REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. xlix 



The report of the proceedings and results of the Expedition will be pre- 

 sented to the Association by the Eclipse Committee in the usual course. 



The Council have received a communication from the Royal Astronomical 

 Society, informing them that that body contemplated printing, in a separate 

 volume of their Transactions, the results of the observations of the Solar 

 Eclipses of 1860 and 1370; and that, under these circumstances, they con- 

 sidered it would be advantageous to Science to publish, in the same manner, 

 the results of the Observations made in 1871, under the auspices of the 

 British Association; thus presenting a llecord of aU these Observations in 

 one uniform Series. 



The Council resolved to accept the proposal of the Council of the Royal 

 Astronomical Society, and they appointed a Committee, consisting of Mr. 

 "Warren De La Rue, Colonel Strange, Dr. Huggins, and Mr. Lockyer, to 

 arrange the necessary details with the Council of the Royal Astronomical 

 Socictj-. 



Thei-e were five other resolutions referred to the Council for consideration 

 or action, upon which the proceedings of the Council have been as follows : — - 



First Hesolution.—" That the President and Council of the British Asso- 

 ciation be authorized to cooperate with the President and Council of the 

 Royal Society, in whatever way may seem to them best, for the promotion of 

 a Circumnavigation Expedition, specially fitted out to carry the Physical and 

 Biological Exploration of the Deep Sea into aU, the Great Oceanic areas." 



A copy of this Resolution was forwarded to the Royal Society, and a Com- 

 mittee was appointed, consisting of the President and Officers of the Asso- 

 ciation, Dr. Carpenter, Professor Huxley, Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys, Mr. C. W. 

 Siemens, and Professor "Williamson, and authorized to cooperate with the 

 Committee of the Royal Society in carrying out the objects referred to in the 

 Resolution. The Expedition has been organized, the ship ' Challenger ' is 

 being fitted out at Sheerness, Captain Nares has been appointed to the com- 

 mand, and Professor Wyville Thomson (who has obtained three years' leave 

 of absence from the University of Edinburgh) is appointed to the Scientific 

 charge, with an adequate Staff under him. It is hoped that the Expedition 

 will sail about the end of November. 



Second Besolution. — " 1. That it is desirable that the British Association 

 apply to the Treasury for Funds to enable the Tidal Committee to make 

 observations and to continue their calculations. 



" 2. That it is desirable that the British Association should urge upon 

 the Government of India the importance, for navigation and other practical 

 purposes, and for science, of making accurate and continued observations on 

 the Tides at several points on the coast of India." 



The Coimcil added General Strachey to the Committee on Tides. The 

 Government of India, iipou their application, have agreed to defray the 

 expense of making Tidal observations in India, and of causing the experi- 

 ments to be reduced according to the methods devised by the Committee on 

 Tides. 



In pursuance of the first part of this Resolution, the Cnnmittce on Tides 

 being authorized by the Council to make an application to the Government, 

 presented the following Memorial to the Lords Commissioners of II. M. 

 Treasury : — 



1872. 



