DIE
MO
OROIT
THE HONGKONG
Government Gazette.
Published by Authority.
No. 16.
No. 50.
VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 18тн APRIL, 1863.
VOL. X.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Circular Despatch, from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, is published for general information.
By Order,
W. H. ALEXANDER, Acting Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 16th April, 1863.
DOWNING STREET, 9th February, 1863.
SIR,-I transmit to you a copy of a letter from the Deputy Principal Librarian of the British Museum, 26th January, 1803. expressing the desire of the Trustees of that Institution to obtain, as an accession to their. collection
present of aerolites, such specimens as may in future come into possession, or be procurable by the public functionaries in the British Colonies. I also transmit to you copies of two papers referred to in the enclosed letter, and I should be glad if you would make the contents of these papers known in the Colony under your govern- ment, in such manner as may be best calculated to forward the views of the Trustees, and also that you would render any assistance in your power in furtherance of the same object.-I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient, humble Servant,
The Officer Administering the Government of Hongkong.
NEWCASTLE.
Mr. Winter Jones to the Duke of Newcastle.
(Copy.)
BRITISH MUSEUM, January 26th, 1863.
MY LORD DUKE,-I have the honor to acquaint your Grace, that the Trustees of the British Museum have had under consideration the advantageous results which might be expected in accessions to the fine collection of Aerolites now in the Museum, were measures taken to obtain for the National Institution such Aerolites as may in future come into the bands of, or be procurable by, the public functionaries in the British Dominions Abroad, and Her Majesty's Representatives in Foreign Countries. With this object, the papers "On the observation of which I have the honour to enclose copies, were drawn up, and a large number of them has been forwarded and collection of Aero- to the Foreign Office, by direction of the Trustees, to be transmitted to the British Ambassadors, Ministers, Consuls, and other Official persons in foreign countries.
lites."
15
Catalogue of the Collection of Aërolites
I am now directed to submit to your Grace the request of the Trustees, that copies of the enclosed papers exhibited in the Brit- (which they will be happy to supply), inay be transmitted to the Governors and Commanding Officers of the ish Museum,” various British Colonies and Dependencies, with instructions to make the contents thereof generally known in their respective governments, and to transmit for the British Museum such Aerolites of importance as they may be able to procure, as well as to forward the views of the Trustees in this respect in any other way that may seem to them fit.-I have, &c.,
His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.,
&c.,
St.,
fc.
(Signed)
J. WINTER JONES, Deputy-Principal Librarian.
ON THE OBSERVATION AND COLLECTION OF AEROLITES.
There are two varieties of Aurolites, or Meteorites, that have been seen to fall from space. The one consists of stony masses, often containing particles of iron; and of these many have been observed in their fail: the other variety is composed, for the most part, of iron. The actual fall of iron aerolites has been but rarely witnessed, though many masses of metallic iron have been found on the earth's surface, of the meteoric origin of which there can be no doubt.
It is a matter of great interest, and of importance to science, that as many as possible of these bodies should be col- reted for comparison, and that all the circumstances accompanying their fall be carefully recorded; and, persons who, in the eat of a "fire ball" being seen, or of a mass having fallen, in their neighbourhood, will carefully collect facts regarding
, may make a very valuable contribution to science.
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