I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
ROBERT HALL.
_Sir G.B. Airy, K.C.B., F.R.S., &c., &c.
The White House, Croom's Hill, Greenwich._
Copy of Treasury Minute, dated 10th October, 1881:
My Lords have before them a statement of the services of Sir George
Biddell Airy, K.C.B., F.R.S., who has resigned the appointment of
Astronomer Royal on the ground of age.
Sir George Airy has held his office since the year 1835, and has also,
during that period, undertaken various laborious works, demanding
scientific qualifications of the highest order, and not always such as
could strictly be said to be included among the duties of his office.
The salary of Sir G. Airy as Astronomer Royal is _L1200_ a year, in
addition to which he enjoys an official residence rent free, and,
under ordinary circumstances he would be entitled to a pension equal
to two-thirds of his salary and emoluments.
My Lords, however, in order to mark their strong sense of the
distinction which, during a long and brilliant career Sir George Airy
has conferred upon his office, and of the great services which, in
connection with, as well as in the discharge of, his duties, he has
rendered to the Crown and the Public, decide to deal with his case
under the IXth Section of the Superannuation Act, 1859, which empowers
them to grant a special pension for special services.
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