PEOCEEDINGS, AUGUST. XV 



■condition of the observer's taking \ip those duties, which, of course, would 

 fall in most easily with his ordinary duties, we ought to be able to get a 

 very good man, and able to demonstrate in physics, and with some skill in 

 photography. I wish to say again, and more emphatically than I have 

 before, that I do not think we need import an astronomical expert in order 

 to give the instruction in astronomy and to superintend the Observatory. 

 When the late Professor Adams made his calculations which led to the 

 discovery of the planet Neptune, he was engaged at tutorial work in 

 mathematics generally, and had only taken his degree two years before ; he 

 made his calculations, apart from observations, and then communicated the 

 result of them to Professor Challis and the Astronomer Royal, who, by 

 observations, verified his calculations. And again, his locum tenens during 

 his illness ; and I believe now his successor, Mr. Hobson, of Christ's College, 

 took that position, not by virtue of any special practical experience at the 

 Observatory, but by virtue of his general excellence in mathematics, and I 

 know that when he took his degree his astronomy was not his peculiar 

 forte. I am afraid that we cannot, as I hoped we should have been able, 

 provide for a lecturer in mathematics and a lecturer in physics out of the 

 Leake trust and probable Government aid, i.e., meteorologist's salary, for 

 we shall have to provide for an observer and for incidental expenses. — 

 Believe me to be, yours very sincerely, G. W. Waterhouse." 



I think that in the circumstances such a resolution as I will now propose 

 will best meet the case : — 



"That the Secretary be requested to communicate with the Council 

 of the University, and to ask if they are willing to appoint a com- 

 mittee to confer with a similar committee of the Royal Society on the 

 Leake bequest to promote the study of astronomy, the joint committees 

 to suggest and report to the Society and the Council such a scheme as 

 may be practicable in order to secure the benefit of Mr. Leake's bequest 

 to the colony of Tasmania." 



His Honor, Sm Lambert Dobson, Chancellor of the University, 

 on seconding the resolution, eulogised the munificent nature of the 

 bequest. To carry out their wishes it was necessary they should have 

 the co-operation of three bodies, namely, the Leake trustees, the Govern- 

 ment, and the Council of the University. If it was in no sense contrary 

 to Mr. Leake's directions, he did not think that there would be great 

 objection to the Observatory being established in this part of the 

 Southern Hemisphere. So far as the Government was concerned, there 

 was a sum on the estimates for the meteorological establishment, which 

 he thought the Government would be glad to hand over towards the 

 carrying out of such a scheme if the Observatory did the work. He was 

 glad to notice the attention being given to that important branch of the 

 subject — astronomical photography — and its great value in the science 

 had already been abundantly demonstrated by experiment. It was for 

 them now to work out all the details, and approach the trustees with 

 a scheme which fully complied with all the conditions of Mr. Leake's 

 bequest. 



Mr. T. Stephens, Director of Education, anticipated that two or 

 three years might elapse before funds were at the disposal of the 

 trustees to give effect to the bequest. This was a serious obstacle to 

 any immediate attempt to combine the functions of University Lecturer 

 in Mathematics with the duties to be performed under the Leake 

 bequest. The University must act at once in the matter of its own 

 appointment. He moved— "That it is highly desirable that a school 

 of practical astronomy should be established at Hobart in accordance 

 with the suggestions of Mr. H. C. Russell, subject to such modifications 

 as circumstances may require." 



Mr. J. B. Walker said that the paper which had been read was most 

 valuable, not only as the testimony of a high authority to the pre-eminent 



