Professor Patton read a very interesting meteorological paper from Dr Ford, at Hoshungabad, for which we find ourselves unable to find room; as also an exceedingly able dissertation of his own on the theory of Woollaston and others on the pressure of different gases on each other. This also we must exclude. The following resolutions were then proposed by the Hon'ble Mr. Willoughby, seconded by Mr Spens, and agreed to unanimously: 1st. That fifty copies of the barometric curves projected by Mr Mayes, as exhibiting the fluctuations of the collection of barometric instruments subjected by him to examination for twenty-four hours on end, be lithographed for distribution,-and that the figure tables, which for ned the bases of the curves, be printed in the Society's Transactions; and that copies of such of these papers as bore on his researches should be forwarded to Mr Piddington. 2nd. That this meeting gladly avail themselves of this opportunity to record the high sense it entertains of the zealous exertions of Mr Mayes in reducing and preparing for publication the large masses of observations which have accumulated in the hands of the Society. 3rd. That the Society return its best thanks to Dr Buist for the papers and explanations just laid before them. 4th. That the Society return its best thanks to Professor Patton for the results afforded them of the very interesting researches now occupying his attention; and express their hopes that these may be prosecuted by him to a successful issue. 1 The following letters, papers, and donations, were then laid on the table: LETTERS. From T. Waller, Esq., Deputy Medical Storekeeper, dated Belgaum, 31st ultimo, forwarding meteorological observations for the month of December last. From Captain W. O'Brien, commanding Hill Rangers, Jaulna, dated 8th instant, requesting to be furnished with certain instruments out of the Society's supply. From J. Connon, Esq., Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce, dated 7th instant, No. 8 of 1851, acknowledging the receipt of the Society's letter and its accompaniment, and forwarding the last seventeen reports of the Chamber, and intimating that the future reports will be supplied regularly. From N. D'Oyly, Esq, dated 27th ultimo, requesting to be informed what it would cost him for a mountain barometer and a portable sympiesometer, to enable him to remit the amount accordingly. From G. V. Gungaram, Esq., dated Vizagapatam, 24th January 1851, forwarding his meteorological register for the month of December last, and requesting that the instruments ordered by him, be forwarded to him, and to his list and addition be made, that of a thermometer for boiling temperature, divided into of degrees. From Lieutenant A. Aytoun, dated 27th ultimo, requesting to be furnished with one of the triple pocket lenses, and informing that the amount has been remitted through the Paymaster, 3rd Battalion of Artillery. From Francis N. Maltby, Esq., dated Mangalore, 10th instant, requesting to be supplied with a mountain barometer, a thermometer, for boiling water at high altitudes, and a prismatic compass, and intimating that the weather reports will be supplied by Dr Foulis, as a pluviometer has lately been placed at his disposal for that purpose. PAPERS. Observations from Surat, Hydrabad, Rajcote, Shikarpoor, Kurrachee, Sawant Warree, Pahlunpoor, for the months of October, November, and December, 1850. From Larkhana, for September, October, and November. From Ports of Cuddalore, and Coconada, stations of Guntoor, Chittoor, and Cuddalore, St. Thomas's Mount, Civil Dispensary Nellore, and Vizagapatam, for December. From the Zillahs of Calicut and Mangalore, Garrison of Cannanore, and stations of Secunderabad and Kurnool, for November 1850. From Belgaum, for the whole of the year 1850. BOOKS. The Journal of the Indian Archipelago, for the month of September, October, November and December 1850. Presented by Government. Mr MacKay's Travels in the United States in 1846-47. 3 vols. Presented by Mr Cormack. Report of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, 17 Nos. The Bombay Times' Calendar and Almanac. Presented by the Chamber. Notice of motion for next meeting.-Proposed by Mr Willoughby, second by Mr Spens :"That A. Mackay, Esq., be elected an Honorary Member of this Society." THE Bombay Geographical Society held its ordinary monthly meeting on Thursday the 20th March 1851-the Honorable J. P. Willoughby, Esquire, in the chair. Present: Commodore S. Lushington, R. N.; Major G. LeGrand Jacob; Commander G. Jenkins, I. N.; John Ritchie, Esquire; John Smith, Esquire; Venayekrao Jagonnathjee, Esquire; Professor J. Patton, and Dr. G. Buist, Secretaries. The minutes of last meeting were read and approved of.