xlvi KEPORT 1870. 



to the Kew Observatory by the Magnetic Office at Woolwicli, under tbe di- 

 rection of Sir E. Sabine, and many of those magnetic instruments with which 

 Kew has been the means of furnishing scientific travellers have been derived 

 from the same source. 



Of late Kew has become the Central Observatoiy of the Meteorological Com- 

 mittee, and a commodious workshop has been erected near the Observatory 

 by that Committee, since otherwise the main buUding would have been too 

 small for the access of work consequent upon the arrangement entered into. 



The statement prepared hj the Kew Committee contained likewise a sum- 

 maiy of the scientiiic work done at the Observatory, as well as some 

 interesting liistorical remarks connected with the origin of the establish- 

 ment, drawn np by Sir C. Wheatstone, and in this shape it was submitted 

 to the Council of the British Association. 



The Council decided to recommend " that the present relations between 

 the Kew Observatory and the British Association be continued unaltered until 

 the completion, in 1872, of the magnetical and solar decennial period ; that 

 after that date all connexion between them shovdd cease." 



In consequence of this recommendation, the Kew Committee were led to 

 contemplate the dissolution of the Kew establishment in 1872, and they 

 became anxious to make such arrangements as might enable them to complete 

 their scientific labours in a creditable manner before the time of the antici- 

 pated dissolution. The magnetic work in particular caused them anxiety ; 

 for the annual income of the establishment is insufficient to permit of that 

 work being fully completed by the time of the Annual Meeting of the Asso- 

 ciation in 1872. Under these circumstances the Chairman offered to sup- 

 plement the deficiency (see Appendix, p. Ivi). It will be seen by this Eeport 

 that the magnetical tabulations and reductions are now proceeding very fast. 



The recommendation of the Council was also a matter of anxiety to the 

 Superintendent, Mr. Stewart ; and as the Professorship of Natural Philosophy 

 at Owens College, Manchester, became vacant about this time, he applied 

 for the appointment and was successful in obtaining it. 



This will render it necessary for Mr. Stewart to reside in Manchester, but 

 the staff at the Observatory are such that Mr. Stewart will undertake by 

 their aid to assist the Committee in the superintendence of the work of the 

 Observatory until IS 



o 



(A) Work doxe ur Kew Observatory trxDun inn directioi; of tee 

 British Association. 



1. Magnetic Worl: — In the present state of magnetical science it would 

 appear to be desirable to preserve as completely as possible the details of 

 observations ,so that future theorists may have a large and valuable source of 

 information by which to test tlieir speculations. 



The Committee are therefore desirous that by the autumn of 1872 a 

 manuscript record should be completed, containing aU the hourly tabulated 

 values from the Kew Magnetographs arranged in monthly tables. 



This record should be carefully preserved, along with the original photo- 

 graphic traces, in the Archives of the Association. 



Pursuing the method indicated by Sir E. Sabine, and adopting the sepa- 

 rating values finally determined by him, the Committee further propose to 

 obtain monthly results indicating the following points for each of the three 

 magnetic elements, distributed according to the hour of the day ; — • 



