The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-22
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND.
what it Has Been Doing During the
Year.

The London AHtenGun of Dec. . says:-
I'm his anniversary address 10 the Royal
Society last Monday, the President, General
Sabine, gave an able summary OF the leading
scientific proceedings OF the year in which the
Society have been actively engaged, or to which
they have afforded aid, support, and sympathy.
Those who have watched the progress of the
Royal Society for some years past will not need
to be told that during General Sabine's Pres-
deney their activity in what may be described
as matters OF public scientific interest has been
much more marked than in former periods.
Government is fortunate in having such an
authority as the Council Of the Royal Society
to appeal TO whenever they require information
on scientific question. The appeals are more
numerous than would commonly be supposed
Fer ourselves, We are well pleased that the
Society should stand at the head of the science
OF EuTope-or o. the world, and promote re-
search by suggestions and the loan OF instru-
ments 10 the swedish Arctic Expedition, and by
undertaking to superintend the construction OF
great rejecting telescope Tor Australia. And
1t may be !Iegarked as OF good import that in
the SOclety's Transactions and Proceedings may
be read papers contributed from Norway.
Sweden, aud Denmark, from Munich, Berlin
Bonn. ana Viehn9, rom Portugal aud Greece,
II ON the Cape OF Good Hope, irom India, Aus
ITALIA, and New Zealand.
The Meteorological Office was one of the
FIRST topics which General SABINE brought before
his hearers, and continuing, so TO speak, hts
statement from last year, he showed what had
been The results OF the reorganization of the
G. tlce, and the present state OF operations. The
sy stematc working OF the STAFF of observers
ana the Instrumental arrangement OF the obser.
yatories under the control OF the central Office
! have been perfected as much as possible in the
| time, so a. to OBJ ain uniformity of action at the
| seven British ObserVatories. Each observatory
| sends bp TO the Office iu Parliament street a
| n Onthly record of the observations; and tie
next question which lbc Meteorological Com
mittee will take into consideration will be rs 10
] the best means and method by which all the
I weather facts thus carefully collsCted can be
made useful 10 the public, or 10 any who wish
10 study the weather phenomena OF the British
/ Islands.
1--WE are glad TO learn, on General sabne's
assurance, that the work OF ocean meteorology
haC been commenced, in fultherance OF which
the cooperation of some of the leading sea-
gCme steamship companies is secured, and a
number of the commanders OF tae vessels are
actively engaged in the work of observing.
Instruments have also been supplied 10 other
masters of vessels of our mercantile marine
care being always taken that the individuals
thus fay ored are competent and willing to
observe. The stock Of observations already
collected is so great-forms, as General Sabine
has it, such AN immense arreaT'-that Lthere
can be no hope of ITS speedy publication unless
the Government will increase the office staff of
clerks. Mean while the conditions are to be OBJ
| tained OF the atmospheric pressure, tempera-
ture, VarOr tension, direction and force OF wind,
character OF the weather, and suracs tempe
nature in that tract of the Atlantic comprised
! between 20 deg. North and 10 deg. South.
"As regards the communication of weather
| intelligence, GeLe Sabine informs us that the
system has been further developed so that the
drum.s'gpal is now hoisted at ninety-seyen
! British stations. The news thus oonyeyed 1t
prophecy but fact. Since February last
| similar news has been flashed to Hamburg, aud
| the h0rbor authorities there have resolved to
hoist the drum, aud ut Ouxhayeu, whenever