2 REPORT ON THE COMPLETION OF 
April 1842, Mr Russell having resigned, the observatory was placed under my 
direction, the same system of observation being continued. In the end of that 
year I suggested the propriety of increasing the number of daily observations, an 
increase which would require the services of another observer ; this suggestion, 
which was seconded by the opinion of Professor J. D. Forbes, was at once ap- 
proved by you, and Mr John Welsh, a talented student in arts of the Edinburgh 
University, was, at my recommendation, appointed by you as my assistant. The 
series of observations obtained in 1.843 was necessarily still incomplete, no obser- 
vations were made after .9^ p.m. nor before 5^ a.m., excepting on term-days and 
during magnetic disturbances : it was evident, therefore, that determinations of 
the diurnal laws would still be desiderata ; while it was equally evident that a com- 
plete diurnal series would at once satisfy these wants, and render the previous in- 
complete series of greater value. I then suggested the addition of another ob- 
server to the establishment, pointing out, however, the most economical way in 
which this addition could be made, and especially the fact that it would render 
unnecessary the extra assistants required on term-days. These suggestions were 
made throughout with the full knowledge that they Avere in accordance with your 
object and wishes. I have merely to state the readiness with which you adopted 
this suggestion and every other tending to the advancement of the work of the 
observatory. Mr Alexander Hogg, an ingenious mechanic, who had been engaged 
in the construction of the observatory (which was performed chiefly under his 
superintendence), and who had been engaged under Mr Russell, at the fii-st, and 
under myself afterwards, as an observer on the term-days, was recommended by 
me, as not only fitted for an observing assistant, but also as likely to be of much 
use in matters of handicraft connected with the observator}^ and its instruments : 
he was accordingly appointed in the end of 1843. In 1844 and 1845 a series of 
observations of all the magnetical and meteorological instruments was made 
hourly, excepting on Sundays.* It was originally proposed that this hourly series 
should extend through only two years ; in 1846, therefore, the same system was 
adopted as in 1843. With the year 1846 terminated the period contemplated for 
the extended worlc of jowr observatory, and the period contemplated by the 
Royal Society of Edinburgh in adopting the large volumes of observations as por- 
tion of their Transactions. A more limited series was made in the following years, 
1847, 1848, and 1849. 
* I may remark here that the omission of observations on Sundays, oven of the gi-cat and un- 
usual magnetic perturbations, -which has excited the astonishment of our German co-hibourers. and 
especially of the Baron Von Humboldt, like the omission of mauv otlier \Yorks on the same day, 
lias never been felt as any loss. The amount of simultaneous disturbance observations in existence, 
made on the six week-days, is greater than we are likely to make any use of. It had not occurred, 
])erhaps, to our continental friends that there was any difficulty in determining the kind of scientific 
work wliicli Avonld not be a " sin upon an English Sunday," as tlieir own limit, if they have any, is 
not of a very stringent character. 
