of successive
Commissions on Standards, I had collected a number of Standards, some
of great historical value (as Ramsden's and Roy's Standards of Length,
Kater's Scale-beam for weighing great weights, and others), &c. These
have been transferred to the newly-created Standards Department of the
Board of Trade."--In the Report is given a detailed account of the
system of preserving and arranging the manuscripts and correspondence
of the Observatory, which was always regarded by Airy as a matter of
the first importance.--From a careful discussion of the results of
observation Mr Stone had concluded that the refractions ought to be
diminished. 'Relying on this, we have now computed our mean
refractions by diminishing those of Bessel's Fundamenta in the
proportion of 1 to 0.99797.'--The Magnetometer-Indications for the
period 1858-1863 had been reduced and discussed, with remarkable
results. It is inferred that magnetic disturbances, both solar and
lunar, are produced mediately by the Earth, and that the Earth in
periods of several years undergoes changes which fit it and unfit it
for exercising a powerful mediate action.--The Earth-current records
had been reduced, and the magnetic effect which the currents would
produce had been computed. The result was, that the agreement between
the magnetic effects so computed and the magnetic disturbances really
recorded by the magnetometers was such as to leave no doubt on the
general validity of the explanation of the great storm-disturbances of
the magnets as consequences of the galvanic currents through the
earth.--Referring to the difficulty experienced in making the
meteorological observations practically available the Report states
thus: 'The want of Meteorology, at the present time, is principally in
suggestive theory.'--In this year Airy communicated to the Royal
Astronomical Society a Paper 'On the Preparatory Arrangements for the
Observation of the Transits of Venus 1874 and 1882': this subject was
now well in hand.--The First Report of the Commissioners (of whom he
was Chairman) appointed to enquire into the condition of the Exchequer
Standards was printed: this business took up much time.--He was in
this year much engaged on the Coinage Commission.

Of private history: There was the usual winter visit to Playford, and
a short visit to Cambridge in June.--From about Aug. 1st to Sept. 3rd
he was travelling in Switzerland with his youngest son and his two
youngest daughters