1 REPORT — 1875. 



satellites, and to reduce the transit- observations. The instruments* for use 

 at Eoorkee will be ordered in this country, and sent out with as little delay 

 as possible. 



" '2. I observe that your Government, in sanctioning these arrangements, 

 have declined to engage themselves to any thing further at present; and 

 that the suggested establishment of a solar observatory at Simla remains an 

 open question for future consideration. 



" ' 3. I herewith transmit a copy of a letter, which I have received fi-om the 

 President of the British Association, on the importance of continuous Solar 

 Observations in India ; and I would suggest for your consideration whether 

 an observatory on an inexpensive scale might not usefully be established at 

 Simla after the ensuing year, with this object, for which spectroscopes only 

 would be necessary, in addition to the instruments already at Boorkee. 



" ' I have the honour to be, 

 " ' My Lord, 

 " ' Your Lordship's most obedient humble SexTant, 



(Signed) •' ' Salisbury.' " 



Second Resolution. — "That the Council of the Association be reqtiested 

 to take such steps as they may think desirable with a view to promote 

 the appointment of Naturalists to vessels engaged on the coasts of 

 little-known parts of the world." 



The Council drew up the following Letter, which was sig-ned by the 

 President, and forwarded to the Admiralty : — 



"British Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 22 Albemarle Street, London, March 9, 1875. 



" Sir, — The Council of the British Association have had recently referred 

 to them by the General Committee of the Association a question which in 

 various forms has been already under their consideration — the importance, 

 namely, of attaching Naturalists (that is to say, persons specially trained in 

 Natural-historj^ observation) to Surveying-ships generally, and more especially 

 to those engaged in the survey of unfrequented or little-known regions. 



" The Council have requested me to communicate to Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment their conviction of the importance of making, wherever practicable, this 

 addition to Surveying Expeditions. They believe that such action on the 

 part of the Government would not only be of advantage to Science, but that 

 it would be conducive to the commercial interests of the country to an extent 

 far outbalancing the trifling outlay which such appointments would render 

 necessary. 



" We are here in reality only asking for a further application of the en- 

 lightened policy which enabled the Government to utilize the talents of such 

 men as Banks and Solander in the last century, and which has more recently 

 given scope to the abilities of such men as Darwin, Hooker, and Huxley. 

 Even in a commercial point of view the advantages which have flowed from 

 this policy have been quite out of proportion to its cost to the country. 



* "' A parallel wire micrometer ^20 



Solar and stellar spectroscopes 130 



Micrometer for measuring Bolar photographs 50 



^200 



