6 Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [dec. 5 , 
relation to height. But this is not all. I believe it will he found, 
when these observations are discussed, that the variations of atmo- 
spheric pressure at this elevated station, uninfluenced by local 
causes, can be reduced to something approaching to a general law, 
and that the theory of storms or waves of depression and elevation 
in the atmosphere will receive valuable elucidation from the results 
of this new departure in meteorological observation. 
Up to this time the Observatory at Ben Nevis has been supported 
exclusively by the voluntary contributions of persons interested in 
scientific research. Out of such contributions the Observatory has 
been built and equipped, and the salaries (inadequate as they are 
for such service) have been provided. There is reason to hope that, 
either by direct grant from the Government, or by the assignment 
of a part of the sum which is annually voted by Parliament for 
distribution by the English Meteorological Council, a part at least 
of our future expenditure may he met. 
The Fellows will agree with me in congratulating Mr Buchan, 
and the Scottish Meteorological Society with which he is connected, 
on his nomination to the vacant seat in the English Meteorological 
Council. I think that Mr Buchan’s appointment may he regarded 
as a recognition by very high authority of the value of the Scottish 
meteorological work ; and it is to he hoped that our representative 
(if we may so consider him) will be able to give such information 
to his colleagues as will eventually lead to the establishment at 
Ben Nevis being made independent of personal contributions. 
At the same time, it is necessary to add that the establishment is 
incomplete. A new room is wanted at the Observatory for the 
seismometers, and a sea-level station at Fort William is necessary 
for the purpose of proper comparison observations. The Scottish 
Meteorological Society has undertaken to provide these buildings on 
condition of being relieved of the future maintenance of the Ob- 
servatory ; and it is hoped that this expense may be in part met by 
a grant out of the surplus funds of the Edinburgh Exhibition, if the 
members of that Association shall see fit to accede to the application 
that has been addressed to them. 
I am unwilling to bring these remarks to a close without making 
reference to a kindred institution, which has even a stronger claim 
than Ben Nevis on the liberality of the public Exchequer. The 
