AND THE STATE 217 



the work should be taken in the ordinary course of 

 the survey of Scotland then in progress. 



1847-48. In this year, as a result of action by 

 the Association and the Eoyal Society, the Admiralty 

 undertook to ' appropriate a suitable vessel for the 

 purpose of an investigation into the phenomena 

 of the tides, as soon as the most advisable plan for 

 her employment shall have been determined upon.' 

 A memorial dealing with such a plan was presented 

 by a committee of the Association in 1851. The 

 Court of Directors of the East India Company, under 

 the same inspiration, instituted regular tide observa- 

 tions on the west coast of India, and also allowed 

 the transport to Russia, for purposes of comparison, 

 of the standard bar and scale of the Indian arc of the 

 meridian. 



1848-49. A representation from the Council was 

 instrumental in securing the continuance of the 

 observatory at Toronto. 



1849-50. The Association and the Royal Society 

 acted jointly in recommending the establishment 

 of a reflecting telescope of large optical power at 

 a suitable station for the observation of the nebulae 

 of the southern hemisphere. The Lords Commis- 

 sioners of the Treasury, however, pleaded ' so much 

 difficulty attending on the arrangements which alone 

 could render any scheme of this kind really beneficial 

 to the purposes of science,' as their reason for 

 rejecting the proposal at the moment. The proposal, 

 however, when revived in 1852-53, was more favour- 

 ably received. 



An application was made, and was favourably 

 received, for the publication of the British arc of 

 the meridian to its full extent. 



