8 



serious attention. This had been done well in advance of the event. 5ut 

 it would seem that the arrangements of the Home authorities had, even 

 at that early date, been already made. The Astronomer Royal seems to 

 prefer Christchurch, New Zealand, and the Lords of the Admiralty 

 appear to have been influenced by financial considerations, and declined 

 on those grounds to add another station to the five already selected for 

 these observations. It was by no means improbable that climatic causes 

 might interpose to prevent accurate observations being taken in the 

 meridian of Christchurch, and it would be a misfortune to the cause 

 of science if advantage were not taken of the perspicuous nature of the 

 atmosphere of Tasmania — as ascertained by a long series of meteoro- 

 logical observations — to record this remarkable occurrence with all the 

 accuracy which modern science could bring to bear upon such an event. 

 He (Sir James Milne Wilson) thought that the Royal Society would be 

 justified in applying to the Home authorities for the use of instruments 

 requisite for the purpose. He could scarcely doubt that such an appli- 

 cation would be favourably entertained. 



The Chairman informed the meeting that the Society had had corres- 

 pondence with the American Government on the subject. At the request 

 of that Government a series of hourly observations from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

 had been carried on by Mr. Abbott, at the instance of the Society, during 

 the months of November and December, 1872, for the purpose of deter- 

 mining the percentage of sunshine. The information thus acquired was 

 transmitted to the National Observatory at Washington. 



Mr. M. Allport proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Abbott for his paper, 

 and to the donors of presentations. He would be glad to propose & 

 special vote to Captain Harrison for his very valuable donations. It 

 was clear that a very great amount of trouble had been taken in these 

 preparations — especially the large head of the "Killer" — and the Museum 

 would soon be very rich indeed if others of our whaling Captains 

 followed the example of Captains Harrison and George McArthur. The 

 vote having been passed the meeting separated. 



