92 Proceedings, &c., for 1887. 



773*24: as the value of J for sea Level at Greenwich. It was, 

 however, somewhat remarkable that, assuming 32-151 (ft. sec.) as 

 the value of g in Melbourne, this number became 774*10 foot lbs. 

 degree Fahr,, which closely corresponds with the result given in 

 Dr. Taylor's science letter to The Australasian. This led him to 

 his second note, on the value of g, or the intensity of the force of 

 gravity. Professor JSTeumeyer, when in Melbourne, had in 1860 

 made a series of observations with a modification of Kater's 

 pendulum in the cellar of a house in Domain Road, which was for 

 the purpose connected with the then newly-built observatory by a 

 telegraph wire. Mr. Ellery had informed him that no results had 

 been obtained, or at least published, as Neumeyer found a defect 

 in his pendulum after returning to Berlin. Professor Andrew 

 suggested that, although for all practical, and for most scientific 

 purposes, the computed value of g for Melbourne, as given in his 

 previous note, might be used, yet its value by direct observation 

 ought to be found. He would suggest that as he had made pro- 

 vision for a clock and an experimental pendulum in the plans 

 for the physical laboratory which the University Council was 

 doing its best to get built and equipped, the Poyal Society might 

 subsidise the University grant, and get apparatus which would 

 be better than what would be absolutely necessary for students 

 in physics, or the Society might fairly undertake the investigation. 



Mr. Ellery' said that the difficulty to which Professor Andrew 

 had referred was connected with a comparison of the determination 

 of the lengths of the Bessel pendulum employed, made at home, 

 here, and then again on Professor Neumeyer's return. These 

 seemed to show a permanent elongation, and so the results had 

 been set aside. There would be no difficulty in accepting the 

 suggestion ; the Observatory would render all possible assistance. 



Mr. White said that when he went to Berlin a few years ago 

 he talked with Professor Neumeyer about his pendulum observa- 

 tions in Melbourne, and was assured that the discrepancies 

 mentioned by Mr. Ellery had been overcome, and results had 

 been obtained. 



The President remarked that for engineering purposes the 

 rough values 772 and 32 for the / and g were sufficiently 

 accurate, yet that, as a scientific Society, it behoved them to 

 determine them with the utmost accuracy. 



Professor Andrew suggested that Professor Neumeyer should 

 be asked by the President to send the results of his observations 

 in 1860 to the Society, as they would be most interesting and 

 valuable. 



The President announced the receipt of, and laid upon the 

 table, a medal and diploma from the Yictorian Commissioners to 

 the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, for the exhibits of the Boyal 



