lxxx President's Address 



was combined with the Astronomical Observatory into one 

 department under the direction of Mr. Ellery, our Honorary 

 Secretary. Professor Neumayer, having completed the 

 Magnetic Survey, returning to Europe. 



While taking credit for the part which the Royal Society 

 had in urging forward the formation of an Observatory, we 

 must not omit to give honour where also it is justly due, 

 and it is with great pleasure that I am able to state that 

 the rapid advance which the Observatory has made is 

 mainly due to the first Honorary Secretary of the Board of 

 Visitors, the Hon, George Frederick Verdon, M.P., who, as 

 an independent member of the Legislature, and subsequently 

 as Minister of Finance, exerted his influence in so powerful 

 and beneficial a manner that to his advocacy we owe, not 

 only the worthy condition of efficiency in which the Obser- 

 vatory has been placed, but also much of the progress of the 

 other scientific, literary, and aesthetic establishments in the 

 country, maintained or established at the public expense. 



The new Observatory is a substantial building, erected 

 with special regard to the modern requirements of astronomy, 

 magnetism, and meteorology. The principal instruments are 

 a four feet transit circle by Throughton and Simms, a 

 chronographic apparatus by Siemens and Halske. of Berlin, 

 two sidereal clocks by Frodsham, .of London, besides other 

 clocks, barometers, and other meteorological ■ instruments, 

 and a complete set of magnetic instruments, both for abso- 

 lute and differential determinations. 



The work of the Observatory, besides the ordinary rou- 

 tine of observations for some instrumental errors, meteorology 

 and magnetism, has consisted principally of a revision of 

 star catalogues, with the immediate view of completing the 

 Williamstown Star Catalogue now in the press. . This 

 volume, which will shortly be published, will contain the 

 results of all the work done of late years at the Williamstown 