-The following report from the Committee on Charts was read, and, with the exception of the third clause, which was slightly altered to the shape in which it now stands, approved of : REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, OF THE COMMITTEE ON CHARTS APPOINTED 23RD JANUARY. Your Committee having maturely considered the whole question committed to them, and availed themselves of all the information on the subject of Wind and Current Charts within their reach, resolved, 1st. That it would be eminently desirable, before the Manuscript Charts submitted to them were sent to press, that they should be made as perfect as possible on the same general plan as that on which they have been constructed: and that as many additional tracks as could be procured without any undue amount of delay should be projected on them. 2nd. That the best mode of doing this appeared to be to prepare and print lists of queries, to be distributed amongst Commanders of Merchant Vessels, and others likely to contribute such information as might be desired, with Schedules, to be filled up and returned by them to the Society, from which further tracks might be laid down on the Charts. 3rd. That the Committee, having no funds at their disposal, shall be allowed to draw on the ordinary funds of the Society,-replacing this, if deemed desirable, from the funds provided for the publication of the Charts, should they come to be published. (Signed) S. Lushington ; J. C. Hawkins; J. Smith; John Ritchie; Geo. Buist ; Joseph Patton. Bombay, 19th March, 1851. The following resolutions were then brought forward, and unanimously agreed to:"1. That Government be applied to for permission to bestow the balance, should any remain, of the Rs. 3000 granted by them in 1848 for the publication of the Meteorological and Tidal Observations made under the auspices of the Society, to that of the Observations forwarded to the Society by the Bombay, Madras, and Bengal Governments, all of them bearing on the same general subject. "2.-That Government be applied to to meet the charges of setting up and putting to work at Poona, Mahabuleshwar, Ahmednuggur, or such other situations as might seem desirable, the Wind-Gauges just returned from Aden, where they were no longer required, and that received from the Observatory, formerly in the possession of the Madras Government, these being public property." In reference to the first, it was explained that the form in which the Tidal Observations were proposed to be published, differed so materially from that on which the estimate was prepared when Government were applied to for the grant promised them, that on this alone above Rs. 1000 would be saved; that the Bombay Tidal observations, then expected to fall on the grant, had been published in the Observatory Report; while the Kurrachee, Porebunder and Vingorla Observations required yet to be made. The Bombay Government had meanwhile furnished the Society with a very valuable collection of Observations, and a large collection had been received 1 from Madras and Bengal; and in proposing that the Government grant be employed in the publication of these, all that was asked was that an unabsorbed balance should be transferred, from one division of a general scheme to another. The instruments referred to were all the property of Government, and the Society were prepared to see to the use made of them, and to the publication of the observations-but their funds did not allow of more. An altitude and azimuth circl belonging to the Observatory with which Mr Mayes had been provided by Mr Orlebar on proceeding to Aden, was exhibited: it was the fellow of the instrument described in the report for 1846 as having been employed at Surat, in Salsette, and on the Mababuleshwar Hills, and for the use of which the Society had applied, when it was asserted that it never had existed. The magnetic portion of that now on the table was in the Observatory, where, of course, it was useless for magnetical purposes, without the portion Mr Mayes had at Aden: he had frequently applied for it, but received no answer. A large collection of observations on the occultations of Jupiter's Satellites, by Mr Mayes, was laid on the table: they had been taken with the view of determining with precision the longitude of the observatory on Seerah Island. A fine Achromatic Telescope, with a Transit instrument, belonging to Mr Mayes, were laid on the table; as also a Hansteon's magnetic apparatus he had just had constructed for himself in the bazaar. The Secretary stated that the Society had at last meeting recorded a vote of thanks to Mr Mayes for his exertions: the instruments now on the table had since then been received from Aden, and he had considered it expedient to place them before the Society to show, not only the exertions made by a man lately a private soldier, and who was entirely self-educated, but who had pursued so severe a system of economy as to make large savings from his narrow income, and bestowed these on objects so different from those usually sought after in Indiaon scientific instruments, the value of which he had learnt through his own industry, and which he had shown himself so competent to use for the advancement of science. Labours of this sort, pursued in the face of so many disadvantages, were peculiarly deserving of notice and commendation, and implied a