| Description | Printed minutes containing matters laid before Council, the Royal Society's governing body of Fellows, with records of decisions taken.
Commencing with a list of Council members present: William Bowman; Robert Brown; John Frederic Daniell; George Dollond; Thomas Graham; John Thomas Graves; Richard Owen; Dr. Jonathan Pereira; Peter Mark Roget; the President, Spencer Joshua Alwyn Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton, in the chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Bill of R. Taylor to be paid. Letter of thanks from M. Arago for the loan of a volume of Papin, now returned. Letter from W.H. Pickering, Ceylon, 20 April 1844, to Edward Sabine, full text entered into the minutes: forwarding letters on the subject of the magnetic observatory in Ceylon. Letter from Captain W.H. Pickering, Columbo, 13 April 1844, to Dr. Templeton, full text entered into the minutes: sending an account of magnetic observations, noting his own experience and his conversation with Edward Sabine before leaving England on requirements for instruments and building, so that Templeton might convey to the authorities the need for an observatory building. Letter from P. Anstruther, Secretary to the Government, Candy, 19 April 1844, to Dr. Templeton, full text entered into the minutes: noting the Governor's support for the establishment of an observatory. Letter from Edward Sabine, Woolwich, 17 June 1844, to Sir John Frederick William Herschel, Chairman of the Committee for conducting British Co-operation in Magnetic Researches, full text entered into the minutes: forwarding copies of letters from Ceyon and commenting of the advisability of establishing an observatory in Ceyon; magnetometers intended for Hammerfest, but not claimed, would be available to be sent to Ceylon and he suggets the Wollaston Donation Fund as a means of supplying other requisites; with a list of instruments proposed for Ceylon. Letter from Sir John Frederick William Herschel, Collingwood, 21 June 1844, to the Marquess of Northampton, full text entered into the minutes: enclosing letters relating to the proposed Ceylon magnetic observatory and making his own suggestions on how the project might be taken forward. Resolved to recommend the proposals for the Ceylon Observatory to H.M. Government, with a list of isntruments to be sent and a commitment to contribute items belonging to the Royal Society: resolved that the President should communicate this to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. All books belonging to the Society to be returned to the Library by 29 July and the Library to be closed during August. Mr. Weld to have leave of absence during August. |