Royal Society. 507 



leave accordingly to present the Charter book to Your Majesty for 

 that purpose." 



His Majesty then signed his name in the Charter book, and was 

 duly admitted a Fellow of the Society. 



His Majesty expressed his gratification at having his name en- 

 rolled among the Fellows of the Royal Society. 



Baron Alexander von Humboldt, formerly elected a Foreign 

 Member, also signed his name in the Charter book, and was duly 

 admitted a Fellow. 



February 3. — The following papers were read, viz. — 



1. " Abstracts of the Magnetic Term-day Observations for June, 

 July, August, and September 1841," from the Honourable East 

 India Company's Magnetic Observatory at Singapore. — 2. " Gra- 

 phical repi'esentations of the Term-day Observations from April to 

 September inclusive, IS^l," from the same Observatory. — 3. " Abs- 

 tracts of the Daily Magnetic and Meteorological Observations 

 for September 1841," made at the Honourable East India Com- 

 pany's Magnetic Observatory at Madras. — 4?. " Abstracts of the 

 Daily Magnetic and Meteorological Observations for September 

 1811," made at the Honourable East India Company's Magnetic 

 Observatory at Simla. 



The above were presented by the Honourable Court of Directors 

 of the East India Company. Communicated by the Council of the 

 Royal Society. 



5. " Variations de la declinaison et intensite horizontale mag- 

 netique observee a Milan, pendant 24- heures de suite, le 22 et 23 

 Decembre ISll, et le 19 et 21 Janvier 1842." Far Signor F. Car- 

 lini, For. Memb. R.S. 



6. " A Meteorological Journal for 1841, kept at Allenheads, 

 Northumberland, 1400 feet above the level of the sea, with an Ap- 

 pendix." By the Rev. W. Walton, M.A., F.R.S. 



7. " Descrijition of an Observatory constructed at Ardwick, and 

 specification of the work performed in its erection." By John Jesse, 

 Esq., at Ardwick. Communicated by Philip Hardwick, Esq., F.R.S. 



8. " On the Steam-wave." By the Rev. Thomas Boys. Com- 

 municated by Charles Babbage, Esq., F.R.S. 



The term steam-wave is employed by the author to denote that 

 peculiar kind of wave which is generated during the motion of steam 

 vessels on the water; and which he shows results from the combina- 

 tion of two separate sets of waves ; namely, those occasioned simply 

 by the progressive advance of the vessel, and which consequently 

 recede from it on each side, nearly at right angles to its course ; and 

 those arising from the impulses given to the water by the action of 

 the paddles, and proceeding in the same direction as the vessel 

 itself. He ascribes to the cumulative force acf|uire(l by these waves 

 at tlie parts wliere they cross one another, the extraordinary vio- 

 l(!nee of effect witli which tliey strike against all obstacles opjiosed 

 to their progress, and whicii renders them so formidable to boats 

 and otiier suuill vessels exposed to tlie encounter. 



The Vice-President in the Chair stated, tliat he was directed by 

 the Council tu call the attention of the Members present, and 



