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That I am not singular in the view I have taken of this subject； appears from several circumstances。 A question was asked respecting these appointments at the Anniversary before the last； and； from the nature of the answer； many of the members of the Society have been led to believe the objections have been removed。 Several Fellows of the Society； who knew these facts； thought it inexpedient ever to vote for placing any gentleman on the Council who had accepted these situations； and； having myself the same view of the case； I applied to the Council to be informed of the names of the present Scientific Advisers。 But although they remonstrated against the PRINCIPLE； they replied that they had 〃NO COGNIZANCE〃 of the fact。
The two first members of the Council； Mr。 Herschel and Captain Kater； who were so appointed； and who had previously been Resident Commissioners under the Act； immediately refused the situations。 Dr。 Young became one of the Advisers； and Captain Sabine and Mr。 Faraday were appointed by the Admiralty as the two remaining ones。 Of Dr。 Young； who died shortly after； I shall only observe that he possessed knowledge which qualified him for the situation。
Whether those who at present fill these offices can be said to belong to that class of persons which the Order in Council and the Act of Parliament point out； is a matter on which doubt may reasonably be entertained。 The Order in Council speaks of these three persons as being the same； and having the 〃SAME DUTIES〃 as those mentioned in the Act； and it recites the words of the Act； that they shall be persons 〃WELL VERSED IN THE SCIENCES OF MATHEMATICS ASTRONOMY； AND NAVIGATION。〃 Of the fitness of the gentlemen who now hold those situations to pronounce judgment on mathematical questions； the public will be better able to form an opinion when they shall have communicated to the world any of their own mathematical inquiries。 Although it is the practice to consider that acceptance of office is alone necessary to qualify a man for a statesman； a similar doctrine has not yet prevailed in the world of science。 One of these gentlemen； who has established his reputation as a chemist； stands in the same predicament with respect to the other two sciences。 It remains then to consider Captain Sabine's claims； which must rest on his skill in 〃PRACTICAL ASTRONOMY AND NAVIGATION；〃 a claim which can only be allowed when the scientific world are set at rest respecting the extraordinary nature of those observations contained in his work on the Pendulum。
That volume； printed under the authority of the Board of Longitude； excited at its appearance considerable attention。 The circumstance of the Government providing instruments and means of transport for the purpose of these inquiries； placed at Captain Sabine's disposal means superior to those which amateurs can generally afford； whilst the industry with which he availed himself of these opportunities； enabled him to bring home multitudes of observations from situations rarely visited with such instruments； and for such purposes。
The remarkable agreement with each other； which was found to exist amongst each class of observations； was as unexpected by those most conversant with the respective processes； as it was creditable to one who had devoted but a few years to the subject； and who； in the course of those voyages； used some of the instruments for the first time in his life。
This accordance amongst the results was such； that naval officers of the greatest experience； confessed themselves unable to take such lunars； whilst other observers； long versed in the use of the transit instrument； avowed their inability to take such transits。 Those who were conversant with pendulums； were at a loss how to make； even under more favourable circumstances； similarly concordant observations。 The same opinion prevailed on the continent as well as in England。 On whatever subject Captain Sabine touched； the observations he published seemed by their accuracy to leave former observers at a distance。 The methods of using the instruments scarcely differed in any important point from those before adopted； and； but for a fortunate discovery； which I shall presently relate； the world must have concluded that Captain Sabine possessed some keenness of vision； or acuteness of touch； which it would be hopeless for any to expect to rival。
The Council of the Royal Society spared no pains to stamp the accuracy of these observations with their testimony。 They seem to have thrust Captain Sabine's name perpetually on their minutes； and in a manner which must have been almost distressing： they recommend him in a letter to the Admiralty； then in another to the Ordnance； and several of the same persons； in their other capacity； as members of the Board of Longitude； after voting him a THOUSAND POUNDS for these observations； are said to have again recommended him to the Master…General of the Ordnance。 That an officer； commencing his scientific career； should be misled by such praises； was both natural and pardonable； but that the Council of the Royal Society should adopt their opinion so heedlessly； and maintain it so pertinaciously； was as cruel to the observer as it was injurious to the interests of science。
It might have been imagined that such praises； together with the Copley medal； presented to Captain Sabine by the Royal Society； and the medal of Lalande； given to him by the Institute of France； had arisen from such a complete investigation of his observations； as should place them beyond the reach even of criticism。 But； alas！ the Royal Society may write； and nobody will attend； its medals have lost their lustre； and even the Institute of France may find that theirs cannot confer immortality。 That learned body is in the habit of making most interesting and profound reports on any memoirs communicated to it； nothing escapes the penetration of their committees appointed for such purposes。 Surely； when they enter on the much more important subject of the award of a medal； unusual pains must be taken with the previous report； and it might； perhaps； be of some advantage to science； and might furnish their admirers with arguments in their defence； if they would publish that on which the decree of their Lalande's medal to Captain Sabine was founded。
It is far from necessary to my present object； to state all that has been written and said respecting these pendulum experiments： I shall confine myself merely to two points； one； the transit observations； I shall allude to； because I may perhaps show the kind of feeling that exists respecting them； and possibly enable Captain Sabine to explain them。 The other point； the error in the estimation of the division of the level； I shall discuss； because it is an admitted fact。
Some opinion may be formed of transit observations； by taking the difference of times of the passage of any star between the several wires； supposing the distances of those wires equal； the intervals of time occupied by the star in passing from one to the other； ought to be precisely the same。 As those times of passing from one wire to another are usually given to seconds and tenths of seconds； it rarely happens that