History of the Kew Observatory. 



47 



HISTORICAL REMARKS BY SIR CHARLES WHEATSTONE. 



In 1841 the Government came to the determination of no longer 

 keeping up the Observatory and Museum established by His Majesty 

 George the Third in the Old Deer Park at Richmond. In consequence 

 of this resolution, the Curator and the Reader in Natural Philosophy, 

 who had for many years been attached to the building, were pensioned 

 off, and the valuable contents were distributed to the Armagh Obser- 

 vatory, the British Museum, King's College, London, the College of 

 Surgeons, and some members of the Royal Family. The building- 

 being thus dismantled and vacant, was applied for by the Council of 

 the Royal Society, on the recommendation of the Committee of 

 Physics and Meteorology, as appears from the following Minutes of 

 June 24, 1841 :— 



"Mr. Daniell reported, on the part of the Committee of Physics, 

 that they had passed the following resolution, viz.: — 



" ' The Committee, understanding that the building formerly 

 occupied as the Observatory at Kew is disposable, and may be had if 

 applied for, and having frequently experienced the want of such a 

 building for various scientific purposes, recommend to the Council 

 that an application be made to secure it for the Royal Society.' 



" Resolved, — That this recommendation be adopted ; and that the 

 President be requested to make application to the proper quarter for 

 the possession of the building in question." 



An application was accordingly made, and the possession granted 

 to the Royal Society ; consequent on which the following resolution 

 was recorded on November the 11th of the same year: — 



" Resolved, — That it be referred to the Committee of Physics to 

 consider and report to the Council to what specific scientific purposes 

 it would be desirable to appropriate the building formerly occupied by 

 the Observatory at Kew, in case of a grant of that building being 

 made to the Society by the Government ; and what would be the 

 probable annual expense of applying it to such purposes." 



On January the 10th, 1842, a communication was received by the 

 Secretary from the Office of Woods and Forests, requesting to be 

 informed when the Society would be prepared to take possession of 

 the building, as it had long since been cleared and ready to be 

 delivered up when required. The following resolution was thereon 

 recorded : — 



" That the Secretary inform Mr. Milne, in answer to his letter, that 

 the Council having referred the matter in question to the considera- 

 tion of a Committee, beg to defer their answer till they receive the 

 report of that Committee, which they expect will soon be prepared." 



