10 REPORT—1845. 
Should their opinion be in the negative, there is of course no room for 
further deliberation, except in so far as may relate to any changes of appa- 
ratus, methods, &e. which it may be worth while to make, or any experiments 
to perform in the short interval to the end of the year. In order therefore to 
give room for any further inquiry, it is necessary to suppose, at least provi- 
sionally, that some considerable amount of opinion in favour of continuance 
is manifested, which, should it prove to be the case (as the general tenor of 
the correspondence would appear to indicate), it may perhaps be advisable 
still to wave coming to any final conclusion on this principal head, until the 
subordinate subjects shall have undergone discussion ; and this, if for no other 
reason, because, agreeing in the general principle, it may be found impossible 
to reconcile all opinion respecting the details. Assuming then provisionally 
an affirmative opinion on the general principle, the following are the general 
heads under which it would appear most convenient to arrange the subjects of 
consideration :— 
A. The general system of magnetic observation at fixed stations. 
a. The daily observations. 
6. The absolute determinations. 
e. Term observations. 
d. Disturbances. 
e. Instruments. 
Jf. Additional observations. 
B. The general system of meteorological observation at fixed stations. 
a. The daily observations. 
6. Term observations. 
e. Instruments. 
d. Additional observations. 
C. Stations, and duration of the system. 
a. The Ordnance stations. 
b. The Admiralty stations. 
c. The East India stations. 
d. Permanence or temporary duration of the stations. 
e. Observers and assistants. 
D. Surveys and auxiliary stations. 
a. Magnetic surveys by land and sea. 
6. Auxiliary barometric stations. 
E. Problems solved and to be solved. 
F. Particular suggestions which deserve consideration. 
Under each of these general heads and their subdivisions, particular sug- 
gestions have been made and alterations proposed or objected to, giving rise 
to questions a great deal too numerous and extensive to admit of their being 
each discussed in full detail at a conference so limited in time as this must be. 
Nevertheless it will be proper to specify under each, in the manner of a re- 
sumé, what are the particular questions which have arisen in the minds of our 
correspondents or have been subsequently suggested, with a view to selecting 
those of most importance ; and these are as follows :— 
A a. Daily observations.—Should they be made hourly, two-hourly, four-, 
six- or eight-hourly ? by night as well as by day ? at Gottingen time 
or that of the place? at constant or variable hours with the season 
of the year? Should they be made two-hourly for a certain time 
and subsequently changed to four- or six-hourly ? 
A b, Absolute determinations—Should they be made monthly, or how often? 
For what elements? What methods should be pursued in their de- 
termination ? 
