Notes

Abstract

THE directors of the Ben Nevis Observatories, which were closed on October 1, have just issued a circular describing the circumstances in which these observatories have at last been discontinued. The maintenance of the two stations at Fort William and on the summit of Ben Nevis has involved an average yearly expenditure of 1000l. Of this sum, 350l. has been supplied by the Meteorological Council, and the remainder has been obtained from various private sources. It was hoped that the Treasury Committee which was appointed to consider the question of the annual grant to the Meteorological Council would deal adequately with the position of the Ben Nevis Observatories in its report, but in their circular the directors express disappointment that this was not done. The directors remark:—“Some of their number, including the two secretaries, were examined, and fully stated their case, besides handing in detailed memoranda regarding the history, work, and cost of maintenance of the observatories. Yet, with all this information before them, the committee state in their report that ‘it appears that only 350l. per annum is required to ensure the continued maintenance of the observatories.’ The directors lost no time in calling the attention of the First Lord of the Treasury to this ‘inexplicably erroneous’ statement, and in appealing to him that means should be found to prevent the abandonment of the observatories. The Treasury, however, could not see its way to any further increase of the contribution from the Parliamentary Grant, but offered to continue the allowance of 350l. a year hitherto received from the Meteorological Council. As this arrangement would have left the directors exactly where they were before, face to face with the impossibility of continuing to raise 650l. every year, and with the obvious hopelessness of obtaining adequate pecuniary support from the Government, there was no alternative but to close the observatories.”