100 REPORT—1848. 
For these, consequently, there is needed either a larger staff of assistants. 
than it would be reasonable to expect in a permanent establishment, or a 
provision of efficient and proved self-recording instruments, Accordingly 
for some months past, and particularly since the termination of the hourly 
series, the attention of the Director has been turned to the introduction and 
practical trial of photographic instruments of this nature. From prudential 
reasons, one instrument only of each kind, one magnetical and one meteoro- 
logical, has been thus fitted ; but the success with these is such as appears 
fully to justify the application of similar apparatus to the other instruments. 
The chemical difficulties which might have been apprehended as obstacles 
to the employment of such instruments in a distant colony, appear to be 
surmounted, but experience is almost daily suggesting modifications and im- 
provements, for which both apparatus and advice are required from home. 
In this respect therefore the Observatory cannot be said to be yet in the 
state in which it might be advantageously transferred to other hands ; some 
short time longer is required for completing the equipment and comparing 
the performance of the self-recording instruments during disturbances with 
actual observations, for which latter a sufficient number of assistants is still 
retained. 
There is no other observatory in America at which magnetic disturbances 
are recorded ; and it is greatly to be desired that this record in a part of the 
globe so important in magnetic respects should not be wanting for the ge- 
neral comparison. 
A few months’ longer continuance in the present hands is also desirable 
for the purpose of bringing to a satisfactory conclusion the comparisons 
which have been instituted between the instruments by which the great body 
of observations have been made, and others which have been subsequently 
devised for attaining the same objects by other processes. There is reason 
to believe that the result of these comparisons will be in many cases highly 
satisfactory, in confirming the dependence which may be placed on the To- 
ronto instruments and their results. The knowledge acquired by such com- 
parisons is also likely to be very beneficial in guiding the selection of in- 
struments hereafter for similar purposes in other colonies. 
The cost of the Toronto Observatory with its present establishment (such 
as is proposed to be continued for a year or two longer) is £370 a-year, in- 
cluding a contingent of £100 for repairs and incidentals of all kinds. In this 
sum there is not included the regimental pay of the officer and non-commis- 
sioned officers, because they remain on the strength of the Artillery and are 
on the spot ready to serve in their military capacity should the public ser- 
vice require it. The observations which would be made during this addi- 
tional period would not require to be printed as before zm detail; and would 
form in substance a comparatively small appendix, which would have a place 
in the concluding volume of the Toronto observations. 
