xxxii Annual Report. 



fleeting telescope. This is the more to be regretted, as at least three 

 years must elapse from the order being given before the telescope 

 and other apparatus needful for the Observatory can be supplied ; and 

 it appears to the council that it would be an honourable distinction 

 for this colony to be the first to step forward and complete the as- 

 tronomical work commenced by Sir John F. W. Herschel at the Cape 

 of Good Hope. The Council has pleasure in stating that one re- 

 commendation of the Observatory Committee has been carried out 

 by the Government, viz., the establishment of a Magnetic Observa- 

 tory, under the superintendence of Professor Neumayer. 



The Exploration Committee of the Institute has merged its efforts 

 in those of a larger body, elected by the citizens of Melbourne, for 

 forwarding the same object. It is pleasing to record the support 

 given by Government, which has expressed an intention of procuring 

 camels to aid. 



Numerous valuable donations have been received during the past 

 year, both to the Museum and to the Library of the Institute. The 

 interchanges of " Transactions" with the learned societies of Europe 

 and America, and those of the adjacent colonies, is rapidly increas- 

 ing. The council regrets that the property of the Institute is not 

 generally available to the members, from the want of accommodation, 

 which, it is hoped, will soon be supplied. 



On the 14th of January, 1858, the council received from the de- 

 partment of Public Lands the gratifying intelligence that his Excel- 

 lency the Governor, in Council, had been pleased to approve of a 

 reserve of one rood six perches at the junction of Victoria-street with 

 Latrobe-street. The council, however, on conferring with architects, 

 found that for the erection of buildings suitable for the Institute, a 

 larger space would be required. Renewed application was therefore 

 made in the proper quarter, and eventually (August, 1858) the whole 

 triangular piece of ground (two roods six perches) lying between 

 Victoria, Latrobe, and Rathdown streets, was reserved for the Philo- 

 sophical Institute. This land has been fenced, a premium for the most 

 suitable plan has been awarded, and it is the hope of the council that 

 ere long the walls of the future home of the Institute will be rising. 

 It will be possible, with the funds now at the disposal of the council, 

 to erect a large hall, a museum, a library, a laboratory, and an appa- 

 ratus room, and quarters for the keeper. 



Directly after the reading of this report, there will be laid before 

 the Institute a proposal, which the council strongly recommends to 

 the approbation of the Institute, which cannot, however, be carried 

 out until the Institute has premises of its own, viz., for the establish- 

 ment of sections within the general body of members. The council 

 feels, and believes that the feeling is shared by the members generally, 

 that the Institute has not, during the past year, done as much work 

 for science as might have been expected from so large a body. This 

 is, probably, mainly attributable to the desultory nature of those 



