'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎15] (44/524)

BOMBAY GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
XV
There are also one or two other remarks in Mr. Burgess 5 paper, relative
to the Government Observatory, which recpiiie passing notice and ex
planation on my part; for instance, the Government Observatory has
for its object more to collect and record data from a continuity of ob
servations, than to undertake the discovery of laws which pertain thereto.
With reference to terrestrial magnetism, we record the various changes
that occur from hour to hour, so also do we the tidal curve or changes,
when the tide gauge is in order; and these, with their simple results, as
also those connected with Meteorology, are published annually in the
Observatory volume ; but we leave it to scientific bodies and persons at
home or elsewhere to disentangle the skein of science which we are
ordered to procure from actual observation, and from which patient ma
thematical investigation will no doubt be able to discover the laws by
which these branches of science are governed and regulated. This is all
that the Observatory has ever done, and all that it has ever been called
upon to do, and therefore, whatever persons unacquainted with its duties
may expect or demand from it, it would be impossible for us to step out
of our long-beaten track to oblige every one ; for instance, it is not the
duty of the Observatory to supply tide-tables for the port. Does the
Boyal Observatory at Greenwich do so for London ? Certainly not.
Does the Boyal Observatory, the first Astronomical Observatory in the
world, compile the Nautical Almanac ? Certainly not. 1 his is all done
by a Naval Officer expressly appointed and paid to do so, quite distinct
and separate from the Boyal Observatory ; and I have no hesitation m
saying, whether for Nautical or the higher branches of Astronomy, or
the subject of tides, the Nautical Almanac is the text book of reference
throughout the whole world, which enables us to use all that it treats
upon, and reduce it to any given meridian on the globe. Therefore the
newspapers and publishers of Calendars, Directories, and Almanacs,
and the entire public, are independent of Government in all that con
cerns not only the tides, but I may say the sun, moon, and stars, and
all parties make their own private arrangements for what information
they require ; and I have pleasure in saying, that I haie ne\ei heard any
complaint against the accuracy of the tides or any other information
contained in these publications.
I cannot however conclude, without allowing that Mr. Buigess has
gone ably and deeply into the subject he has selected for investigation,
the result of which I hope will be, to furnish us with a moie exact