British Association for the Advancement of Science. 303 



having been mainly employed in collecting information which might 

 direct its future proceedings. In the fourth year 167Z. was thus spent, 

 and from this time the sum went on rapidly increasing. In the fifth 

 year it was nearly 500Z. ; in the sixth and seventh nearly 1,000/. each 

 year ; in the eighth and ninth above 1,500/. each year; and it appears 

 that during the past year we have expended in this manner, the sum of 

 1,240/. And these sums, it is to be observed, are only a part of what 

 were voted ; at Liverpool, in 1837, above 3,000/. was voted, of which 

 1,000/. only was applied for; at Newcastle 3,700/. was voted, and 

 1,600/. of this only paid ; at Birmingham 2,800/. was voted, and 1,500/. 

 paid ; the sum voted at Glasgow last year, was 2,600/., of which, as I 

 have said, your treasurer has really paid 1,240/. 



" These differences of the sums voted and paid in each year are evi- 

 dence of the care with which the resources of the Association are hus- 

 banded ; for the sums voted were to be had on application made by the 

 persons to whom their disposal was intrusted ; but they were not applied 

 for, except in proportion to the scientific work which was done ; and 

 those who undertook these labors for us carefully confined their expen- 

 diture within the narrowest possible limits. It would occupy you too 

 long if I were to mention in detail the subjects to which these sums 

 have been applied ; but I may state in general, that above 900/. has 

 been expended by us in the furtherance of astronomy, mainly upon the 

 object of reducing observations already made, into such a form that 

 they can be directly compared with the theory. Above 800/. has been 

 expended on tide observations ; 250/. on experiments on waves ; 500/. 

 on experiments on the best form of vessels ; 200/. on experiments on 

 cast iron ; about 400/. has been employed in various labors relative to 

 meteorology ; and above 300/. on the description of fossil fishes and 

 reptiles. I shall not detain you by mentioning smaller sums which have 

 been devoted to various objects : but I may call to your notice a work 

 executed mainly in this country, upon which the Association expended 

 about 550/. in 1838 and 1839. This work consisted in striking a level 

 line from the north coast of Somersetshire to Exmouth, in order to de- 

 termine whether the level of the sea is the same in the Bristol Channel 

 and in the British Channel, and in order to afford a standard of reference 

 in future times, if, from any cause the relative level of the land and 

 the sea should change. This operation has already afforded us the 

 means of determining, that the great land slip, which has recently taken 

 place near Axmouth, was not accompanied by any permanent change 

 in the level of the land itself, where a block of granite lies, which marks 

 one of the extremities of our level line. 



" Since the first institution of the Association, about 7,000/. has been 

 expended on such objects as I have pointed out : but it is impossible for 



Vol. xLi, No. 2.— July-Scpt. 1841. 50 



