328 REPORT — 1873. 



munication with these departments and with the Colonial and Indian Officers, 

 and have much pleasure in stating that they have had the most liberal and 

 hearty assistance from all the departments of Government. 



The first duty of the Committee was to arrange for the dispatch of instru- 

 ments and instructions to Australia, which it was necessary to do by the mail 

 of the 2nd of October. 



By Mr. Lockyer's exertions, and the kindness of Mr. Huggins in making 

 over a camera of Mr. DalLmeyer's, which the Committee undertook to replace 

 within a month, these instruments were all sent off in good time, and reached 

 Melbourne with little or no damage. 



The unfortunate result of the expedition to Australia, from bad weather, 

 ■ is well known and deeply regretted, and need only be briefly mentioned. 



The Committee now turned their attention to the selection of the places 

 best adapted to observation in India. Very careful inquiries were made from 

 every available source as to the nature of the climate in different parts of 

 India on the 12th of December, and in these the Committee received most 

 valuable assistance from General Strachey. 



The season was about the middle of the north-east monsoon, making it 

 probable that there would be fine weather on the west coast of the peninsula, 

 but that the weather on the east coast and in Ceylon could not be depended 

 upon, the rainy season breaking up in December, but sometimes early in the 

 month, but at other times not till nearly or quite the end. 



It was originally intended to fix the number of observers at five ; hut on 

 further consideration it appeared to the Committee that, because of this un- 

 certainty of weather, it was desirable to divide the expedition into as many 

 parties as possible ; with the very important assistance mentioned in the 

 next paragraphs, they were of opinion that it would be feasible, by means of 

 the Treasury grant, to purchase the necessary instruments and to provide 

 passage-money for ten observers. 



The Peninsular and Oriental Company, at the request of the Committee, 

 made the most liberal arrangements for freight and passage to and fi'om Point 

 de Galle, and the Admiralty at once communicated by telegraph with Admiral 

 Cockburn, at Trincomalee, receiving an immediate reply, stating the frigate 

 ' Glasgow ' would be at Galle on the 25th of November in readiness to trans- 

 port the party to the place of observation and bring them back again. 



The Governor of Ceylon, in the same liberal manner, not only placed the 

 steamer ' Serendib ' at the disposal of the expedition, but undertook to give 

 all possible assistance in officers and material which might be needed. 



After making these arrangements, the Committee appointed Mr. Lockyer 

 chief of the expedition, and Dr. T. Thomson Secretary and Treasurer. 



The selection of observers was necessarily difficult. To many highly qua- 

 lified physicists the length of the voyage was an insuperable obstacle ; but 

 Mr. Lockyer was able to submit to the Committee the folloM'ing names : — 



1. Eev. E. Abbay, Wadham College, Oxford ; 2. H. Davis, Esq. ; 3. R. J. 

 FriswcU, Esq. ; 4. Henry Holiday, Esq. ; 5. W. Lewis, Esq. ; 6. Captain 

 Maclear, E.N. ; 7. H. N. Moseley, Esq. ; 8. Captain Tui)man, E.M.A. — all 

 gentlemen devoted to and well skilled in solar physics. 



To the chief of the expedition and to these gentlemen the Committee have 

 great pleasure in giving their most cordial thanks for the zeal which led them 

 to undertake a long voyage with the sole object of the advancement of science, 

 and in expressing their great satisfaction with the way in which the expe- 

 dition was carried out. 



Mr. Davis, the accomplished photographer of Lord Lindsay, undertook tho 



