1 REPORT — 1873. 



Sir A. H, Gordon to tJie Earl of Kimherley. 



" Grovernment House, Mah^ Seychelles, 

 15th January, 1873. 



" My Lord, — I have had the honour to receive your Lordship's despatch 

 (No. 302) of the 20th ultimo ou the subject of the assistance to be afforded 

 to Mr. Meldrum of the Mauritius Observatory. 



" 2. Some slight increase was made in this year's estimates to the amount 

 voted for this purpose, but not to the extent proposed by the British 

 Association. 



" 3. The -whole stibjcct is one in respect to which I should be glad to be 

 informed of your Lordship's views and wishes. 



" 4. It is admitted, and indeed the increased grant is urged by the British 

 Association on this ground, that the benefit of Mr. Meldrum's investigations 

 is of general application, and that it is the advancement of science, and not 

 any special interest of Mauritius itself that is concerned. Under these cir- 

 cumstances I confess that it seems to me hardly just that the revenue of 

 Mauritius should bear the whole burden of these investigations, and that 

 the Imperial Treasury, or, at aU events, the Meteorological Society, might 

 be fairly called upon to defray a part of the expenses incurred. 



" I have &c., 

 (Signed) <' Aethub Gordon." 



" Tlie Right Hon. tJie Earl of Kimlerley, 6fc. &fcP 



In consequence of this communication the Council requested the President 

 to urge upon the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury the 

 desirability of aifording such pecuniary aid to the Mauritius Observatory as 

 would enable the Director to continue his observations on the periodicitj' of 

 Cyclones; and an intimation has been received from Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment that an inquiry into the condition, size, and cost of the Establishment 

 of the Mauritius is now being conducted by a Special Commission from 

 England, pending which inquiry no increase of expenditure upon the 

 Observatory can be sanctioned ; but that when the results of this inquiry 

 shall be made known the Secretary of State for the Colonies will direct 

 the attention of the Governor to the subject. 



Second Resolution. — " That, in the event of the Council having reason 

 to believe that any changes aflPecting the acknowledged efficiency and 

 scientific character of the botanical establishment at Kew are contemplated 

 by the Government, the Council be requested to take such steps as in 

 their judgment wiO. be conducive to the interests of botanical science in 

 this country." 



The Council have not deemed it necessary to take any action upon this 

 Resolution. 



Third Resolution. — "That the Council be requested to take such steps 

 as they may deem desirable to urge upon the Indian Government the pre- 

 paration of a Photoheliograph and other instruments for solar observa- 

 tion, with the view of assisting in the observation of the Transit of Venus 

 in 1874, and for the continuation of solar observations in India." 



The Council communicated with His Grace the Duke of Argyll, the 

 Secretary of State for India, upon the subject, with the result cxi)lained in 

 the following correspondence : — 



