140 KEPOET— 1886. 



tory mainly depend. The Committee are therefore unable to say what 

 amount of capital would be required. They would point out four con- 

 ditions which they hold to be indispensable : — 



' 1. The area of ground appropriated should be sufficient to ensure 

 freedom from the effect of subsequent building in the neighbourhood. 



' 2. A sufficient endowment fund of at least 150Z. annually should be 

 created. 



' 3. The control should be in tbe hands of a body which is in itself 

 permanent as far as can be foreseen. 



'4. The land for the site shall be handed over absolutely to the above- 

 mentioned governing body.' 



This communication from the Committee has been submitted to the 

 consideration of Mr. Lowe and his friends, and a letter from Mr. Lowe 

 has been recently received by Dr. Stewart, of which the following are 

 extracts. 



Mr. Lowe — who offers to give an acre of land, his instruments, and 

 meteorological books, and to work gratuitously at the observatory — 

 writes as follows (July 21, 1886) : — • 



' Yesterday sixteen scientific men from Bristol came over to look at the 

 proposed site of the observatory, and said that it seemed a pity that 

 nothing was being done. ... If any alteration in the scheme would 

 be desirable this could be done, as all that is required is an observatory 

 that would be useful to science. Tou have yourself seen the site, and if 

 you can suggest what would improve the proposal I have no doubt it 

 would be acted upon. . . . Newport would have had a meeting in 

 November, but the election came on and it was thought desirable to post- 

 pone it. Then the High Sheinff died — the second that had consented to 

 call a meeting — and you will recollect that I told you that Mr. Cart- 

 wright, another High Sheriff, had died. 



' The Committee think that they see their way to getting two or three 

 thousand pounds if the scheme were started. Since you were with me I 

 have purchased nearly 150 acres of land in front of the observatory, and 

 nothing could come between it and the channel as near as H to 2 

 miles. A new road is to be made to the Severn Tunnel station, and I 

 hear that the telegraph or telephone is likely to be carried up this 

 road. 



' If your Committee think well to recommend the observatory scheme, 

 action would be at once taken, and we have reason to believe that the 

 Bristol Docks would help us with lOOZ. a year. I should much like to 

 see such an observatory in working order whilst I live, but my time is 

 getting short. 



' There is a growing interest round here about the observatory, and 

 constant inquiries are made as to the probabilities of success.' 



The Committee express their sympathy with Mr. Lowe and his- 

 friends under the unfortunate circumstances that have tended to retard 

 local action. The Committee see such evidence of local interest in the 

 undertaking that they desire to have an early opportunity of co-operat- 

 ing with the local committee. They therefore ask for their reappoint- 

 ment, and request that the unexpended sum of 251. and an additional sum 

 of the same amount — in all 50Z. — be placed at their disposal for the 

 purpose. 



