84 Report of the Kew Committee. 



Extension of the Building. The Chief Commissioner of Works and 

 Public Buildings having granted permission for the Committee to 

 undertake the erection of the additional storey to the east wing of the 

 Observatory as mentioned in last year's Report, and having instructed 

 Mr. Lessels, surveyor to the Board, to prepare the necessary drawings, 

 plans, &c., tenders were invited from the principal local builders 

 for the work. That of Messrs. J. Dorey and Co., of Brentford, for 

 454, was accepted, and operations were commenced on July 23rd. 

 They have now been completed under the superintendence of Mr. 

 Chart, H.M. Commissioners' Clerk of Works for the Hampton Court 

 and Kew District, and Mr. Allen, his Assistant. 



Library. During the year the library has received as presents the 

 publications of 



22 Scientific Societies and Institutions of Great Britain and Ire- 

 land, and 



95 Foreign and Colonial Scientific Establishments, as well as 

 numerous private individuals ; 



The reference set of ' Phil. Trans.' has been bound in cloth boards 

 to correspond with the covers of the volumes as now issued by the 

 Royal Society. 



Old Mural Quadrant. When in 1840 the astronomical instruments 

 forming the equipment of George Ill's Observatory, were removed to 

 Armagh, it was found impracticable to take away the 8-feet mural 

 quadrant by Sissons, on account of its being too large to pass through 

 the doors or windows of the room in which it was placed. 



Recently, advantage was taken of the removal of the roof of the 

 east wing of the Observatory to hoist it out and convey it to the 

 Stores in the Office of Works at Kew, where it is now deposited. The 

 Committee propose its ultimate consignment to the Loan Collection 

 of Scientific Apparatus at South Kensington. 



The stone wall which served for its support has been utilised as a 

 bearer for a new gallery, providing an additional area of 29 feet long 

 by 7 feet wide, which it is intended to devote to the Department for 

 the Verification of Hydrometers. 



Workshop. The machine tools procured for the use of the Kew 

 Observatory by grants from the Government Grant Fund or the 

 Donation Fund, have been duly kept in order. 



House, Grounds, and Footpath. These have all been kept as usual 

 during the year. 



A Norton's tube-well has been driven and a pump erected in order 

 to obtain an increased water supply, the Observatory not being in 

 connexion with the mains of Richmond. 



