ON SCIENCE-LECTURES AND ORGANIZATION. 503 



Considered necessary to study the sun — the fountain of all our energies — at 

 all, whether for practical ends or for higher objects, the method of local 

 spectroscopic observation must not be neglected. I further believe, as I have 

 before stated, that it helps us where nothing else does, even if the photosphere 

 be alone considered ; and that, as we have above the photosphere a region of 

 greater delicacy, the continued study of this will lead us far beyond the 

 point we could hope to attain by merely observing the spots. 



While I hold these opinions most strongly, I must also add that I see no 

 way of having the work done by private effort. I have tried hard to continue 

 the work ; and in the fact that it was begun in this country by myself I had 

 the strongest inducement to carry it on ; but nothing short of one's whole 

 time will suffice for such inquiries. 



For the purpose of commencing action in this branch of science, your 

 Committee directed its Meteorological Subcommittee to put themselves into 

 communication with the Observational Establishments of the United Kingdom, 

 with a view of ascertaining from the directors of these establishments what 

 information besides that which they publish, they are willing to communicate 

 to men of science, and on what terms. This has been done with respect to 

 the four following institutions : — 



^o 



1. The Royal Observatory, Greenwich. 



2. The Meteorological Committee. 



3. The Kew Observatory Committee. 



4. The Stonyhurst Observatory. 



The following questions were put to the Astronomer Royal: — 



1 . Might men of science be permitted to inspect the traces of the Green- 

 wich self-recording instruments, especially those recording the changes in 

 terrestrial magnetism and those recording earth-currents, and to take notes 

 of them 1 



2. Could accurate copies of such traces be procured ? and on what terms 1 



3. Could accurate copies of the hourly tabulated values, taken from such 

 traces, be procured 1 and on what terms ? 



To these questions the following reply was received from the Astronomer 



Royal : — 



Boyal Observatory, Greenwich, London, S.E., 

 AprU 3, 1872. 



My dear Sir, — In reply to the questions which yon, acting with the 

 British-Association's Committee on Science-Lectures and Organization, have 

 placed before me (received this day), I have to answer as follows : — 



1. It will give me great pleasure to offer every facility to any man of 

 science to see, examine, and take notes on all traces of self-recording in- 

 struments in this Observatory. I cannot very well allow the sheets to be 

 taken out of the Observatory, and should be glad if persons inspecting these 

 sheets would come at an early hour in the morning. 



2. Every facility shall be given for taking accurate copies of the records. 

 If a small' number only is required, we will at once have them made (when 

 the specific records are designated) without further trouble to our visitor ; if 

 a large number is wanted, some further arrangement may be necessary, on 

 which at present I cannot speak positively. 



3. Copies of the tabulated values shall be furnished to any practicable ex- 



