REPORT OF THE KEW COMMITTEE. xlv 



The Committee finding that in future they will not require more than one 

 half of the land attached to the Observatory, for which an annual rent of 

 £21 is paid, notice to that effect has been given to Mr. Fuller. 



In the last Annual Report to the Council at Leeds, the Committee sug- 

 gested " that the time had arrived when strenuous exertions should be made 

 to obtain such an amount of pecuniary aid as would ensure the efficient 

 working of a practical physical observatory ; " and they also stated " that the 

 probable future expenditure could not be fairly estimated under ^6800 per 

 annum." At that time the Committee contemplated the engagement of a 

 photographic assistant, and also some other arrangements which they were 

 compelled to forego, as it will be seen, by the fiuancial statement annexed to 

 this Report, that the expenditure of the past year exceeded the income by the 

 sum of £106 2s. Id., the amount of the former being £675 14s. 8d., while 

 the total income was only £569 12s. Id., £69 12s. Id. having been received 

 for the verification of instruments : this source of income is year by year 

 decreasing, as explained in a former Report, in consequence of the Govern- 

 ment departments being now nearly supplied with standard meteorological 

 instruments. 



The Committee, in presenting this Report, have to repeat their former sug- 

 gestions, that means should be taken to obtain effectual pecuniary aid for the 

 support of an establishment which has for so many years laboriously and 

 effectually carried out those scientific objects for which it was founded, more 

 particularly since the appointment of a salaried superintendent, assisted by a 

 competent staff, whose individual services have always been obtained at the 

 most moderate scale of remuneration. 



Kew Observatory, Aug. 29, 1859. John P. Gassiot, Chairman. 



