liv REPORT — 1867. 



selves into a voluntary association for the pursuit of science. This Scientific 

 Society, which numbers upwards of thii-ty members, meets every ten clays at 

 the hoiise and under the presidency of one or other of the masters. Objects 

 of scientific interest are exhibited by the members, and papers are read gene- 

 rally on some subject connected witli natural history. Under the auspices of 

 this Society the nucleus of a future museum has already been formed ; and 

 among other advantages the Society has had the honour of numbering among 

 its visitors more than one eminent representative of literatiu'c and science. 

 AVe cannot too highly recommend the encouragement of such associations for 

 intellectual self-culture among the boys of our public schools. 



Report of the Kew Committee of the British Association for the 

 Advancement of Science for 1866-67. 



The Committee of the Kew Observatory submit to the Council of the British 

 Association the following statement of their proceedings during the past 

 year :— 



At the Nottingham Meeting it was resolved, " That the Kew Committee 

 be authorized to discuss and make the necessary arrangements with the Board 

 of Trade, should any proposal be made respecting the superintendence, reduc- 

 tion, and pubhcation of Meteorological observations, in accordance with the 

 recommendations of the Bcport of the Committee appointed to consider cer- 

 tain questions relating to the Meteorological Department of the Board of 

 Trade." 



On the 18th of October last, a joint Meeting of the Kew Committee, and 

 of the President, Vice-Presidents, and other Officers of the Royal Society, took 

 place, to take into consideration a communication which had been received 

 by the President of the Royal Society from the Board of Trade relative to 

 the Meteorological Department, and to consider what reply should be sent. 



At this joint Meeting it was recommended that the Department imder 

 whose care the Meteorological observations, reductions, and tabulations are 

 to be made shoidd be imder the direction and control of a Superintending 

 Scientific Committee, who should (subject to the approval of the Board of 

 Trade) have the nomination to all appointments, as well as the power of 

 dismissing the usual officials receiving salaries or remimeration. It was also 

 understood that while the ser\ices of the Committee were to bo gratuitous, 

 they would yet necessarily require the services and assistance of a competent 

 paid Secretary. 



Finally, the draft of a reply to the above-mentioned communication from 

 the Board of Trade was agreed to at this Meeting, for consideration of tho 

 Council of the Royal Society. 



The CouncU of the Royal Society, on 13th Dec. 1866, nominated the following 

 Fellows of the Society as the Superintending Meteorological Committee : — 

 General Sabine, Pres. R.S., Mr. Do la Rue, Mr. Francis Galton, Mr. Gassiot, 

 Dr. W. A. MiUer, Captain Richards (Hydrographer of the Admiralty), Colonel 

 Smythc, and Mr. Spottiswoode ; and on the 3rd of January this Committee 

 appointed Mr. Balfour Stewart as its Secretary, on the understanding that 

 he should, with the concurrence of the Kew Committee of the British Associa- 

 tion, retain his present office of Superintendent of the Kew Observatoiy. 



It was also proposed that Kew Observatory should become the Central 

 Observatory, at which aU instruments used by or prepared for the several 

 observatories or stations connected with the Meteorological Department shoidd 



