382 Royal Society. 



dent and Council of the Royal Society, I am directed to convey to 

 you the following reply. 



With reference to the subject of well-directed and systematically 

 conducted meteorological observations generall3% and to the encou- 

 ragement and support to be given to them by the governments of 

 different countries, the President and Council are of opinion that 

 they are highly deserving of much consideration, not only for their 

 scientific value, but also on account of the important bearing which 

 correct climatological knowledge has on the welfare and material 

 interests of the people of every country. 



With reference to the proposal for tiie establishment of a uni- 

 form plan in respect to instruments and modes of observation, the 

 President and Council are not of opinion that any practical advan- 

 tage is likely to be obtained by pressing such a proposition in the 

 present state of meteorological science. Most of the principal 

 governments of the European Continent, as Russia, Prussia, Austria, 

 Bavaria and Belgium, have already organized establishments for 

 climatological researches in their respective states, and have placed 

 them under the superintendence of men eminently qualified by theo- 

 retical and practical knowledge, and whose previous publications had 

 obtained for them a general European reputation. Such men are 

 Kupifer, Dove, Kreil, Lamont and Quetelet; under whose direction 

 the meteorological observations in the above-named countries are 

 proceeding ; the instruments have been constructed under their care, 

 and the instructions drawn up and published by them under the 

 sanction of their respective governments. The observations as they 

 are made are sent to them, are reduced and coordinated under their 

 superintendence, and are published at tlie expense of the govern- 

 ments. Every year is now producing publications of this nature in 

 the countries referred to, and by the rapid intercommunication of 

 these, the results of the experience of one country and the modifications 

 and improvements which experience may sugr :st, become quickly 

 known to all. To call on countries already so advanced in systemati- 

 cally conducted meteorological observations to remodel their in- 

 structions and instruments, with a view of establishing uniformity 

 in these respects, would probabl5% if pressed, elicit from other 

 governments also the reply which Her Majesty's Government have 

 received from Prince Schwarzenberg, conveyed in the Earl of West- 

 moreland's letter to Viscount Palmerston, viz. the transmission of a 

 copy of the instructions which have been given to the Meteorological 

 Observatories, forty-five in number, in the Austrian dominions, and 

 a reference to the results obtained at those observatories, which are 

 stated to be in regular course of publication. 



In an earlier stage, when these establishments were either form- 

 ing or were only in contemplation, it was considered that advantage 

 might arise from a discussion of the objects to be principally kept 

 in view, and of the instruments and methods by which these might 

 be most successfully prosecuted. For this purpose, a conference 

 was held at Cambridge, in England, in 1845, which was attended 

 by many of the most distinguished Meteorologists in Europe, and 



