I.—Secular Earth-Creep

Dr. J. R. Sutton has recently read a most important paper to the Royal Society of South Africa on the diurnal variation of level at Kimberley. The paper gave the preliminary results of observations made during the course of three years upon the variation of the level of the ground as recorded by a large horizontal pendulum of a special design made for the author by the Cambridge Instrument Company. It appeared from the results that the movements in the surface of the ground, which set up corresponding movements in the pendulum, were very great. The maximum westerly elongation of the extremity of the pendulum occurred about 5.30 a.m., the maximum easterly about 4.15 p.m., the medium positions a little before 11 a.m. and 9.30 p.m. Geometrically these movements may be represented on the hypothesis that the hemisphere facing the sun bulges out, forming a sort of meniscus to the geosphere. The rise and fall of the surface of the ground which such a supposition would postulate is enormous, and the very magnitude has led Dr. Sutton to hesitate in giving the figures. There can, however, be very little doubt that some rise and fall in the earth's surface is occasioned by the sun's gravitational pull, although the present figures may have to be lessened by taking into consideration other causes which contribute to the disturbance of the pendulum.

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A Royal Society appointment with Venus in 1769: the voyage of Cook and Banks in the Endeavour In 1768-1771 and its botanical results

Notes and Records the Royal Society journal of the history of science ◽

10.1098/rsnr.1969.0007 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 64-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Keyword(s):

Pacific Ocean ◽

Royal Society ◽

The Sun ◽

Royal Navy ◽

The Earth ◽

The Pacific ◽

The Pacific Ocean ◽

Set Up ◽

George Iii ◽

Made In

A little over two hundred years ago a number of serious and learned men in Copenhagen, London, Paris, St Petersbourg, Stockholm and elsewhere, men who were academicians, Fellows of the Royal Society, Lords of the Admiralty, politicians and the like, had been thinking seriously and learnedly about the behaviour of Venus, not, of course, about Venus as represented coldly and chastely by the marble statues being imported from Italy or more warmly in the paintings of Boucher and his contemporaries, but about her far distant planet which was calculated to pass across the disk of the Sun in 1769 and not to make another such transit until 1874. Observations of the 1769 transit at widely separated stations would provide, it was hoped, the means of calculating the distance of the Earth from the Sun. The Royal Society in London, having set up in November 1767 a sub-committee ‘to consider the places proper to observe the coming Transit of Venus’ and other particulars relevant to the same, presented a memorial to King George III outlining possible benefits to science and navigation from observations made in the Pacific Ocean and received in return the promise of £4000 and a suitable ship provided by the Royal Navy (8).

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Modern Astronomical Developments in India

Highlights of Astronomy ◽

10.1017/s1539299600019055 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 894-897

Author(s):

Rajesh Kochhar

Keyword(s):

Royal Society ◽

Solar Observatory ◽

East India Company ◽

The Sun ◽

Indian Economy ◽

Key Factor ◽

The Government ◽

English East India Company ◽

Set Up ◽

Modern Astronomy

Modern astronomy came to India in tow with the Europeans and was institutionalized more than 200 years ago by the (English) East India Company with the establishment in 1790 of Madras Observatory for assistance in navigational and geographical surveys. One hundred years later, in 1899, it was replaced by a solar observatory at Kodaikanal set up by the government to meet the European scientists’ demand for sunny skies and in the hope that a study of the Sun would help predict the failure of monsoons, the key factor then as now in Indian economy. It is mildly interesting to note that, when the scientific agenda was laid down by the Royal Society, no mention was made of climate or rains [1].

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X. Note on the lunar-diurnal variation of magnetic declination

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London ◽

10.1098/rspl.1867.0013 ◽

1868 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 59-60

Keyword(s):

Diurnal Variation ◽

Royal Society ◽

Diurnal Variations ◽

Magnetic Equator ◽

The Other ◽

The Sun ◽

Magnetic Declination ◽

Royal Society Of London

I received late last night No. 91 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society, and desire to offer the following remarks on the abstract of a paper by Mr. Neumayer which I find therein (vol. xv. p. 414). Mr. Neumayer is evidently unacquainted with the Note by me, read to the Royal Society of London in 1861 (Proc. Roy. Soc. vol. x. p. 475), in which I stated as result of the discussions of five years’ observations at Trevandrum (near the magnetic equator) that the lunar-diurnal variation of magnetic declination became inverted, like the solar-diurnal variation, when the sun passed from one hemisphere to the other, both the solar- and lunar-diurnal variations depending on the position of the sun.

