The minor planet Pallas, No. 2 of the series, will come into opposition on the 13th of the month. R. A. Decl. Erratum in No. 174, page 146, line 13 from bottom, for face read force. Books Received.-"Report of the Astronomer-Royal to the Board of Visitors of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1877."-" Meteorological Observations made at the Adelaide Observatory by C. Todd, C.M.G., F.R.A.S. Adelaide: W. Cox. 1877."-" British Rainfall, 1876, compiled by G. J. Symons. London: Edward Stanford, Charing Cross, S.W. 1877." ASTRONOMICAL REGISTER-Subscriptions received by the Editor. Fleming, Rev. D. ! TO CORRESPONDENTS. Watson, J. We cannot publish communications which are not authenticated by the name and address of the sender, as a guarantee of good faith. When subscriptions sent by post are not acknowledged in the next number, the Editor will be much obliged if subscribers will at once inform him of the fact. All Letters requiring an answer must enclose a penny stamp. The Editor will be obliged it those gentlemen who have not paid their subscriptions will kindly send them by Cheque, Post-office Order, or penny postage stamps, but the Editor will not be liable for loss in transmission. Post Office Orders for the Editor are to be made payable to JOHN C. JACKSON, at Lower Clapton, London, E. The Astronomical Register is intended to appear at the commencement of each month; the Subscription (including Postage to all parts of Great Britain and Ireland) is fixed at Three Shillings per Quarter, payable in advance, by postage stamps or otherwise. The pages of the Astronomical Register are open to all suitable communications. Letters, Articles for insertion, &c., must be sent to the Rev. J. C. JACKSON, Clarence Road, Clapton, E., not later than the 15th of the Month. The Astronomical Register. No. 176. AUGUST. 1877. THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. No one can regret more than we do that there should be serious disagreements among the Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society, but we cannot for a moment doubt that in so serious a question as that of altering the Bye-laws of one of the oldest of the so-called learned societies, it was both undignified and unwise that there should have been even the appearance of haste. It seems strange that it was expected by the most sanguine and intrepid of the proposers of the strong measure laid before the last meeting, that it was in any way possible to pass it in an hour or so; in other words, without discussion. There seems to have been a curious exhibition of impatience on the part of some members of the Council, which was hardly justified by the merits of the case. Of course, if the Council of the Astronomical Society is to be considered the Society itself, and if the Fellows are to be so many puppets to nod their heads as the Council bids them, and to pass without consideration or discussion what has seemed good to the "Patres conscripti," then of course they merited the ire of some of those who have had to do with these proposed alterations. But if the general body of Fellows has any respect for itself, it must have a real voice in so serious a matter concerning the well-being of the Society. There cannot be the slightest question in our minds that the Royal Astronomical Society should never have been called upon to pass sweeping alterations in their Bye-laws without being able to propose even verbal alterations. The whole affair bears on its face too much the appearance of the Council trying to ride the high horse over the other Fellows. "Take them all or you shall not have them at all; we have decided that these alterations are absolutely necessary, and that the form in which we propose them is the best which could possibly be made." Now this seems to us a very unwise and very unfair way of treating the subject. There are many who doubt the wisdom of any change, and there VOL. XV. is much to be said on their side. These might of course have voted without discussion against the alterations, but there are probably still more who think that some change, if not necessary, is still likely to conduce to the advantage of the Society. It was simply absurd to suppose that, if they could help it, the Fellows would consent to pass alterations in which they had no voice, unless they entirely agreed with them. It was If the Council are placed in an unpleasant position, it is surely their own fault. It must have been a most unbusinesslike proceeding even to attempt to force these resolutions, the result only of a compromise, upon the general body of Fellows. unbusinesslike, because it was unfair, and we may add foolish; for however well the subject might have been considered, surely it was most unwise to preclude the possibility of making the slightest even verbal alteration. The Council must consider themselves to be very wise indeed, if in a matter, not of astronomical, but of ordinary business, they did not expect to gain any advantage from the advice of one single Fellow not a member of the Council. In matters of pure astronomy we are ready to admit that the ordinary Fellows are not always competent to form an opinion. If this were not so we should not, as we occasionally do, excite the astonishment of outsiders at some of the gentlemen we elect as our Council, and at our rejection of others of whom any Society out of England might be proud. This however is merely a matter of transacting business, and there are very many Fellows with only a general interest in matters astronomical, who are far more competent to give a valuable opinion upon it, than the most careful and admirable of observers or the best mathematicians and computers of the body. We should have thought that the Council would not only have been willing, but have desired, that their acts and propositions should be discussed by the Fellows in the fullest and freest way possible. Lord Lindsay showed simply very good sense in moving that the consideration of the question should be deferred to a time when it might be fully and thoroughly discussed. If he had not done so, we happen to know that there are others who would; but the proposal could not have fallen into better hands. We shall be glad to receive communications from the Fellows upon the subject. The observations made on the companion of Sirius, discovered in 1862, are now rather numerous and extend over an arc |