REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. XXXI 



mission to state, in the strongest manner, the conviction I entertain of the 

 importance of being enabled to establish those new points of observation in 

 different parts of the world, and to execute those magnetic surveys to which 

 the Resolutions allude, 



"Wishing you most heartily every success in the further development of 

 this most interesting subject, 



" I remain, yours faithfully, 



( Signed ) ' ' A lbert," 



It was also stated by the President that a letter had been received from 

 the Treasury, in reply to a communication enclosing the Resolutions above 

 {liven by the President of the Royal Society and the President of the British 

 Association, from which it appeared that the Lords Commissioners of the 

 Treasury were desirous of postponing for a year the consideration of the 

 subject. On this it was resolved by the Council — 



That the President be requested to make a further communication to the 

 Treasury, and to suggest reasons which may induce the Lords of the Trea- 

 sury to enter on the consideration of the subject at an earlier period. 



In compliance with this request, the President had an interview with Sir 

 Charles Trevelyan at the Treasury, December 18th, and having read to him 

 the letter from the Prince Consort, expressive of His Royal Higliness's deep 

 intei'est in the proposed Magnetical Observations, received from Sir Charles 

 the expression of his belief, that, if a single station for Magnetical and 

 Meteorological Observations were applied for, intimating Pekin as its locality, 

 by the joint Committee of the Royal Society and British Association, My 

 Lords would be disposed to comply with such application. 



The President thereupon wrote to the President of the Royal Society, to 

 Major-General Sabine, and Sir John Herschel, and, having received their 

 replies, communicated to Sir Charles Trevelyan that from Major-General 

 Sabine, of which a copy is subjoined, together with the following extract 

 from Sir John Herschel's letter, dated Collingwood, Dec. 22nd, 1858: — 

 " The scientific importance of a five years' series of Magnetical Observations 

 at Pekin, without Newfoundland or the other stations (Vancouver's and 

 Falkland Islands), would be grievously diminished, and the general scope of 

 the project defeated," 



From General Sabine. 



" St. Leonards-on-Sea, January 1st, 1859. 



"Dear Owen, — I have received your letter of the 27th ult., containing a 

 notice of your communication with Sir Charles Trevelyan, and enclosing 

 copies of letters from Sir John Herschel and Mr. Airy. 



" There would in no case have been any question of an estimate for the 

 present year, viz. 1859. The instruments even for a single Observatory 

 cannot be ready before Midsummer next ; and those who are to be charged 

 with the observations will require at least some weeks for a full training, 

 before they will be ready to proceed to their destination. Supposing, 

 therefore, but a single Observatory to be authorized, it will come properly 

 into the estimates for 1860, though there may be a small arrear to be included 

 for the latter part of the preceding financial year. 



"Before Mr. Welsh left Kew in November last, he gave Mr. Adie the 

 specifications for the differential instruments (for the three elements) which 

 it is our intention to propose as most suitable for a Colonial Observatory ; 

 and Mr. Adie undertook to have them completed and ready by Midsummer 



