r Royal have the right, it would be expedient to commute it
for a liberal compensation.

Whichever be the true view of the case, they have taken no steps on the
subject; and I cannot help expressing my belief, that the President and
Council were induced to be thus negligent of the interests of science,
from the fear of interfering with the perquisites of the Astronomer
Royal.

It is, however, but justice to observe, that the injury already done to
science, by the conversion of these Observations into pasteboard, is not
so great as the public might have feared. Mr. Pond, than whom no one can
be supposed better acquainted with their value, and whose right to
judge no man can question, has shown his own opinion to be, that his
reputation will be best consulted by diminishing the extent of their
circulation.

Before I quit the subject of the Royal Observatory, on which much might
be said, I will just refer to the report by a Committee of the Royal
Society that was made relative to it, some years since, and which, it is
imagined, is a subject by no means grateful to the memory of any of
the parties concerned in it. My object is to ascertain, whether any
amendments have taken place in consequence. To one fact of considerable
importance, I was myself a witness, when I was present officially at a
visitation. At that time, no original observations made at the transit
instrument were ever preserved. Had I not been an eye witness of the
process of an observation, I should not have credited the fact.

SECTION 7. OF THE ROYAL MEDALS.

At a period when the attention of Government to science had not
undergone any marked change, a most unexpected occurrence took place.
His Majesty intimated to the Royal Society, through his Secretary of
State, his intention to found two gold medals, of the value of fifty
guineas each, to be awarded annually by the Council of the Royal
Society, according to the rules they were desired to frame for that
purpose.

The following is the copy of Mr. Peel's letter:--

WHITEHALL, December 3d, 1825.

SIR,

I am commanded by the King to acquaint you, that His Majesty proposes to
found two gold medals, of the value of fifty guineas each, to be awarded
as honorary premiums, under the direction of the President and Council
of the Royal Society, in such a manner as shall, by the excitement of
competition among men of science, seem best calculated to promote the
object for which the Royal Society wa