degree of merit men pursuing a similar course under cir. cumstances more favorable could not lay claim to. The Chairman fully concurred in the praise bestowed on Mr. Mayes, and considered that the exhibition of the instruments now before them, along with the observations which were laid on the table, in addition to what the Society already knew of the exertions of Mr Mayes, warranted the Society in conferring on him some more substantial mark of the estimation in which his exertions were held by them than a mere record of their approval. Notice was then given by the Hon'ble Mr Willoughby, seconded by Major Le Grand Jacob, of the following motion for next meeting :— "That with reference to the papers and the instruments produced before the Meeting obtained by his own resources, and to mark the high sense which the Society entertain of his meritorious and valuable services in promoting the objects of the Society, a Chronometer of the value not exceeding £50, with a suitable inscription, be presented to Mr. Mayes." Some conversation then ensued on the subject of a letter addressed by Commander Jenkins to the Secretary on the subject of a paper which had been sent round with the circulars to the Committee on Current Charts: the document in question appeared to have been sent round by accident, without the knowledge of the Secretary. The letter of Commander Jenkins, which had been desired to be laid before the Society, had been sent round to the Committee on Charts for consideration, and had not been returned to the Secretary. He regretted its disappearance, but could give no explanation regarding it: he had no doubt whatever that it would cast up. He had placed it in the hands of sepoys, and expected to have found it amongst the papers on the table of the Society.* The letter and its accompaniments have since been found in a drawer where, they had been placed by the sepoy in the evening for security, until they should be taken round on Monday, when they were forgotten VOL. X. G Various letters and papers were then laid on the table : LETTERS, From Captain E. Whichelo, Deputy Commissary General, requesting the Society to take charge of the boxes of Meteorological Instruments consigned to them, arrived from "Aden" per H. Co.'s Steamer Moozuffer. From the Acting Secretary Military Board, No. 1531, dated 25th ultimo, acknowledging the receipt of the Society's letter No. 10, dated 19th February, and stating that they have no authority to incur any expendititure in carrying out the measures proposed by the Society. From Messrs Smith, Elder, and Co., London, dated 19th January 1851, informing of their having forwarded a small package to the Society per that day's steamer, containing a copy of Thomson's Introduction to Meteorology. From Cursetjee Jamsetjee, Esq., dated 15th instant, acknowledging the receipt of the Societys letter, No. 11, dated 21st ultimo, informing him of his having been elected a member. From Manockjee Nasserwanjee & Co., dated 18th Instant, requesting a Pocket Compass and a Magnifier, required by Captain Hebbert, Engineers. PAPERS ON METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. From Calcutta, Vizagapatam, Sattara, and Ports of Cuddalore and Coconda, for January 1851. From Kolapore, Bushire, and Garrison Hospital Trichinopoly, for October, November, and December, 1850. From Calcutta, stations of Bangalore, Hurryhur, French Rocks, Kamptee, Zillahs Mangalore, Calicut, Coimbatoor, and Garrison of Cannanore, for December 1850. BOOKS. Sketch of Mairwara, by Lieutenant Colonel C. J. Dixon.-Presented by Government. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, No. VI, 1850.-Presented by the Society. Mr A. Mackay, the Manchester Cotton Commissioner, was unanimously elected an Honorary Member of the Society,-having been duly proposed by the Hon'ble J. P. Willoughby, Esq., and seconded by A. Spens, Esq. AT a Monthly Meeting of the Bombay Geographical Society, held on the 24th April, 1851. Present: Colonel George Moore, Senior Member present, in the Chair; W. E. Frere, Esq.; Captain P. T. French; Captain H. J. Barr; Commander G. Jenkins, Indian Navy; John Ritchie, Esq.; Dr B. White; Major LeGrand Jacob; Norman Oliver, Esq.; Venaikrow Jugonnathjee, Esq.; Dr George Buist, L. L. D., and Professor Joseph Patton, A. M., Joint Secretaries. The minutes of last meeting having been read and approved of, the following motion, proposed last Meeting, was put from the Chair, and agreed to unanimously: Proposed by the Honorable Mr. Willoughby, and seconded by Major LeGrand Jacob,That, with reference to the papers and the Instruments produced before the Meeting, obtained by his own resources, and to mark the high sense which the Society entertain of his meritorious and valuable services in promoting the objects of the Society, a Chronometer, of the value not exceeding £ 50, with a suitable inscription, be presented to Mr. Mayes. Dr Buist was instructed to place himself in communication with Commodore Lushington, who had kindly undertaken to assist in the matter, and to have the |