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showing the advantages which might accrue to science by 
the establishment of a magnetical and meteorological obser- 
vatory in Netherlands India in connection with the observatories 
already existing in British India and Australia. 
This letter was favourably received by the Governor Gene- 
ral and presented by his Excellency to the Minister for Co- 
lonial affairs at the Hague, who sent it for advicê to the 
Royal Academy of Science at Amsterdam. The Academy 
strongly supported Von Humporpt’s suggestion. 
- The Director of the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute 
at Utrecht, Professor Buys Barror, was invited by his Ex- 
cellency the Minister for Colonial affairs to make a plan 
for the magnetical and meteorological observatories in Ne- 
therlands India. Professor Buys Barror submitted in 1857 
to his Excellency the Minister a plan comprising: 1* the 
erection of a magnetical and meteorological observatory ad- 
apted for hourly observations at Batavia; 2"! the organiza- 
tion of meteorological stations of the second order at a few 
other places in the East Indian Archipelago; 5"! magnetic 
survey of the Archipel in connection with the magnetical 
observations at Batavia. 
In 1859 I was appointed director of the magnetical and 
meteorological observations to be made in Netherlands In- 
dia, and was at the same time commissioned to study the 
different systems of magnetical and meteorological instruments 
then used in Europe, and to order those for India which 
would be considered best 1o secure good results. I visited 
. the principal observatories of Europe and met everywhere 
with the greatest readiness to support me in executing my 
commission. This was especially the case in England. At 
the Kew Observatory every facility was afforded me for stu- 
dying the magnetical and meteorological instruments used there 
and at the British Colonial observatories. 
Funds for purchasing instruments having been placed most 
liberally at my disposal by Government, I succeeded in 
