NOTICES AND ABSTRACTS 



OF 



MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS TO THE SECTIONS. 



MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS. 



Mathematics. 



Address by G. B. Atrt, M.A., F.B.S., Astronomer Boyal, President of the 



Section. 



The President said it was usual, in opening the proceedings of this Section, to 

 commence with a few words, stating generally the ODJect for which they were met, 

 and the way in which they proposed to cany it out. That Section was one which 

 dealt with Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, and under these heads they in- 

 cluded everything which was not of a technical natm'e, and which was the subject 

 of mathematical treatment. Eveiything which was reducible to measures or forces 

 came properly under their consideration, if it were not expressly a subject belonging 

 to some technical Section. Cosmology, or the changes which the world has imder- 

 gone, came properly before them ; and that Section might be considered as dealing 

 with the genus of all the sciences which were subjects of measure or number. 

 Its siibjects might be compared with those which most of our Universities made the 

 foundation for the important degi'ee of Arts, and which are understood to be the 

 best foimdation of education possible to provide for the human mind. It was to 

 those subjects that the early efforts of the Association were directed, and in a gi'eat 

 measure it was those subjects that had enabled the Association to acquire its pre- 

 sent importance. It was well known to members of that Association that its 

 earliest etforts were directed to astronomy; almost the earliest expenditure of 

 money by the Association was in reference to astronomy, and the worts the Asso- 

 ciation had published at its own expense had been amongst the most valuable con- 

 tributions to that science. By the expenditm-e, of money in that way, the Associa- 

 tion had acquired a command over the Government which had enabled it to call 

 for assistance in very huportant matters. The reduction of the lunar observations 

 at the Eoyal ObseiTatoiy at Greenwich was undertaken in consequence of the 

 urgency of the representations made by the British Association, and anybody who 

 knew the history of science would admit that that gi-eat work was one of the most 

 important services that had been rendered to astronomy. There were other sub- 

 jects to which benefit had been derived fi-oni the representations of the Association, 

 amongst which he might mention the great magnetic expeditions under the direc- 

 tion of Major-General Sabine. These expeditions, which had been effected at 

 the expense of the Government, had made us acquainted with magnetism all over 

 the eartli, and had given us information such as we could not have got in any other 

 way. In speaking thus of the importance of these subjects, and of their proper 

 connexion with that Section, he had only to say that they shoidd be happy to 

 receive any communication bearing upon similar subjects. In dealing with them, 

 it was desirable in all cases that they should consider themselves as treating ques- 

 tions strictly of science. In the next place, he hoped that those who made com- 

 munications would bear in muid that their time was to be used, and not wasted. 

 It was desirable that nothing shoidd be brought before the Meeting that would not 

 be xmderstood, {2)so facto, from, the reading of the paper or oral conuuunication, by 

 the majority of the pei-sons present. There was no use in gentlemen bringing com- 

 1861. 1 



