556 Royal Society : — 



doubts, let him compare the Copernicus of Madler with the Coper- 

 nicus of Secehi ; nay, I may venture to ask that my own Gassendi be 

 placed side by side with that of any of the charts already named. 



4. The results likely to be attained by such a series of careful 

 drawings of special parts of the moon's surface, in one branch of 

 scientific research, are recognized by Mr. Conybeare in his Report on 

 Geology to the British Association in 1832. Indeed, it may be 

 boldly affirmed that a competent theory of volcanic action can hardly 

 be regarded as having been adequately tested, much less completed, 

 without a careful study of the magnificent volcanic surface of the 

 moon, where for the most part the consolidated products of a long 

 train of igneous eruptions are exhibited as clearly as in the celebrated 

 region of Auvergne. 



5. Considerations of this kind pressing upon Lord Rosse, 

 Dr. Robinson, General Sabine, and other persons acquainted with the 

 growing power of telescopes, and the necessity of organizing a system 

 for the use of them on the moon, induced the British Association, 

 assembled at Belfast in 1852, to constitute a Committee, consisting 

 of the Earl of Rosse, the Rev. Dr. Robinson, and Professor Phillips, 

 for the purpose of drawing up a Report on the physical character of 

 the moon's surface as compared with that of the earth. 



6. Acting as Secretary to this Committee, Professor Phillips for- 

 warded invitations to fourteen selected observers, in Great Britain 

 and Ireland, the United States, and several localities in Europe, 

 known to be in possession of adequate instrumental power, or willing 

 to provide it. To each observer a certain limited tract was offered, his 

 peculiar work, but everyone was requested to add whatever information 

 he might judge useful relating to other parts of the moon's surface. 



7. The answers to these invitations were for the most part favour- 

 able as to good intentions ; but in several cases want of adequate 

 leisure, sometimes want of health, sometimes other causes were 

 mentioned ; and practically it was found that very few of the 

 selected observers sent contributions which fulfilled the wishes of the 

 Committee, even as preliminary surveys. The Secretary of the Com- 

 mittee, indeed., constructed an equatorial of large size for his own 

 share of work, mounted it in the open air, made photographic and 

 eye- drawings, and completed a sketch of his appointed region on 

 the 19th of May, 1853, which sketch has been in the hands of the 

 Royal Society. He thus established, to the satisfaction of several 

 friends, the facility of carrying out the desires of the Committee, and 

 would have taken up fresh districts, on every suitable occasion, 

 but for the change of his residence from York to Oxford. The 

 instrumental mounting being specially fitted for York and the cir- 

 cumstances of his residence there, he was unable to continue his work 

 at Oxford ; and several years, as far as this problem is concerned, have 

 been lost to him for want of an instrument of adequate power and suit- 

 able construction, conveniently placed and always at command. 



8. Mr.Nasmyth, several years since, emplo) T ed his fine reflector, with 

 a peculiar apparatus for drawing, in these representations of the moon, 

 which have justly earned for him a reputation in philosophic art of 

 which even the inventor of the steam-hammer may be justly proud. 



