Abstract
THE Meteorological Society of Mauritius have recently presented to the Governor of that colony a memorial (contained in a copy of the Commercial Gazette sent to us) requesting him immediately to place on the estimates a sum sufficient to complete the new meteorological observatory there before the end of the present year. One of the objects for which this excellent society was formed in 1851, was to aim at the establishment of a permanent meteorological and mignetical observatory; and since 1860 the members have been doing theirbest to urge the Colonial Government to help them to accomplish their object; but one untoward event after another has occurred to postpone its consummation. The old observatory, a very inconvenient one, was sold in 1866 for 10,843l. and about half this sum was made available by the Government for the new observatory and instruments; besides this, another sum of 4,5ool. is available, though the Government hesitate to make use of it. In 1870 a small portion of the new building was erected, and the foundation stone of the main building laid by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, but nothing more has been done since; and the staff, owing to the scanty allowance for the purpose, has been utterly inadequate. The memorial then asks the governor to grant at once the funds necessary to complete the building and to maintain an adequate staff; and urges, as a reason for haste, among other more enduring and general reasons, the approaching transit of Venus. The people of Mauritius, both for their own sakes and for the sake of science, the Society believe will be glad to lend a helping hand. We cannot but think that if the Government of Mauritius give the matter their serious consideration, they will at once accede to the prayer of the society's memorial. The benefit which such an observatory, in the heart of the Indian Ocean, would confer on science and humanity would be immense: and to cripple such an institution would be anything but economy. The vast importance in agricultural, nautical, and sanitary points of view, of having an observatory in Mauritius, is generally acknowledged; indeed, it is well known to those who have resided in Mauritius, as well as in other tropical countries, that timely warning of a single hurricane (which experience shows can be given), might save as much money as would suffice to build an observatory, and to maintain it for years. The Society does not seek any help from the Imperial Government; and we sincerely hope that no narrow and short-sighted notions of economy will prevent the Governor of Mauritius from at once granting the means of fulfilling the so frequently frustrated hopes of the Meteorological Society.
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The Meteorological Observatory at Mauritius . Nature 7, 243 (1873). https://doi.org/10.1038/007243b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/007243b0