66 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 
Establishing a Solar Observatory in Australia.—Report of the 
Committee, consisting of Sir Davip GiLL (Chairman), Dr. 
W. G. Durrietp (Secretary), Dr. W. J. S. Lockysr, Mr. 
F. McCuean, and Professors A. ScHUSTER and H. H. Turner, 
appointed to aid the work of Establishing a Solar Observatory 
in Australia. 
Tue Secretary is at present in Australia endeavouring to obtain the 
necessary funds to enable a Solar Observatory to be erected. 
At the Brisbane Meeting of the Australasian Association for the 
Advancement of Science the following resolution was passed by the 
Council appreciative of the support of the British Association :— 
“That in view of the generous attitude of the British Association in 
granting 501. towards the establishment of the Observatory a similar 
sum be granted by the Australasian Association.’ 
It was quickly discovered that solar observations could not be well 
made at any of the existing State Observatories, and so an attempt is 
being made to establish a special observatory for the work, which shall 
be affiliated with all the Universities in the Commonwealth. For this 
purpose the Australian Solar Physics Committee of the Australasian 
Association has been formed, consisting of the Professors of Physics of 
each University and the Government Astronomer of each State, Mr. 
G. H. Knibbs, Commonwealth Statistician, being President, and Dr. 
Duffield, Hon. Secretary. 
This Committee formed a deputation which waited upon the Com- 
monwealth Government (Fisher Ministry) and asked for funds. The 
Minister replied that ‘ he thought Parliament would not be less public- 
spirited than private citizens, and would probably give pound for pound 
to the erection and equipment fund, and might maintain the observatory 
after its establishment.” The Fisher Government went out of office 
before the official reply was received, but the Deakin Ministry is now 
considering the matter and a reply is expected in the course of a few 
weeks. 
The Australian Solar Physics Committee has written to the British 
Association Committee offering to undertake the responsibility of spend- 
ing the grant-in-aid of 50l., which it is proposed to devote towards 
finding a suitable site for the proposed observatory. 
The enclosed memorandum has been prepared for the benefit of 
the Federal Government by the Australian Solar Physics Committee, 
setting forth the aims of the proposed Observatory, the history of the 
movement, and the support that has been accorded. Up to the present 
time 9501. has been promised towards the equipment of the Observatory, 
in addition to the ‘ Farnham’ Telescope 6-inch Grubb Refractor, and 
the ‘ Oddie’ Bequest of a 26-inch Reflector and a 9-inch Grubb Re- 
fractor. 
The Government have been asked to give 10,0001. towards the equip- 
ment and erection, and 1,5001. per annum for maintenance. 
Solar Research.—The proposed Australian Solar Observatory. 
That this work is of national importance is shown by the attendance 
at the last Congress of the International Solar Research Union of 
