248 



ment, your Council voted ;250 from the Wollaston Fund to the 

 British Association to be employed in lighting their Observatory, 

 and the works are now in progress. 



The Astronomers continue to add yearly to the catalogue of the 

 planetary bodies of our solar system, several small planets revolving 

 between Mars and Jupiter. The rapid progress of these discoveries 

 is well illustrated by mentioning, that in 1852 no less than eight 

 were discovered, in 1854 six, and in the present year five have been 

 already added to the list ; again commencing with 1847, every year 

 has been signalized by the finding of some of these planetoids. They 

 now amount in number to forty-two ; and astronomers have found 

 it necessary to assign, by agreement among themselves, the labour 

 of observing a certain portion of them to particular observatories, 

 each astronomer taking charge of, and making himself accountable 

 for, accurate observations of some five to eight members of this 

 curious group. Thus has a division of labour in astronomical re- 

 search been fairly organized ; and I cannot but think that the prin- 

 ciple might be carried very much further with great advantage to 

 the progress of knowledge. To take an illustration from astronomy 

 only, on casting your eyes over the list of Observatories, both public 

 and private, in the Nautical Almanac, you would be surprised at their 

 number ; now that list contains only a portion of the private obser- 

 vatories of this country, and such establishments are very numerous 

 in the United States also. Now let us reflect for a moment what 

 would be the effect if to each of these numerous observers, who is 

 qualified for the task and possesses the necessary means, were to be 

 allotted some one peculiar object of astronomical research, and this 

 were pursued till the special purpose in view should be fully attained. 

 The amount of work performed would surely be augmented to a 

 great extent. The same principle is applicable, though perhaps 

 in a less degree, to other departments of science. But I entertain 

 little hope of any such scheme as that, which has been sketched 

 out, being carried to a prosperous issue, till another revolution has 

 taken place in Science, which I cannot but look forward to as 

 eminently calculated to advance its progress ; I mean a greater amount 

 of intercourse between the members of the various Scientific Societies 

 of Europe and America, 



The benefits which such a measure would confer are numerous, 



