| Description | Present at the meeting: the President in the Chair; Lord Charles Cavendish; Mr Burrow; Mr Davall; Mr Sotheby; Mr Fouquier; Dr Bradley; Dr Nesbitt; Mr Collinson; Dr Birch and Dr Morton, Secretaries
Dr Heberden elected at the new Council on Saint Andrew's Day last, took the Oath appointed by the Statute, and his Seat on the Board.
Minutes of the last Council were read
Ordered;
1. That the Honourable the Solilcitor General have delivered to him the Transactions of the year 1758; and that Peter Halford Esquire have also delivered such of the volumes as he has not yet received.
2. Mr Mynde's bill of £30-18-9d be paid
' The Council took into consideration a late Resolution recommended to them by the Society: viz the Sending proper persons to proper places, to observe the approachimg Transit of Venus over the Sun; the Several Instruments that will be necessary for the work; and the expences which are likely to attend it.
The propriety and Expediency of the Society directing this observation was agreed to Unanimously: and the Island of St Helena was adjudged to be the most proper place of Observation: to which Bencoolen [Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia] or rather Batavia [colonial name of the capital of the Dutch East Indies, now Jakarta, Indonesia] if it were not attended with uncertainty, might be added for a Second Observation.
Dr Bradley declared, that the Instruments necessary were a Reflecting Telescope of two foot with Dollond's micrometer, Mr Dollond's Refracting Telescope of ten feet; a Quadrant of the Radius of 8 Inches; and a Clock or time piece. And Dr Bradley was requested to inform himself against the next Council, upon what Terms those Several Instruments might be hired for the occasion, the Society giving Security for their Restitution
Mr Burrow was desired to Enquire from the East Indies Company, what assistance might be expected from them; concerning the passage to Saint Helena, the accommodations there, and the return to England as it Suited with the Stated Voyages of their Ships, which would determine the time of the abode of the Society's observers in theat Island. The Several Members present were likewise desired, to enquire after persons duly qualkified for this Undertaking, with the particular Terms that would be expected by them. ' |