1874.] President's Address. 47 



also be occupied, and Lord Lindsay has undertaken the whole arrangements 

 for an expedition to the Mauritius. Her Majesty's Ship " Challenger" has 

 been instructed to examine proposed stations, the details of which have been 

 published. 



The Russian Grovernment have undertaken to provide for 27 Stations 

 in Northern Asia and Eastern Europe. The German Government, it is be- 

 lieved, intend to observe in Persia, at the Mauritius and in New Zealand ; and 

 the French occupy the Marquesas Island and, it is believed, Tahiti and a sta- 

 tion in China. The American Government propose to place a station on 

 Russian Territory on the Pacific Coast, one at "5fokohama, one at Pekin and 

 another either in China or Japan, and also to occupy the Sandwich Islands. 

 This is an imperfect sketch as it is difficult to procure full information, but 

 it will suffice to show how great the importance of the observations is felt to 

 be by men of science in all parts of the world. 



"When the British Association, as the President brought to your notice 

 last year, urged on Government the necessity for measures to observe the 

 Transit of Venus, they at the same time urged the establishment of an 

 Observatory for Solar observations in India. Since then the Council of the 

 Royal Astronomical Society have authorized their President to press on 

 Government the necessity of aid to Astronomical Physics especially by the 

 establishment of a new Observatory in the Highlands of India, or some other 

 part of the British dominions equally favourable for the use of large instru- 

 ments. It is therefore satisfactory to know that the instruments for the 

 Transit of Venus were applied for and sanctioned for a Solar Observatory. 

 It is hoped that when their immediate purpose in observing the Transit of 

 Venus has been served, no time will be lost in considering how their second 

 end may be best served. There is no part of the British Territory where 

 advantages can be had superior to those offered by the mountain range of 

 India, and it appears incumbent on those who have such facilities for 

 advancing knowledge to turn them to some account. 



Turning to the progress made in Physical Science there is not much to 

 bring to your notice. In India, however, Spectroscopic observation is making 

 some progress in the Department of the Great Trigonometrical Survey and 

 the atmospheric lines of the Solar Spectrum are being observed. 



Mr. J. B. N. Hennessey has continued observing and mapping the 

 atmospheric lines of the Solar Spectrum, employing in supersession of the 

 instrument formerly used, an excellent three-prism (compound) spectros- 

 cope with automatical adjustment belonging to the Royal Society of 

 London. This instrument is placed at a height of about 6,500 feet above 

 sea level, on a projecting spur of the Himalayan range on which the Sani- 

 tarium of Mussoorie is located, so that a clear view is obtained of the Sun 

 down to the very horizon j this is essential; for it is only when observed 



