1880.] 



President's Address. 



91 



it is hoped that, in the course of the coming year, the Report of the 

 Conference will he issued. 



One of the most interesting, and at the same time useful, applications 

 of the dynamo-machines, is that of transmitting mechanical power to 

 spots, or under circumstances, where the ordinary appliances cannot be 

 conveniently used. Perhaps one of the most remarkable instances 

 of the application of the principle, is that by Dr. Werner Siemens 

 to the propulsion of railway carriages in Berlin. Other applications 

 will doubtless by degrees extend themselves over a wide range of 

 industry ; especially in localities where water-power is abundant. 



Our Fellow, Dr. C. W. Siemens in London, and M. De Meritens in 

 Paris, have demonstrated the use of the high temperature of the 

 electric arc in fusing refractory metals. The method of operation, 

 while peculiarly convenient for laboratory purposes, and for de- 

 monstration, promises to be capable of extension, even to the large 

 demands of commerce and manufacture. 



I should not, moreover, omit mention of the very beautiful ex- 

 periments by Dr. C. W. Siemens, on the effect of the electric light 

 on the growth of plants, on the opening of flowers, and on the ripen- 

 ing of fruit. On this subject we hope to hear more after the experi- 

 ments which, already commenced, he contemplates continuing during 

 the coming winter. 



I am not sure how far the fact is known to the Fellows of the Royal 

 Society, that the Society of Telegraph Engineers have thrown open to 

 the scientific world a remarkable collection of books on electrical 

 science, collected by our late Fellow, Sir Francis Ronalds, and be- 

 queathed by him to that Society. The catalogue, compiled by the 

 collector, is a monument of concentrated and well-directed labour. 



As regards the Transit of Venus in 1874, the printing of the 

 observations is complete for the two groups of stations in the Sand- 

 wich Islands and Egypt, and that for others is in progress. 



Preparations are already being made with a view to the observation 

 of the Transit of Venus in 1882. As a preliminary step for this 

 operation, as well as for general purposes, it had been decided that 

 the longitude of the Cape Observatory should be definitively deter- 

 mined by telegraphic connexion with Aden, which place is already 

 telegraphically referred to Greenwich ; and, notwithstanding a tem- 

 porary interruption on the land line, Cape Town-Durban, it may be 

 hoped that the determination will be effected at no distant period. 

 Mr. Gill is prepared to undertake the main share of the work. 

 With the same objects in view, on the urgent representation of the 

 Astronomer Royal, it has also been determined to connect one of the 

 Australian Observatories with Greenwich, through Madras, the longi- 

 tude of which is well known ; and this operation will be very much 

 facilitated by the share which Mr. Todd, Government Astronomer 



