154 RESEARCH 



disposal of the Association for such a purpose is at 

 the best not likely to increase, unless from sources 

 not yet visible. Moreover, it is likely that any such 

 balance might be more profitably employed through 

 other means for the advancement of science, having 

 in view the fact that a proportion of public funds, 

 and a special department of the public administra- 

 tion, are now devoted to the maintenance of scien- 

 tific investigation. Nevertheless, the Association, 

 possessing a wider range of scientific interest than 

 any other body of equal influence, ought always to 

 maintain its powers of leadership and guidance in the 

 direction of research. 



Within the compass of a few pages it is impossible 

 to discuss the value of even a tithe of the investiga- 

 tions to which the Association has lent its name 

 and support, but in the following paragraphs and 

 Chapter VI it is proposed to cite a few examples 

 in illustration of this department of the work of our 

 body. We begin with some notes upon that item 

 in the list (Appendix I) against which stands by far 

 the largest single sum ' Kew Observatory, 1843-72 

 . . . . 12,300 Is. Id.' 



FOUNDATION OF KEW OBSERVATORY 



The site on which Kew Observatory now stands is 

 identical with or close to that of a Carthusian priory 

 of Jesus of Bethlehem. A Fellow of the Royal 

 Society, Samuel Molyneux, came into possession of 

 Kew House (which was demolished in 1803) by 

 marriage with a grand-niece of Lord Capel, and in 

 1725 constructed and set up in it a telescope, which 

 he used for observations which, continued after his 



