1865.] and on the Meteorological Department. 537 



EitzEoy's Office, the advantages to be derived from a continued and well- 

 directed system of maritime observations were more particularly pressed, 

 it was because at that time neither the instruments nor the modes of 

 observation suitable for a well organized and efficient system of continuous 

 land investigation were prepared. This was well stated by Lieut. Maury 

 in a letter addressed to the United States Government, dated November 

 6, 1852, subsequently transmitted by that Government to the Earl of 

 Clarendon, and printed in the papers which were presented to the House 

 of Lords in February 1853. This difficulty no longer exists, having 

 been entirely obviated by the self-recording system of observation for which 

 the necessary instruments have been devised and brought into use at 

 the Kew Observatory. 



" The President and Council are not aware of any inconvenience likely 

 to arise from entrusting the scientific supervision of such a system as 

 they have recommended to a Body such as the Kew Committee, acting under 

 the authorization, and control in regard to expenditure, of a Public Depart- 

 ment. Precedents for such a course are not wanting. 

 " I have the honour to be 



" Your obedient Servant, 



" EDWARD SABINE, 

 " President of the Royal Society." 



From Mr. Farrer to General Sabine. 



" Board of Trade, Whitehall, 14th November, 1865. 



" SIR, I am directed by the Board of Trade to acknowledge the receipt 

 of your letter of the 2nd instant, stating that the President and Council 

 of the Eoyal Society ' are much disappointed by learning that the Board of 

 Trade are not prepared to give effect to the recommendation that the 

 system which has been found to work so successfully in the Koyal Navy, 

 of combining official and competent superintendence with a proper code of 

 instructions, should be extended to the Mercantile Marine. They consider 

 such superintendence to be essential, not only to the general introduction 

 of a good and efficient mode of compass-correction into the Mercantile 

 Marine, but even to the discharge of the duties having respect to the 

 adjustment of the compasses of sea-going passenger-steamers, with which 

 the Board of Trade is already charged by the Legislature.' 



" The President and Council further proceed to call attention to the 

 losses of Iron Steamers, and intimate that the responsibility for such 

 losses will rest with this Board if they do not undertake the superinten- 

 dence of compasses in the mode suggested by the Eoyal Society. 



" In reply I am to state to you, in the first place, that the Board of Trade 

 do not yield to the President and Council of the Eoyal Society in their 

 anxiety to prevent losses at sea, and they are ready with this object to 

 do everything which is within the proper and legitimate scope of their 

 functions as a Government department. 



