408 



selves, or on that of persons who, as Superintendents or otherwise, 

 have constantly watched the progress of the work) " the systematic 

 deduction from the registered observations, of the mean values, and 

 of the local coefficients of diurnal, annual, and secular change ; " 

 because " no other class of persons stands in anything like so favour- 

 able a position for working out the first elementary laws of pheno- 

 mena, and referring them to their immediate points of dependence," 

 as those who have directed or superintended the processes by which 

 the data required for the knowledge of the phenomena have been 

 obtained. The introductory discussions prefixed to the several vo- 

 lumes which contain the observations at the Colonial Observatories, 

 and a succession of papers presented to the Royal Society, and pub- 

 lished in the Philosophical Transactions, bear testimony to at least 

 unsparing labour, on the part of the Superintendent, to give a com- 

 pleteness to the experiment of Colonial Observatories, corresponding 

 to its original conception ; though no one is more sensible than him- 

 self that this portion of the duty might well have fallen into abler 

 hands. One great advantage in the task has undoubtedly been en- 

 joyed, viz. the union of the detailed knowledge above alluded to, 

 with the opportunity of generalization and consequent insight, 

 afforded by results admitting of strict comparison and combination, 

 obtained from well-selected stations at such distant points of the 

 globe, and by a uniform system of observation. 



It may be useful on the present occasion to recall to more distinct 

 recollection the views and opinions entertained by those who were the 

 principal instigators of the proceedings by which the Royal Society 

 became the responsible advisers, and Her Majesty's Government 

 the chief supporters, of measures which have placed this country 

 in the very conspicuous position of taking that lead in the advance- 

 ment of certain branches of science, which other nations were willing 

 and desirous that she should take. These views cannot be better 

 stated than hi the words of one to whom all will be willing to concede 

 pre-eminence, as well in counselling the recommendation to Govern- 

 ment as in conducting the several points connected with it to a suc- 

 cessful issue (Herschel, in Quart. Review, No. CXXXI.). " Great 

 physical theories, with their trains of practical consequences, are pre- 

 eminently national objects, whether for glory or utility. In effect, 

 such they ought to be considered by every nation calling itself civi- 



