12 
HISTORY OF THE 
[1820-30 1820-- 
Street, Covent Garden, and was very numerously attended. A In 
paper by the Rev. Dr. Pearson was read on the subject of a new Associ 
micrometer which he had invented for measuring small distances nounci 
in the field of a telescope. . . . Captai 
At this first ordinary meeting, held at eight o’clock on March 10, Captai 
the Minutes tell us that twenty-eight members were present, Atteni 
Stephen Groombridge being in the Chair. Three new members occult 
were proposed for election (being numbers 84, 85, and 86), a score medal 
of books were presented by Brisbane, Stokes, Hutton, Colby, and who c 
Baily, and then Dr. Pearson’s paper was read “ On the doubly- on st 
refracting property of rock-chrystal, considered as a principle of Gottir 
micrometrical measurements when applied to a telescope.” The In 
summary of its contents (two pages of MS. minutes) ends with the and 4 
statement, “ The practical application of the micrometer thus electe< 
constructed the author proposes to communicate at a subsequent and p; 
meeting of the Society.” (solar 
At the meeting of April 14, Colebrooke was in the Chair ; on th( 
22 were present; 13 new members were proposed ; and Dr. nor th 
Pearson gave his promised description of the construction and use occup] 
of his micrometer, producing actual instruments and measures devoti 
made with them. follow 
On May 12, Groombridge in the Chair, 24 members and one Dolloi 
visitor present; 5 new members were proposed ; the 3 proposed in f° ur c 
March were elected (thus initiating the adopted practice of election instru 
two meetings after proposal). Dr. Brinkley, Professor at Dublin, obsen 
one of the five proposed, explained that his tardiness in coming Tl: 
forward was due to accidental delay in his receiving the original ^ s na 
circular, which he much regretted ; news of the proposal for an which 
observatory at Cambridge was announced ; and Mr. James South There 
read a paper on double stars. forme 
On June 9 (Colebrooke in the Chair), no list of members present often 
is given. Eight new members and one Associate (Biot) were on ™ 
proposed ; the 13 proposed in April were all elected, and 2 of the aftern 
3 elected in May were formally admitted (there was, however, as ^ 
yet, no book for them to sign : that came later). Captain Basil other 
Hall announced that he was sailing in a frigate to the south of From 
Cape Horn, and would be happy to receive instructions for nautical freque 
observations likely to be of value. F. Baily read a paper “ upon enthu 
a method of fixing a transit instrument exactly in the meridian,” Societ 
and Sir H. Englefield addressed the meeting orally. From the fact after 
that he apologised for doing so, owing to “ his present inability Minut 
to write on any subject ” we may infer the rigidity of the rule that twice, 
communications must be in writing. He drew attention to some early 
old observations which might refer to comets, or perhaps satellites ^ 
to Venus, and suggested further search. attrac