page_0113

SAPIENTIA ET DOCTRINA STABILITAS

The question then came to be, how these available funds
could be best applied. The subscribers to the Institution were of
opinion, that it would be better, before extending the building,
or taking steps for procuring additional Instruments, to have
the whole secured in trust to one body such as the University,
which would be responsible for its management, instead of its
being left under the joint control of three parties, the City, the
private subscribers to the Telescope, and the subscribers to the laying
out of the Park, to whom the erection of the Observatory on its grounds
was an inducement to subscribe. Things had worked well, and amic-
ably, so far, but provision had now to be made for the future.

In these circumstances, the transfer, already referred to, of the
grants recieved from the Government, together with the small obser-
vatory building and the Equatorial, and an acre of ground, to Queen's
University in trust, and on certain conditions, was completed, the
parties making the transfer providing for an annual inspection by
a Board of Visitors.

On 25th July 1861, "A draft plan and approximate estimate
of the intended addition to the Observatory was submitted by the Revd
Dr. Williamson. The Observatory committee were authorized to instruct
the Architect to prepare a plan and specifications in
conformity with the plan now submitted, and advertise for

1860-61

SAPIENTIA ET DOCTRINA STABILITAS

The question then came to be, how these available funds
could be best applied. The subscribers to the Institution were of
opinion, that it would be better, before extending the building,
or taking steps for procuring additional Instruments, to have
the whole secured in trust to one body such as the University,
which would be responsible for its management, instead of its
being left under the joint control of three parties, the City, the
private subscribers to the Telescope, and the subscribers to the laying
out of the Park, to whom the erection of the Observatory on its grounds
was an inducement to subscribe. Things had worked well, and amic-
ably, so far, but provision had now to be made for the future.

In these circumstances, the transfer, already referred to, of the
grants recieved from the Government, together with the small obser-
vatory building and the Equatorial, and an acre of ground, to Queen's
University in trust, and on certain conditions, was completed, the
parties making the transfer providing for an annual inspection by
a Board of Visitors.

On 25th July 1861, "A draft plan and approximate estimate
of the intended addition to the Observatory was submitted by the Revd
Dr. Williamson. The Observatory committee were authorized to instruct
the Architect to prepare a plan and specifications in
conformity with the plan now submitted, and advertise for

1860-61