Description of the Kew Observatory. 137 



The President of the Koyal Society Lord Lister. 

 The President of the Eoyal Astronomical Society Dr. A. A. Common. 



f Professor W. G-. Adams. 

 Kev. Professor B. Price. 



Nominated as Fellows of the Eoyal j Lord Eayleigh. 

 Society j Eari of Eosse. 



I Professor Eiicker. 



(^Professor Sir G-. Or. Stokes, Bart. 



r Professor Sir R, S. Ball. 



*r i * <a f n Professor E. B. Clifton. 



Dominated as Fellows of the Eoyal ! -^ 



J 4 Dr. A. A. Common. 

 Astronomical Society ^ T TTT T 



Dr. J. W. L. G-laisher. 



(j)r. W. Huggins. 



Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford Professor H. H. Turner. 

 Plumian Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge Professor G-. H. Darwin. 

 Hydrographer of the Admiralty Admiral W. J. L. Wharton. 



7. Standard Weights and Measures. Custodians. 



The Imperial Standard Yard and Pound in actual use for all important 

 comparisons are at the Standards Office. Four copies of each of them are 

 deposited in other places in case of injury or loss of the standards. One of 

 each of these copies is in the custody of the Eoyal Society. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE KEW OBSERVATORY. 



The Kew Observatory is situated in the Old Deer Park, about 

 1,200 yards from the Richmond Railway Station, some 10 miles to 

 the West of the City of London. Its latitude is 51 28' 6" N., and 

 its longitude 18' 47" W. 



The present building was erected by King George III, in 1769, for 

 observing the transit of Venus, which occurred that year. An 

 earlier observatory, from which.it derived its name, was situated in 

 the Kew Palace Grounds, about three-quarters of a mile from the 

 present building. Though the latter lies within the postal district of 

 Richmond, and is approached from the Richmond railway station, 

 its long-established name of " Kew " Observatory has been retained. 

 Tbe site of the present building was originally occupied by an old 

 monastery, which was partly destroyed in the general destruction 

 of religious houses in the sixteenth century, and finally demolished 

 in 1769. 



The Government having decided in 1841 to cease to maintain the 

 Observatory, it passed in 1842 into the hands of the British Associa- 



