Various

This type of record has been solicited by the Royal Society during several periods of its history. In 1723 James Jurin appealed for observations via the 'Philosophical Transactions' and from 1725 instruments were sent to foreign observers to assist in this process. The resulting papers were abstracted in the 'Philosophical Transactions' by William Derham and others, but are preserved entire in this series. The Royal Society kept its own observations for the period 1774-1843 from which date the duties were transferred to the Royal Greenwich Observatory. In the mid 19th century further impetus was given to such information gathering by the Meteorological Committee, and many of the manuscripts date from this time.