the discharge of, his duties, he has
rendered to the Crown and the Public, decide to deal with his case
under the IXth Section of the Superannuation Act, 1859, which empowers
them to grant a special pension for special services.

Accordingly my Lords are pleased to award to Sir George Biddell Airy,
K.C.B., F.R.S., a special Retired Allowance of _L1100_ per annum.

* * * * *

THE WHITE HOUSE,
CROOM'S HILL, GREENWICH,
_1881, October 29_.

SIR,

I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of October 27,
transmitting to me, by instruction of The Lords Commissioners of
Admiralty, copy of a Treasury Minute dated 1881 October 10, in which
the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury are pleased to award
to me an annual retired allowance of _L1100_ per annum.

Acknowledging the very liberal award of the Lords Commissioners of
Treasury, and the honourable and acceptable terms in which it is
announced, I take leave at the same time to offer to Their Lordships
of the Admiralty my recognition of Their Lordships' kindness and
courtesy in thus handing to me copy of the Treasury Minute.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your very obedient Servant,
G.B. AIRY.

_The Secretary of the Admiralty,_

* * * * *

From the Assistants of the Royal Observatory, with whom he was in
daily communication, whose faithful and laborious services he had so
often thankfully recognized in his Annual Reports to the Board of
Visitors, and to whom so much of the credit and success of the
Observatory was due, he received the following address:

ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH,
_1881, August 11_.

DEAR SIR,

We cannot allow the official relation which has so long existed
between yourself and us to terminate without expressing to you our
sense of the admirable manner in which you have, in our opinion,
upheld the dignity of the office of Astronomer Royal during the many
years that you have occupied that important post.

Your long continued and varied scientific work has received such
universal recognition from astronomers in all lands, that it is
unnecessary for us to do more than assure you how heartily we join in
their