Dated 9 Sep 1830
William R.
Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. Whereas, our Royal predecessor King George the Fourth did by warrant under his Royal sign manual, bearing date the nineteenth day of May, in the first year of his reign, constitute and appoint the President, and in his absence the Vice-President, of the Royal Society for the time being, together with such others as the Council of the said Royal Society should from time to time think fit, to be regular Visitors of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, during His said Majesty's pleasure. Now know ye, that we have revoked and determined, and do by these presents revoke and determine, the said appointment, and every clause, article and thing therein contained. And further know ye, that we having been given to understand that it would contribute very much to the improvement of astronomy and navigation if we should appoint regular Visitors of our Royal Observatory at Greenwich with sufficient powers for the due execution of that trust, we have therefore thought fit, in consideration of the great learning, experience, and other necessary qualifications of our Royal Society and of the Astronomical Society, to constitute and appoint, as we do by these presents constitute and appoint, you the President for the time being of our Royal Society, together with our trusty and well-beloved John W. Lubbock, Esq.; Captain Henry Kater; George Peacock, Clerk; William Pearson, Clerk, Doctor in Divinity; and Richard Sheepshanks, Clerk, Fellows thereof: and you the President of the said Astronomical Society, together with our trusty and well-beloved Charles Babbage, Esq.; Francis Baily, Esq.; Captain Francis Beaufort; Doctor Olinthus Gregory; and J. F. W. Herschel, Esq., Members thereof; and likewise the Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford, and the Plumian Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge, for the time being, to be regular Visitors of our Royal Observatory at Greenwich during our pleasure; authorizing and requiring you from time to time to order and direct our said astronomer and keeper of our said Royal Observatory to make such astronomical observations as you in your judgement shall think proper: and that you do survey and inspect our instruments in our said Observatory; and as often as any of them shall be found defective, that you do inform our Lord High Admiral (or the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral), that so the said instruments may either be exchanged or repaired: and that you do from time to time make such suggestions and representations to our Lord High Admiral (or to the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral), touching the said Observatory, the library, the instruments, and the observations, as in your judgement will be conducive to the credit of our Observatory, and to the promotion of astronomical and nautical science. And our further will and pleasure is, that our astronomer and keeper of the said Observatory for the time being, do deliver to yon every three months a true and fair copy of all the observations he shall have made, and that such number of copies of the said observations be printed as the Lord High Admiral (or the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral) shall consider expedient. And when our said astronomer and the Council of our Royal Society and of the Astronomical Society shall have been supplied with as many copies as they may desire, to distribute for the benefit of science, the remainder shall be sold at such price as the Lord High Admiral shall fix. And our further will and pleasure is, that you do meet annually at our said Observatory on the first Saturday in the month of June, and at such other times as may seem expedient to our Lord High Admiral (or the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral), and that at such meeting the President of our Royal Society shall take the chair, or in his absence the President of the Astronomical Society; or in the absence of both the said Presidents, that the Fellows and Members present (of whom seven shall form a quorum) shall elect a chairman for the time being among themselves: and that at every such meeting the chairman shall be empowered to call in and employ one of the assistants in our said Observatory to act as secretary for the time being. And our further will and pleasure is, that as often as any vacancies occur by death or resignation, the same shall be filled up by the President of the Society, in whose list such vacancy may have happened. And our further will and pleasure is, that any President of our said Royal Society, or any President of the Astronomical Society, who may have become a Visitor to our Royal Observatory, by virtue of his office, shall during our pleasure continue to be a Visitor notwithstanding that he may have vacated the office of President of such Society. And for so doing, this shall be your warrant. And so we bid you farewell. – Given at our Court at Saint James's, the Ninth day of September 1830 In the first year of our Reign.
To our trusty and well-beloved the President of our Royal Society for the time being, the President of the Astronomical Society for the time being, and the other persons hereby appointed Visitors of our Royal Observatory at Greenwich.
By His Majesty's command,
Robert Peel.
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