for the year 1871. xliii 



National Museum has been brought ahnost to a standstill 

 during the past year. I am informed, by the director 

 (Professor M'Coy) that this is owing to the change of 

 management from the director and chief secretary to an 

 enlargement of the Public Library trust, which now includes 

 the National Museum, and that in consequence of a great 

 reduction of the means hitherto at his disposal for the care, 

 preservation, and additions to the collections, his efforts at 

 progress have, for a time at least, been paralysed. The 

 whole of the collection of machinery and mining, which were 

 intended to facilitate the formation of a mining and 

 agricultural school at the University, have been removed to 

 the technological collection at the Public Library. 



The geodetic survey, I informed you in my last address, 

 had been reduced by the Government to exceedingly small 

 dimensions. The limited staff left were then engaged in 

 marking the boundary line between New South Wales and 

 Victoria, which, as you are aware, has hitherto been an 

 imaginary line joining Forest Hill and Cape Howe. 



At the date of our last anniversary meeting the 

 geographical positions of the termini had been determined, 

 and a line started from Forest Hill to emerge at Cape Howe, 

 the azimuth of which had been computed from the geo- 

 graphical positions of the termini, and from the best available 

 data of the figure of the earth. Although the final line has 

 not yet reached Cape Howe by several miles, the pioneer 

 line shows that it will intercept the mark fixed about 18 

 months ago as the south-east terminus, by the surveyor 

 general of New South Wales and myself, within a few feet — 

 probably not exceeding 12. This, on a line of about 115 

 miles running, bearing south-east, is an achievement which 

 can only be properly aj^preciated by astronomers and 

 surveyors, and reflects the greatest credit on the officers who 

 have been engaged on the work. 



