20-30 
1820-30] ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 7 
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recording observations—hundreds of which remain blank to this 
day. But the observational programme was, as already men 
tioned, only one of the considerations put forward in the Address : 
others were the collation and publication of observations already 
made or to be made ; the education of observers ; the deter 
minations of position on our earth ; the improvement of lunar 
tables ; the establishment of relations with foreign astronomers, 
who may be elected Associates ; the diffusion of information ; the 
computation of orbits ; the formation of a library ; and the 
proposal of prize questions. 
Besides the Address, there were “ regulations ” (which ulti 
mately became our “ Bye-Laws ”) to be made before the first 
meeting on February 8. The death of the King on January 29 
threw a cloud over this first meeting, so that after reading the 
Regulations, making some slight changes in them, resolving that 
they should be printed, as also the Address “ with such alterations 
as [the Committee] may think proper ” (wherein we probably 
catch a reflection of Sir John Herschel’s grievances), it was decided 
to defer any but pressing business to “ some future day out of 
respect to the memory of his late Majesty, whose funeral had not 
yet taken place.” Under the circumstances it was creditable that 
twenty-one members attended this meeting : and the number of 
those who had formally joined the new Society was reported as 
forty-seven. The “ future day ” was fixed as February 29, when 
twenty-eight attended, including the Duke of Somerset, who was 
unanimously elected President. The Vice-Presidents were Cole- 
brooke, Groombridge, Sir William Herschel, and the Astronomer 
Royal (Pond); Treasurer, Dr. Pearson; Secretaries, Babbage, 
Baily, and John Herschel (Foreign) ; and Council, Col. Beaufoy, 
Capt. Colby, Olinthus Gregory, T. Harrison, D. Moore, E. Trough- 
ton ; while A. Baily, D. Moore, and C. Stokes were appointed 
Trustees. The roll of membership was by that time eighty-three. 
The meeting concluded with votes of thanks to the Geological 
Society for the hospitality of their rooms for these early meetings, 
and to Daniel Moore for his good offices as chairman : and so far 
all had gone well. 
But at the next meeting a blow fell : Sir Joseph Banks, the 
President of the Royal Society, had induced the Duke of Somerset 
to decline the Presidency. It seems to have been quite unex 
pected, for Baily did not write about it to Sir John Herschel until 
March 11, the day after the meeting, and the Duke’s letter is dated 
March 9, the day before. But apparently Sir Joseph Banks had 
been at work in various directions. Baily writes :— 
A similar attack was made by Sir Jos Banks on the Astronomer 
Royal, who, if report be true, made a very spirited reply. As a