284 [Dec. 1, 



Lord Rosse's Telescope were judged by the Royal Society of London 

 and the British Association for the Advancement of Science to he so 

 important as to justify them in making an urgent appeal to the British 

 Government for the erection, at some suitable place in south latitude, 

 of a telescope for the examination of the multiple stars and the 

 nebulae of the Southern Hemisphere, having greater optical power 

 than that used by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope ; 

 which appeal there is little doubt would have been successful but for 

 the Russian war and the consequent expenditure ; 



" II. That, since that time, Lord Rosse reports that he has dis- 

 covered systematic changes in some of the most important northern 

 nebulae ; 



" IIL That the interest and scientific importance of the solution 

 of the problem of their physical structure, as well as the probability 

 of its accomplishment, are thus greatly increased ; 



" IV. That some of the most important nebulae, and those pre- 

 senting the greatest variety of physical features in close proximity, 

 can be observed only in places having a considerable southern lati- 

 tude ; 



*' V. That the geographical position and clear atmosphere of 

 Melbourne render it peculiarly suitable for this work, and that the 

 arrangements already made for the establishment of an Astronomical 

 Observatory on a permanent footing offer great facilities for carrying 

 it on; 



" VI. That, independently of the especial object to which such 

 telescope would be applied, an Astronomical Observatory cannot be 

 considered complete without an equatorially-mounted telescope of 

 large optical powers : 



" It was Resolved, 



" 1st. That, in the opinion of the Board, the establishment of 

 such a telescope in Melbourne would materially promote the advance- 

 ment of science. 



" 2nd. That, before applying to the Colonial Government for any 

 pecuniary grant in aid of this object, His Excellency the Governor be 

 requested to obtain, through the Secretary of State for the Colonies, 

 an expression of opinion from scientific men in England as to the 

 importance of the results to be expected from it ; the most suitable 

 construction of telescope for the purpose, both as to the optical part 



