Royal Society. 381 



mony joint below that of the siirrouuding atmosphere. In the 

 notices of Lenz's experiments, I can find no allowance made for 

 the reduction of temperature by evaporation. Now in repeating 

 some of them, I have found a hygrometric effect to the extent of 

 1 and 1 -5 of Centigrade ; and I conceive that the omission of the 

 correction required for evaporation in a drier atmosphere may 

 be taken for a reduction of temperature by electricity. But in 

 my experiments I have never met a fact which in the least 

 encourages the view that electricity reduces temperatures ; and 

 as it is exceedingly hostile to all that is hitherto known 

 of the relation of heat to electricity, it seems to me to call for 

 a thorough confirmation by the researches of others before it 

 can be received as a fact. M. Becquerel, as I have already 

 stated, has said that he coiild not reduce temperatures by elec- 

 tricity. When I first met with the account of this supposed 

 discovery, I looked forward to valuable results flowing from it ; 

 and the cross designed by an experimenter on the Continent 

 appeared to supply strong evidence in confirmation of M. Peltier^s 

 views; I therefore resolved to examine thoroughly this cross, 

 bemg full of hope from it ; but after spenchng a long time, I 

 found the true explanation of its action on the galvanometer to 

 be based on well-kno^v^l principles, which need not occupy space 

 in a repetition hei'e. 



Yours very respectfully, 

 Liverpool, October 4, 1852. RlCHARD Adie. 



LXI. Proceedings of Learned Societies, 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 

 [Continued from p. 31G.] 

 May 13, Tf^HE Reply of the President and Council to a Letter 

 1 852. _L addressed to them by the Secretary of State for Foreign 

 Affairs, on the subject of the cooperation of different Nations in 

 Meteorological Observations. Communicated by direction of the 

 President and Council. 



Somerset House, lOtli May 1852. 

 Sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your 

 letter of March the 4th, transmitting, by direction of the Earl of 

 Malmesbury, several documents received from foreign governments 

 in rcj)ly to a proposal made to them by Her Majesty's Government, 

 for their cooperation in establishing a uniform system of recording 

 meteorological observations, and requesting the opinion of the Pre- 

 sident and Council of the Royal Society in reference to a proposition 

 which lias been made by the Government of the United States, re- 

 specting the manner in which the proposed cooperation should be 

 carried out. 



Having submitted your letter with its enclosures to the Presi- 



