168 



Anniversary Meeting. 



[Nov. 30, 



been drawn to the importance of improving, as far as possible, the quality 

 of the intelligence received from the coast stations. "With this -^dew they 

 gave directions that all the telegraph stations at which observations are 

 made should be inspected — a practice which had never before been carried 

 out. The inspection of all the stations situated in the British Islands has 

 now been completed. It is hoped that, as the result of these measures, the 

 accuracy and consequent value of the reports received will be in future ma- 

 terially improved ; and such desirable improvement has indeed already been 

 in part effected. 



The four-foot reflector destined for the Melbourne Observatory ap- 

 proaches its completion, with a full prospect of its being ready to proceed 

 to its destination early in the coming year, under the charge of Mr. Le 

 Sueur. The spectroscope and photographic apparatus, which are to be 

 used with it, are in progress. A question has arisen as to the expediency 

 of providing it with some roof or covering which, while admitting of the 

 telescope being directed to any part of the heavens, shall be an efficient 

 protection for it from the weather at all times when not in actual use. 

 Three designs for this purpose, viz. a dome, a sliding roof, and a revolving 

 roof, with the estimated cost of each, have been supplied by Mr. Grubb, 

 and have been sent to Melbourne to be submitted to the choice of the 

 Board of Visitors of the Observatory ; their decision may be expected to 

 arrive very shortly, and Mr. Grubb is prepared to carry it into eifect with 

 all promptitude. There is therefore full reason to expect that this mag- 

 nificent instrument will be at work in the splendid field which awaits its 

 operations, in the hands of a thoroughly skilled and competent observer, 

 before our next Anniversary. 



The Superintending Committee, whose assistance in this important un- 

 dertaking has been unremittingly given, have sustained a loss, which all 

 who hear me will appreciate, in the lamented decease of the Earl of Rosse. 

 Deeply as the death of one so highly gifted, and who devoted his gifts to 

 such high objects, is to be deplored, it is some consolation that his son 

 and successor is one who will add to the lustre of their name. He is 

 already known to you by the important paper on the Nebula of Orion 

 which was read at the close of our last session, and is now in course of 

 publication in the Philosophical Transactions. This paper appears clearly 

 to show that, in the course of the last fifteen years, considerable changes 

 have taken place in that remarkable object, such as cannot be attributed 

 either to atmospheric difficulties of vision, or changes in the instrument, 

 or in the observer's eye. It confirms fully the researches of Mr. Huggins, 

 and at the same time explains what had presented some difficulty, the 

 absence of a continuous spectrum when the telescope shows a multitude 

 of stars. 



In conformity with the course of proceeding directed by the Melbourne 

 Board of Visitors, in the event of such an emergency as the death of one of 

 the three members of the Committee of Superintendence, I have consulted 



