PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 31 
we hope will be for the general good and will raise the 
tone of work in Australia. 
Visit of Dr. Alessio._-On January 8th, 1906, a distin- 
guished visitor in the person of Dr. Alberto Alessio, 
navigating Lieutenant of His Italian Majesty’s ship 
Calabria, visited Sydney for the purpose of verifying the 
investigations of previous observers in gravity and 
magnetic variation, dip, and intensity. These observations 
were carried out on the same sites as previously adopted 
at the Sydney Observatory, and the comparisons of 
deductions will be made some time in 1908, when the 
results of the whole of the places visited by the Calabria 
will be under discussion. 
Vastness of the Astronomical Work to be done.— 
Robert Hall Turner, F.R.S., states that the attention of 
astronomers has recently been claimed in so many new 
directions that they cannot possibly do justice to all, and 
some of the most attractive problems have accordingly 
failed to attract solvers. The astronomical standing army 
is a very small one, and much of it is wanted for home 
defence for keeping a watch on objects already discovered, 
and doing routine work that must be done. It is nobly 
reinforced by volunteers, and there is perfect accord 
between the regulars and the reserve forces. But we are 
in the presence of a vast extension of the Astronomical 
Hmpire and we begin to find how small our numbers are. 
Is it a vain hope that our ranks may be materially 
increased shortly ? Professor Darwin, president of the 
British Association, makes allusion to the number of stars 
visible and probable number in the heavens. Only a few 
thousand stars are visible with the unaided eye, but 
photography has revealed an inconceivably vast multitude 
of stars and nebulae, and every improvement in that art 
seems to disclose yet more and more. About 20 years 
