Charles Meldrum. 151 



. CHARLES MELDKUM. 18211901. 



Charles Meldrum was born at Kirkmichael, BainTshire, in 1821, 

 and was educated at the University of Aberdeen, where he proceeded 

 to the degree of M.A. In 1846 he was appointed to the Education 

 Department of the Bombay Presidency, where he remained only 

 two years. He was transferred to the Mauritius, as Professor of 

 Mathematics at the Royal College. 



Meteorological observations had, at that time, been carried on in 

 the island for considerably more than a century, but in a spasmodic 

 way; but in 1851, by the united efforts of Mr. C. J. Bay ley, Lieut.- 

 Col. Robe, C.B., Lieut. Fyers, Mr. Meldrum, and others, the Mauritius 

 Meteorological Society was founded on August 1, for the express 

 purpose, inter aim, of establishing a permanent magnetical and 

 meteorological observatory in the island, and Mr. Meldrum was 

 appointed one of its secretaries. 



The main meteorological work carried on was the examination of 

 the logs of all ships visiting the port, so as to collect information 

 tending to the further development of the Law of Storms. 



In the year 1859, meteorological instruments were installed in the 

 old Government Observatory, and, in March, 1862, Mr. Meldrum was 

 appointed Government Observer. Very soon after came on a critical 

 period in the history of the nascent institution. Port Louis, where it 

 was situated, is encircled by hills, and the want of a station in a 

 more suitable locality was seriously felt. This idea had been 

 broached by Dr. Thorn even in 1853. In April, 1860, it was 

 recommended that the observatory be sold, and that a new observa- 

 tory be erected out of the proceeds. This sale was not carried out 

 until the arrival of Sir H. Barkly, as Governor, in 1863. The site 

 fetched 5,200, but several years elapsed before the new building 

 came into existence. It 1866, Mr. Meldrum was sent to England 

 to procure plant for the observatory and the necessary instruments 

 for its outfit. In all these negotiations the late Sir E. Sabine, at 

 that time President of the Society, took a most active part. 

 Mr. Meldrum returned to the colony in 1869, and on Monday, 

 May 30, 1870, the first stone of the new observatory was laid by 

 H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. It was not, however, until the 

 beginning of 1875 that the full outfit of self-recording apparatus 

 for meteorology and terrestrial magnetism came into actual operation. 



The observatory was designated as the Royal Alfred Observatory. 

 Its site, at Pample Mousses, seven miles N.N.E. from Port Louis, 

 is not a happy one, as the ground around is marshy and fever- 

 stricken. 



