same hours in the corresponding periods of the six years, furnish, for the 
“Meteorological elements, the non-periodic variations which have become so im- 
‘portant a feature in the extensive generalisations to which the science of 
“meteorology has advanced ; whilst for the magnetic elements they furnish a 
“continuation of the differential results from which, assisted by monthly ab- 
solute determinations, the secular and annual variations, which necessarily 
‘Tequire a longer series of observation than the diurnal, are in progress 
of elucidation. By the aid of equations furnished by the six years’ hourly 
Series, these objects can now be carried out by a system of observation which 
is comparatively extremely light; so much so as to be already within the 
compass of the College or other local direction. It does not however pro- 
Vide for the observation of disturbances, which require the continuous, or 
almost continuous observation of several instruments sinultaneously. 
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