REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 
XXXV 
into squares, say of 5' in the side, the central one crossing the sun’s centre 
(or rather as liable to no uncertainty, one of them being a tangent to its 
lower or upper limb), the place of each spot on the surface is, ipso facto, 
mapped down in reference to the parallel and declination circle and its 
distance from the border, and iu size, measurable on a fixed scale. 
“ If large spots are to be photographed specially with a view to flic deli¬ 
neation of their forms and changes, a pretty large object-glass will be re¬ 
quired, and the whole affair will become a matter of much greater nicety; but 
for reading the daily history of the sun, I should imagine a 8-incli object- 
glass would be ample, 
“ The representations should, if possible, be taken daily and the time care¬ 
fully noted. As far as possible they should be taken at the same hour each 
day, but in this climate a clear interval, occurring when it nmy, had better 
be secured early in the day. 
“ Three or four observatories in tropical climates, distant several hours in 
longitude (suppose three, at 8 h distance in longitude), each reading at, or 
nearly at noon, would, when the results were assembled, keep up a continual 
history of the solar disc. 
•• \Vith regard to proper preparations of paper, or the use of collodion. Ac., 
the photographic art is now so much advanced*that no difficulty can arise in 
fixing upon fitting preparations, or in the manipulations necessary for multi¬ 
plying them. But it would be very requisite that many impressions of each 
days work should be taken and distributed, and an interchange kept up 
among observers. 
“ Yours truly, 
“J. P. Gassiot, Esq." “ J. F. W; Herschel.” 
On the 3rd of May your Committee requested Mr. Warren De la Hue to 
ascertain the probuble cost of an apparatus suitable to accomplish the re¬ 
commendations contained in the preceding letter, and it having been subse¬ 
quently ascertained by Mr. Do la Hue that the probable cost would nut ex¬ 
ceed £1.50, your Committee, on the 29th May, resolved that the Chairman 
should apply to the Royal Society for that sum from the Donation bund; 
the application was made on the 21st of June, and on the 29th of the same 
month the Council of the Royal Society acceded thereto; this amount has 
been since placed at the disposal of three Members of the Committee, in 
order that the apparatus mny be purchased, and certain preliminary experi¬ 
ments having been made, the instrument is in course of completion by 
•Mr, Uoas, optician. 
AT^Tv th i e T) ltl * *’ ovem “ or your Committee, on the recommendation of 
Mr. IJe la Rue, engaged the services of Robert Beckley, machinist. Mr.WeUh 
reports most favourably as to the efficiency of Mr. Beckley’s services, not 
on ) in respect to his great ingenuity and accuracy as a workman, but also 
as to the interest and intelligence with which he has entered into and assisted 
ini in the general work ol the Observatory. He resides with his wife in 
the budding, receiving weekly wages of 35s., which sum includes the pay¬ 
ment to hw wife as housekeeper. 
Ground contiguous to the Observatory —In accordance with the remni- 
mendation contained in their last Report, your Committee have had several 
temews with the Chief Commissioner of Woods, Forests, and Land Re¬ 
venue, With the view of obtaining tlm temporary use of about two nrr. s of 
L a! " n r dmtdy a(J .l° i,,in & Observatory. Your Committ, < ascer- 
^ Tn * at 1 lG e . n p ,re I )ark roun d the Observatory was let at a yearly rental, 
n ev were informed that it was necessary they should make arrange- 
c 2 
