82 On a Uniform System of 



be carried out effectually by the co-operation of all the prin- 

 cipal commercial nations. To carry out this system, the 

 conference whose report is subjoined was held, and it is a 

 subject of sincere congratulation to know that not only our 

 own Government, but the Governments of several of the other 

 nations who were represented at that conference, are already 

 taking active measures for carrying into effect the recom- 

 mendations which are contained in this report. 



But as Lieutenant Maury very justly observes, " the impor- 

 tance of concert among meteorologists all over the world, and 

 of co-operation between the observer on shore and the naviga- 

 tor at sea, so that any meteorological phenomenon may be 

 traced throughout its cycle both by sea and land, is too obvious 

 for illustration, too palpable to be made plainer by argument, 

 and therefore the proposition for a general conference to ar- 

 range the details of such a comprehensive system of observa- 

 tion, addresses itself to every friend of science and lover of 

 the useful in all countries." — (See Lieutenant Maury's Sail- 

 ing Directions, 5th edition, p. 30.) 



These sentiments are fully participated in by the most 

 eminent meteorologists in Europe, including Quetelet, Kup- 

 ffer, Kreil, Dove, Lamont, Bravais, Hansteen, our own dis- 

 tinguished Astronomer-Royal, and the officers in charge of 

 the meteorological observatories in Spain, Holland, &c. ; and 

 a second conference is now proposed to effect a system of co- 

 operation for observers on land, similar to that which in the 

 first conference has been recommended for observers at sea. 

 We dare not speculate on the result to be obtained by so vast 

 a system of observations, but we cannot doubt but that they 

 will be of highest interest to science, and of the greatest 

 benefit to mankind ; and we may congratulate ourselves on 

 living in an era when scientific men in all nations, setting aside 

 all petty national or selfish views, are prepared to combine 

 their labours for the good of all — presenting a spectacle such 

 as history cannot refer to. 



REPORT. 



" In pursuance of instructions issued by the Governments 

 respectively named below, the officers whose names are here- 

 unto annexed, assembled at Brussels for the purpose of hold- 



