a signal, by which an attendant is guided in dropping
the Ball by hand.’—Regarding the new
Equatoreal the Report states that ’For the new
South-East Equatoreal, the object-glass was furnished
by Messrs Merz and Son in the summer of last year,
and I made various trials of it in a temporary tube
carried by the temporary mounting which I had provided,
and finally I was well satisfied with it. I cannot
yet say that I have certainly divided the small star
of gamma Andromedae; but, for such a test, a combination
of favourable circumstances is required. From
what I have seen, I have no doubt of its proving a
first-rate object-glass.’—On March
15th was an annular eclipse of the Sun, for the observation
of which I sent parties fully equipped to Bedford,
Wellingborough, and Market Harborough. The observations
failed totally in consequence of the bad weather:
I myself went to Harrowden near Wellingborough.—Respecting
the Altazimuth, the Report states that with due caution
as to the zero of azimuth ’the results of observation
are extremely good, very nearly equal to those of
the meridional instrument; perhaps I might say that
three observations with the Altazimuth are equivalent
to two with the Transit Circle.’—Respecting
Meteorological Observations the Report states that
’The observations of the maximum and minimum
thermometers in the Thames, interrupted at the date
of the last Report, have been resumed, and are most
regularly maintained. Regarding the Thames as
the grand climatic agent on London and its neighbourhood,
I should much regret the suppression of these observations.’—After
much trouble the longitude of Edinburgh had been determined:
’the retard of the current is 0.04s very nearly,
and the difference of longitudes 12m 43.05s, subject
to personal equations.’—The Report
concludes thus: ’With regard to the direction
of our labours, I trust that I shall always be supported
by the Visitors in my desire to maintain the fundamental
and meridional system of the Observatory absolutely
intact. This, however, does not impede the extension
of our system in any way whatever, provided that such
means are arranged for carrying out the extension
as will render unnecessary the withdrawal of strength
from what are now the engrossing objects of the Observatory.’—I
had much correspondence on Comets, of which Donati’s
great Comet was one: the tail of this Comet passed
over Arcturus on October 5th.—Respecting
the Sheepshanks Fund: In September I met Whewell
at Leeds, and we settled orally the final plan of the
scheme. On Oct. 27th I saw Messrs Sharp, Miss
Sheepshanks’s solicitors, and drew up a Draft
of the Deed of Gift. There was much correspondence,
and on Nov. 20th I wrote to the Vice-Chancellor of
Cambridge University. A counter-scheme was proposed
by Dr Philpott, Master of St Catharine’s College.
By arrangement I attended the Council of the University
on Dec. 3rd, and explained my views, to which the
Council assented. On Dec. 9th the Senate accepted