8 



given to the best Memoir presented to the Royal Society between 

 the years 1834 and 1837, containing " Contributions towards a 

 System of Geological Chronology, founded upon an examination of 

 Fossil Remains and their attendant Phasnomena;" a subject of the 

 greatest interest, and also of the greatest delicacy, from its con- 

 nexion with those agitating topics which the speculations of philo- 

 sophers are compelled to approach, though they may not ahvays 

 venture to decide. I should have rejoiced to have seen in the 

 Transactions of the Royal Society a record of the opinions of a 

 Buckland or a Sedgwick upon a theme which is so worthy of the 

 application of their highest powers ; and I trust that, though its an- 

 nouncement as a Prize Question has failed to secure, within the 

 prescribed period, the accomplishment of the object proposed by it, 

 it will still have done some service to the cause of science by ex- 

 citing the attention of geologists in such a manner as may sooner 

 or later lead to a definite and philosophical exposition of their 

 views on a subject of so much importance. 



Those who have attended to the Tidal researches of Mr. Whe- 

 well must be aware how much light has been throw^n upon the 

 character and course of the phaenomena of the tides by the simul- 

 taneous observations, under his instructions, which were made in 

 the month of June, 1834 and 1835, at nearly five hundred sta- 

 tions of the Coast Guard Service in Great Britain and Ireland, 

 and simultaneously with the latter also at more than one hundred 

 stations in America, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Holland, 

 Denmark, and Norway. These observations were undertaken by 

 the authority or through the influence of the Government of this- 

 country, which likewise most promptly and liberally furnished the 

 requisite funds and assistance for reducing the observations in 

 such a manner as was requisite for deducing general conclusions 

 from them, a labour much too extensive and costly to be under- 

 taken by any single individual. I gladly seize this opportunity of 

 bearing testimony, occupying as I do the highest scientific station 

 in this country, to the readiness which the Lords of the Treasury 

 and the Admiralty have shown on this and on every other occasion 

 to forward scientific inquiries, and particularly such as are con- 

 nected with the advancement of astronomy and navigation. They 

 have granted funds for reducing and publishing the Planetary 

 Observations at Greenwich, the valuable and extensive series of 

 observations of the late Mr. Groombridge, for repeating upon an 

 adequate scale the very important experiments of Mr. Cavendish, 

 and for many other subjects of great scientific interest and value ; 

 and I feel satisfied that every application for assistance towards the 

 accomplishment of any important object in science, will receive from 

 them the most willing attention and support, if it comes before them 

 with the recommendation and authority of those persons who are 

 most competent to judge of its usefulness or necessil3% and in such 

 a form as may justify them in appealing to Parliament for its sanc- 

 tion of the requisite expenditure. I rejoice. Gentlemen, in such 

 manifestations of the sympathy of the Government of this great 



