52 



Mr. R. H. Scott. 



£< 7. As complete a collection as can be gathered together of the 

 measuring instruments employed in the various branches of physical 

 science, for the purpose of obtaining accurate quantitative results. 



"The facilities which such a collection would give to original 

 investigation do not at present exist in this country. 



" It is not at present recommended that any expenditure of the 

 funds should be made for apparatus intended merely to exhibit the 

 necessary consequences of established laws." 



A successful application was then made by the authorities of the 

 British Association for the possession of the building; and at the 

 Meeting at Manchester in June, 1842, the President of the year, Lorrl 

 Francis Egerton, thus alluded to this gift of the Government in his 

 opening address : — 



" I have been speaking of matters for some time past in progress 

 and notorious to all who have taken an interest in your proceedings. 

 They are gratifying as proofs that the impulse of this Society has 

 been communicated and felt in high quarters. It is surely desirable 

 that under any form of Government, the collective science of a country 

 should be on the most amicable footing with the depositories of 

 its power ; free indeed from undue control and interference, not 

 dangling in antechambers, nor wiping the dust from the palace stair- 

 cases, uncontaminated by the passions and influences with which 

 statesmen have to deal, but . enjoying its good will and favour, 

 receiving and requiting with usury its assistance on fitting occasions, 

 and organized in such a manner as to afford reference and advice 

 on topics with respect to which they may be required. * * * The 

 most recent instance I cannot omit — I mean the important accession 

 to the means of this Society of a fixed position, a place for deposit, 

 regulation, and comparison of instruments, and for many more 

 purposes than I could name, perhaps even more than are yet contem- 

 plated, in the Observatory at Kew. This building was standing useless. 

 The Council of the Association approached the throne with a petition 

 that they might occupy it, and I am happy to say that the sceptre 

 was gracefully held towards them ; and I think this transaction a 

 fair instance of that species of connexion between science and govern- 

 ment which I hope may always be cultivated in this country. I am 

 informed that the purposes to which this building is readily and 

 immediately applicable, are of an importance which none but men 

 advanced in science can appreciate. You will hear farther of them in 

 the Committee Recommendations." C. W. 



