XXX REPORT — 1859. 



At a Meeting of the Council on December 17, 1858, tbe President stated 

 that communications had been made on the subject of these Resolutions to 

 the President and Council of the Royal Society, and to His Royal Highness 

 The Prince Consort, the President Elect of the British Association for the 

 ensuing year. He then presented the following letters, which were ordered 

 to be entered on the Minutes : — 



" Windsor Castle, December 1, 1858. 



" Dear Sir, — I have been commanded by His Royal Highness The Prince 

 Consort to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the series of resolutions 

 adopted by the Council of the British Association, relative to the extension 

 of the field of Magnetical and Meteorological Observations, 



" His Royal Highness would be glad to be informed whether it is expected 

 from him, as President Elect of the Association, that he should take any 

 steps with reference to the object the Council has in view, and if so, what 

 they should be. 



"I have also to thank you, by His Royal Highness's desire, for the copy of 

 your Address. 



" I have the honour to be, dear Sir, 



" Yours very faithfully, 



« C. Grey." 



" Burlington House, December 9, 1858. 

 "Dear Sir, — In reference to the inquiry manifesting the interest which 

 His Royal Highness The Prince Consort takes in the subject of the Resolu- 

 tions of the Council of the British Association lately submitted to him, we 

 are aware that we ought not to solicit any personal or direct action of His 

 Royal Highness in the matter ; but, having laid before him the nature 

 and reasons of the case, and His Royal Highness being fully aware of its 

 important scientific bearings, any expression of His Royal Highness which 

 the joint Committees may be permitted to cite in their further communi- 

 cations with Her Majesty's Government or with Foreign Powers, Academies, 

 or constituted scientific authorities would, they feel confident, possess very 

 great influence, and be productive of the most beneficial effects, 



,„. n / " B. C. Brodie, P.R.S. 

 (feigned) |« RlCHARD Owen, Pres. Brit. Assoc." 



" To Major-Gen. Hon. C. Grey." 



" Osborne, 11 December, 1858. 



" My dear Professor Owen, — I have to acknowledge the receipt of the 

 Copy of Resolutions adopted at a Meeting of the British Association, with 

 respect to the measures to be adopted for the further prosecution of your 

 Magnetical and Meteorological Experiments, which I received before leaving 

 Windsor; and I have now seen the letter which, in conjunction with Sir B. 

 Brodie, you have addressed to General Grey, in answer to the inquiry respect- 

 ing the above-mentioned resolutions, which he made by my direction. 



" I need hardly repeat the assurance of the deep interest which I take in 

 the subject of your inquiries, or of my sense of the importance to science of 

 the further prosecution of the observations which have been so far conducted 

 under the auspices of the two Societies, the interruption of which, at the 

 very moment when there is so much reason to hope for their successful com- 

 pletion, would be a source of deep regret. Any assistance in my power to 

 afford, I shall at all times be most happy to render. If, therefore, you think 

 that in your future communications with Government, or with Foreign 

 Powers, learned Institutions, &c, it will tend in any way to facilitate your 

 labours, or to remove difficulties, to cite my opinion, you have my full per- 



