332 



proving Natural Knowledge, approach Your Majesty to offer our 

 humble and heartfelt congratulations on the birth of the Heir to 

 the Throne of the British Empire. The Almighty Disposer of 

 events has vouchsafed to Your Majesty His protection in a season 

 of much pain and peril ; and we pray that a life so dear to Your 

 Majesty's subjects may long be preserved, through the same Divine 

 Grace. 



" We ardently hope that Your Majesty's Son may be endowed 

 with health and strength ; that he may be adorned with every virtue 

 which can dignify his station ; and we pray that Your Majesty may 

 continue to be blest with all prosperity." 



The Vice-President in the Chair also stated to the Meeting that 

 the Council had adopted the following Address to His Royal High- 

 ness Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha : — 



" To His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Saxe-Cohurg and 



Gotha, K.G.^F.R.S. 

 " The humble Address of the President, Council, and Fellows 

 of the Royal Society of London for improving Natural Knowledge. 



" May it please Your Royal Highness, 

 " We, the President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society 

 of London for improving Natural Knowledge, beg leave to approach 

 Your Royal Highness with our most sincere congratulations on the 

 safety of Your Royal Highness's Consort, our beloved Sovereign, 

 and on the birth of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall. It 

 is our most earnest wish that Your Royal Highness may enjoy every 

 domestic blessing, and may witness the maturity of Your Son in 

 every manly virtue." 



The Secretary then read the following 



Report of the Council to the Society. 



The Council have the satisfaction of being able to report to the 

 Society, that the system of Magnetical and Meteorological Obser- 

 vations proposed by the Royal Society, and carried on at various 

 stations on the globe, at the fixed observatories established by the 

 governments of this and of other countries, is at present in full and 

 active operation ; and that an immense mass of documents, relating 

 to terrestrial magnetism and meteorology, is in progress of col- 

 lection, from which it may reasonably be expected that, after they 

 shall have been properly arranged and digested, the most valuable 

 results, advantageous both to physical science and to practical navi- 

 gation, will be derived. It may also be noticed, in connexion with 

 this subject, that the series of instructions to the officers of the ex- 

 pedition lately sent out to Africa, for conducting magnetic observa- 

 tions, prepared by Lieut.-Colonel Sabine, has been adopted by the 

 Council, and communicated to the Lords Commissioners of the 

 Admiralty. 



The Council have received with gratitude the intimation, com- 



