Meetings of the Scientific Association of Great Britain. 67 
Persons the most interested in political science hold meetings at 
London, where they discuss the subject of their studies and mutually 
enlighten each other. These discussions, altogether scientific and 
friendly, at which twenty or thirty persons attend, take place after a 
meal and generally turn on the political questions of the day. They 
had the goodness to admit me to one of them, where the subject was, 
the work required from children in the manufactories. At this meet- 
ing, many of the most distinguished political economists of England 
were present, namely, Messrs. Malthus, Senior, Tooke, Lewis, 
Whately, Babbage, &c. ; our minister plenipotentiary at London, 
Mr. Van de Weyer, whose duties have not turned him from the sub- 
ject of his first studies, is also a member of this society and took part 
at the same meeting. . 
Observatories.—The observatory at Cambridge has received ma- 
ny valuable additions since my first visitin 1827. Besides the great 
transit instrument with a focal distance of ten feet, they have now a 
mural circle of ten feet diameter and a new equatorial of a very el- 
egant form, constructed by Messrs. Troughton and Simms. This 
equatorial, in every respect similar to that which the same artists are 
now making for the observatory at Brussels, is furnished with two 
circles three feet in diameter ; the vertical circle is between four cyl]- 
indrical columns, which rest upon the hour circle and are placed in 
the direction of the poles. These three fine instruments place the 
Cambridge observatory among the first in Europe ; no one is better 
qualified to give renown to this noble establishment, than Mr. Airy 
its superintendant, whose name is equally distinguished in the different 
branches of mathematical science. 
The royal observatory at Greenwich has not been much changed 
for many years. The great Zenith sector however has been put 
in place. Observations on the stars and planets are still made with 
diligence, in this fine establishment, which together with the observa- 
tories at Cambridge and Armagh, publishes its operations with a reg- 
ularity which is of the greatest advantage to science. 
The compilation of the Nautical Almanac, entrusted to Mr. Stratford, 
has just been extended so as greatly to increase its usefulness to as- 
tronomers ‘and especially to navigators. Forsome time, the publica- 
tion of this interesting collection was delayed, but owing to the care 
of the present compilers the volume for 1834, which has just been 
published, will be soon followed by that for 1835, and every thing 
leads us to hope that we may in future procure these ephemerides some 
