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 appreciation of your labours. We may however add that our position has given us opportunities of seeing that which others cannot equally well know, the untiring energy and great industry which have been therein displayed throughout a long and laborious career, an energy which leads you in retirement, and at fourscore years of age, to contemplate further scientific work.
We would ask you to carry with you into private life the best wishes of each one of us for your future happiness, and that of your family, expressing the hope that the days of retirement may not be few, and assuring you that your name will long live in our remembrance.