522 Correspondence on Magnetism of Ships, [Nov. 30, 



jects above mentioned are fully discussed in your letter, the subject of 

 these Meteorological Observations at sea is scarcely referred to. 



" It is, however, essential that the Board of Trade should be rightly 

 informed upon this point before they can determine what steps should 

 be taken with regard to the Meteorological Department. What is the value 

 of the Observations at sea already collected '? what steps should be taken 

 to make them useful ? and whether any, and, if any, what further observa- 

 tions of the same kind should be collected, are questions which must be 

 answered before any final arrangement can be made with respect to the 

 other points mentioned in your letter. "With the view of clearing up these 

 points, the Board of Trade are disposed to suggest the appointment of a 

 small Committee, consisting, say of three or four persons, to examine the 

 whole of the data already collected by the Meteorological Department; 

 to inquire whether any, and what steps should be taken for digesting and 

 publishing them ; and also to report whether it is desirable that observa- 

 tions of a similar kind shall still continue to be collected. Such a Com- 

 mittee would also in all probability be able to make valuable recommenda- 

 tions as to the mode in which the business of the Department (if continued) 

 shall be conducted, and as to the form in which the daily weather reports 

 (by whomsoever they may be made) should be published. 



" If the Eoyal Society concur in this suggestion, the Board of Trade 

 would ask them to appoint, as a member of the Committee, some gentleman 

 whose acquirements would enable him to give valuable advice on the scien- 

 tific part of the subject, and they would also ask the Admiralty to appoint 

 another member. The Board of Trade will feel much obliged if you will 

 favour them with the opinion of the President and Council on this sugges- 

 tion. 



" With reference to the subject of Meteorological Observations on land, 

 the Board of Trade do not clearly understand whether the Royal Society 

 think that they should be substituted for, or be in addition to the Meteoro- 

 logical Observations at sea, which were originally suggested by the Royal 

 Society. They are disposed to agree with the Royal Society in thinking 

 that any observations of a scientific nature would be better conducted under 

 the authority and supervision of a scientific body such as the Royal Society, 

 or the British Association, than of a Government Department. But they 

 do not see how they could advise the Government to sanction any plan 

 which would involve the establishment of two separate Offices for Meteo- 

 rological purposes, one under the Board of Trade at Whitehall, and the 

 other at Kew. It seems to them obvious that any assistance to be given 

 by Parliament for Meteorological purposes will be more advantageously 

 employed if concentrated at one place, and in one set of hands, than it can 

 be if distributed among different Establishments. 



" I have the honour to be, Sir, 



" Your most obedient Servant, 

 " The President of the Eoyal Society." " T. H. FARRER." 



