1865.] President's Address. 505 



ference thereto, that while My Lords entertain the same views as those 

 expressed by you as to the interest attaching to such observations, yet it 

 appears to their Lordships that there is so much difficulty attending the 

 arrangements which alone could render any scheme of the kind really 

 beneficial to the purposes of science, that they are not prepared to take 

 any steps without much further consideration. 



'* I am, Sir, &c. &c., 



" G. CORNEWALL LEWIS." 



This reply, though failing to meet the not unreasonabte expectations 

 which had been founded on the intrinsic importance of the subject itself 

 and on the earnest recommendation it had received from the two principal 

 scientific institutions of the kingdom, was still so far satisfactory that it 

 conveyed the approval of the Government of the principle of the proposi- 

 tion ; it was reasonable to believe therefore that by perseverance and by a 

 judicious selection of times and opportunities the object would be eventually 

 secured. Such was the view taken by its promoters ; and in accordance 

 with this view the subject was again brought under the consideration of 

 the British Association at their Meeting at Belfast in September 1852, in 

 the opening address of the President, suggesting that a decision should be 

 taken whether any, and if any, what official step should be adopted for 

 its immediate furtherance. After the usual discussions in Sections and 

 Committees, the General Committee passed the following Resolution : 



" That it is expedient to proceed without delay in the establishment in 

 the Southern Hemisphere of a Telescope not inferior in power to a 3-feet 

 Reflector ; and that the President (Col. Sabine), with the assistance of the 

 following gentlemen, viz. the Earl of Rosse, Dr. Robinson, Lord Wrot- 

 tesley, Professor Adams, the Astronomer Royal, J. Nasmyth, Esq., Wm. 

 Lassell, Esq., Sir'D. Brewster, and E. J . Cooper, Esq., be requested to 

 take such steps as they shall deem most desirable to carry this resolution 

 into effect." 



The first step taken by this Committee was to communicate the resolu- 

 tion to the President (The Earl of Rosse) and Council of the Royal Society, 

 who (on the 25th of November, 1852) resolved as follows : 



" That the President and Council agree with the British Association in 

 considering it desirable to proceed without delay in obtaining the establish- 

 ment of a Telescope of very great optical power for the observation of 

 Nebulce in a convenient locality in the Southern Hemisphere j and that a 

 Committee be appointed to take such steps as they may deem most desi- 

 rable to carry out this resolution. The Committee to consist of ihe Presi- 

 dent, Officers, and Council of the Royal Society, with the addition of Sir 

 John Herschel, Sir John Lubbock, and the Dean of Ely." It was also 

 agreed that the Committee should act conjointly with the gentlemen named 

 in the Resolution passed by the British Association. 



The joint Committee applied themselves in the first instance to a con- 