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FRANKLAND. — On measuring the relative thermal intensity of the Sun, and on a self registering instrument for that purpose (Sur la mesure de l'intensité calorifique de la radiation solaire, et sur un instrument enregistreur destiné à cet usage); Proceedings of the royal Society, t. XXXIII, n° 218, p. 331

Journal de Physique Théorique et Appliquée ◽

10.1051/jphystap:01883002009301 ◽

1883 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 93-95

Author(s):

Foussereau

Keyword(s):

Royal Society ◽

The Sun ◽

Thermal Intensity

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A reconnaissance of tropical resources during Revolutionary years: the role of the Paris Museum d'Histoire Naturelle

Archives of Natural History ◽

10.3366/anh.1991.18.3.333 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 333-362 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

MADELEINE LY-TIO-FANE

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Natural History ◽

Scientific Research ◽

Extensive Literature ◽

War Of Independence ◽

Leading Role ◽

Scientific Principles ◽

Set Up ◽

Joseph Ii

SUMMARY The recent extensive literature on exploration and the resulting scientific advances has failed to highlight the contribution of Austrian enterprise to the study of natural history. The leading role of Joseph II among the neutral powers which assumed the carrying trade of the belligerents during the American War of Independence, furthered the development of collections for the Schönbrunn Park and Gardens which had been set up on scientific principles by his parents. On the conclusion of peace, Joseph entrusted to Professor Maerter a world-encompassing mission in the course of which the Chief Gardener Franz Boos and his assistant Georg Scholl travelled to South Africa to collect plants and animals. Boos pursued the mission to Isle de France and Bourbon (Mauritius and Reunion), conveyed by the then unknown Nicolas Baudin. He worked at the Jardin du Roi, Pamplemousses, with Nicolas Cere, or at Palma with Joseph Francois Charpentier de Cossigny. The linkage of Austrian and French horticultural expertise created a situation fraught with opportunities which were to lead Baudin to the forefront of exploration and scientific research as the century closed in the upheaval of the Revolutionary Wars.

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The use of ICT by SMMEs in a Digital Economy: A case study in Buffalo City Metropolitan in South Africa [Abstract]

10.28945/4314 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Technology Acceptance ◽

21St Century ◽

Common Knowledge ◽

Digital Economy ◽

Future Research ◽

Wealth Creation ◽

Underdeveloped Areas ◽

And Gender ◽

Set Up

Aim/Purpose: The goal of this study is to advance understanding of ICT utilization by SMMEs by checking access, ability (in terms of technological skills) and usage of ICT among some SMMEs entrepreneurs operating their businesses in an underdeveloped areas to enhance their business activities in order to utilizes the digital opportunities 21st century digital economies present. Background: In today’s world no nation or region is untouched by the forces of globalization and digital economy. One of the key pioneering forces of globalization is the advances of ICT like internet, social networks, etc. In the sphere of business, this pioneering force has also altered the way businesses and organizations communicate and interact with customers and society at large. Such alternation presents obvious opportunities for wealth creation and growth for businesses and organizations that are well-equipped to take advantages of them. But for those that are less-equipped, particularly SMMEs, globalization can easily lead to fore-closures and marginalization. It is a common knowledge that SMMEs entrepreneurs mostly rely on ICT gadgets like mobile phone, Laptops, Tablets to conduct their business activities as many of them don’t have enough capital to set up offices with necessary equipment. Therefore, using various ICT functions/programs on these ICT devices to enhance their business activities are critical to their businesses in the 21st century digital economies. Methodology: Purposeful sampling was used to approach fifty-four SMMEs entrepreneurs operating their businesses in underdeveloped areas locally called Townships in Buffalo City Metropolitan. Microsoft excel was used in the descriptive statistics. Contribution: This research will add to the growing knowledge ICT usage in SMMEs in the 21st century digital economies. Findings: The results indicate that the participating SMMEs entrepreneurs need to be educated, trained and supported in the use of the ICT applicable to enhance their business activities in order for them to take advantages of 21st century digital economies present. Recommendations for Practitioners: The agencies tasked with looking after SMMEs in South Africa needs to consider the lacked of utilisation of ICTs by SMMEs entrepreneurs operating their businesses in underdeveloped areas as one of the barrier to growing of their businesses and take necessary steps to address it. Recommendation for Researchers: Since age and gender have been proven to be key-moderating variables in many technology acceptance models. There is a need to explore in depth whether the factors of gender and age also act as barriers. Impact on Society: The research will assist stakeholders, policy makers and agencies tasked with looking after SMMEs to identify the barriers hindering SMMEs to grow and address them accordingly. Future Research: More work needs to be done to check whether gender, age of the SMMEs entrepreneurs have some effects on their attitude towards the integration of ICT into their business activities.

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