laborious investigations which have led to its establishment, but which are no longer necessary for its explanation or proof. This observation may be applied, in some degree, to his very ingenious Memoir "On the Empirical Laws of the Port of London", in which he attempts to deduce from observation and from very simple general considerations, the character of the formula for determining the establishment, the semimenstrual inequality, the corrections for lunar and solar parallax and declination, both as affecting the times and the height of high water. Similar observations may be extended to his papers on the "Empirical Laws of the Tides of the Port of Liverpool," and also on the "solar inequality and diurnal inequality" of the tides at the same place, which are full of valuable suggestions which the subsequent investigations of Mr. Lubbock have, in some cases, very remarkably confirmed and extended. The last of the series of researches of Mr. Whewell relate to the diurnal inequality of the height of the tide, which the discussion of the tides at Liverpool had exhibited, though under circumstances much less striking than those which characterize its appearance in other places. The first of his memoirs on this subject relates to the diurnal inequality at Plymouth and Sincapore, at the last of which places its magnitude is very remarkable, making a difference of not less than six feet in the height of morning and evening tide, and quite sufficient to obliterate, under certain circumstances, one of the semidiurnal tides, and explaining certain phænomena in the tides which have been considered as cases of interference. Mr. Whewell was led, from certain remarkable changes in the epoch of this phænomenon, which seemed to be deducible from the observations at Bristol, Liverpool and Leith, to suspect that its progress along the coasts of Europe and Great Britain was retarded according to some regular law. His subsequent discussion, however, of the simultaneous observations made in June, 1835, with an especial view to this inequality, showed that the differences of diurnal inequality were governed by local causes, and consequently negatived altogether the hypothesis of its progressive propagation according to a law distinct from that of the other inequalities of the tides. The preceding abstract of Mr. Whewell's Researches on the Tides is necessarily very brief and imperfect, and little calculated to convey to the minds of those who have not read his very extensive series of memoirs an adequate notion of the amount of labour and of thought which the discussion of such extensive series of observations must have required. The importance of the results which have been obtained by him and Mr. Lubbock, may be best estimated by the rapid advancement which has been made in our knowledge of the laws which regulate the movements of the tides during the last six years, and which is entirely owing to their joint labours. Theory, though little cultivated and little known, was then in advance of observation: tide tables were constructed by unpublished rules, which formed a profitable possession to those to whom the secret was known and the distinctive characters of the tides in the different ports of this king : dom, that of Liverpool perhaps excepted, were confined to the experience and tact of those who were accustomed to use them; but how different is the case at present! The rules for the construction of tide tables are not only public property, but are based upon the most extensive observations: laws, whose existence was hardly suspected, are now distinctly laid down: the progress of the waves in the most frequented parts of the ocean is beginning to be accurately developed theory, which was formerly in advance of observation, though greatly improved in those parts of it which do not involve the hydrodynamical laws of the ocean, is now greatly behind it; and such a basis of facts has been laid down as may enable the mathematician to commence such a series of investigations, as may terminate in enabling another Laplace to give to the theory of the tides a form which may rival, in the certainty of its predictions, the almost perfect theories of physical astronomy. On the motion of Mr. Davies Gilbert, the thanks of the Society were voted to His Royal Highness the President for his excellent Address, accompanied with a request that His Royal Highness would allow it to be printed. The Statutes relating to the election of Council and Officers were then read by the Secretary; and Joseph Smith and Richard Horsman Solly, Esqrs., being nominated by the Chairman, with the approbation of the Meeting, Scrutators to assist the Secretaries in examining the balloting lists, the votes of the Fellows present were collected. The ballot being taken, the Scrutators reported the following as the result: President.-His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, K.G. Secretaries.-Peter Mark Roget, M.D.; Samuel Hunter Christie, Foreign Secretary.-William Henry Smyth, Capt. R.N. Other Members of the Council.-John Bostock, M.D.; The Earl of Burlington; John George Children, Esq.; John Frederick Daniell, Esq.; Sir Philip Grey Egerton, Bart.; Davies Gilbert, Esq., D.C.L.; Charles Konig, Esq.; The Marquis of Northampton; Rev. George Peacock, M.A.; William Hasledine Pepys, Esq.; Stephen Peter Rigaud, Esq., M.A; John Forbes Royle, M.D.; Benjamin Travers, Esq.; James Walker, Esq; Charles Wheatstone, Esq.; Rev. William Whewell, M.A. The thanks of the Society were then voted to the Scrutators, for their trouble in assisting at the Election. The following is the statement with respect to the Receipts and Payments of the Society during the preceding year, which was laid on the table by the Treasurer. Statement of the Receipts and Payments of the Royal Society between Nov. 29, 1836, and Nov. 29, 1837. RECEIPTS. Balance in the hands of the Treasurer at the last Audit .. 33 Weekly Contributions, at one shilling 109 Quarterly Contributions, at £1 23 Admission Fees .. 7 Compositions for Annual Payments at £60. Rents: One year's rent of estate at Mablethorpe: due £. s. d. 90 7 0 60 0 0 £. S. d. 533 4 11 85 16 0 445 10 0 230 0 0 420 0 0 3 0 0 172 11 0 420 0 0 6 0 103 11 2 One year's dividend on £3820. 19. 3 Consols 114 12 6 Rumford Fund. One year's dividend on £2161.0. 10 Consols 64 16 8 PAYMENTS. Bakerian Lecture.-William H. Fox Talbot, Esq., for the Bakerian Lecture...... Donation Fund. Newman, for Barometer, &c. British Museum Fund. Baillière for Books.... 105 0 5 5 20 0 0000000 J. G. Children, Esq., one year, as Secretary.. C. Konig, Esq., one year, as Foreign Secretary Fire Insurance, on the Society's Property Gratuity to the Infant School at Acton Bills: Taylor: On account of printing the Catalogue.. Printing the Phil. Trans., 1836, part 2, and Bowles and Gardiner : For Paper for the Phil. Trans., 1837, parts Basire: For Engraving and Copper-plate Printing 50 0 30 0 0 for Phil. Trans., 1837, parts 1 and 2, &c. 328 2 3 200 0 0 63 16 8 1136 2 10 |