I had the honour yesterday to receive your Lordship's note of Sunday last, which by some irregularity in the communications with this place reached me, I believe, later than it ought. From this circumstance, and also from my being made acquainted only this afternoon with some official arrangements, I am compelled to trouble you at a time which I fear is less convenient than I could have desired. The object of my present communication is, to ask whether (if the movements of the Court permit it) it would be agreeable to your Lordship to present me to the Emperor. In explanation of this enquiry, I beg leave to state that this is an honour to which, personally, I could not think of aspiring. My presence however at Pulkowa at this time is in an official character. As Astronomer Royal of England, I have thought it my duty to make myself perfectly acquainted with the Observatory of Pulkowa, and this is the sole object of my journey to Russia. It is understood that the Emperor takes great interest in the reputation of the Observatory, and I am confident that the remarks upon it which I am able to make would be agreeable to him. I place these reasons before you, awaiting entirely Your Lordship's decision on the propriety of the step to which I have alluded. I am to leave St Petersburg on Saturday the 4th of September. I have the honor to be My Lord, Your Lordship's very faithful servant, G. B. AIRY. _Lord Bloomfield, &c., &c._ * * * * * It was probably in acknowledgment of this letter that in due time he received the following letter with the offer of the Russian Order of St Stanislas: MONSIEUR L'ASTRONOME ROYAL, Sa Majesté l'Empereur en appréciant les travaux assidus qui vous ont donné une place distinguée au rang des plus illustres Astronomes de l'Europe, et la coopération bienveillante, que vous n'avez cessé de témoigner aux Astronomes Russes dans les expéditions, dont ils étaient chargés, et en dernier lieu par votre visite à l'Observatoire central de Poulkova, a daigné sur mon rapport, vous nommer Chevalier de la seconde classe de l'Ordre Impérial et Royal de St Stanislas. Je ne manquerai pas de vous faire parvenir par l'entremise de Lord Bloomfield les insignes et la patente de l'ordre. Veuillez en attendant, Monsieur, recevoir mes sincères félicitations et l'assurance de ma parfaite considération. Le Ministre de l'instruction publique, CTE OUVAROFF. ST PÉTERSBOURG, _ce_ 24 _Août_, 1847 ---------- 5 _Septbr._ _à Mr G. B. Airy, Esq., Astronome Royal de S. M. Britannique à Greenwich_. * * * * * Airy provisionally accepted the Order, but wrote at once to Lord John Russell the following letter of enquiry: ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH, _1847, Oct. 15_. MY LORD,