age to
the North-west Dome, where there was a miserable Equatoreal, and to
the 25-foot Zenith Tube (in a square tower like a steeple, which
connected the N.W. Dome with Flamsteed's house). The southern boundary
of the garden ran down a hollow which divides the peninsula from the
site of the present Magnetic Observatory, in such a manner that the
principal part of the garden was fully exposed to the public. The
Computing Room was a most pitiful little room. There was so little
room for me that I transported the principal table to a room in my
house, where I conducted much of my own official business. A large
useless reflecting telescope (Ramage's), on the plan and nearly of the
size of Sir W. Herschel's principal telescope, encumbered the centre
of the Front Court.

"On Jan. 11th I addressed Mr Buck, agent of the Princess Sophia of
Gloucester, Ranger of Greenwich Park, for leave to enclose a portion
of the ground overlooking my garden. This was soon granted, and I was
partially delivered from the inconvenience of the public gaze. The
liberation was not complete till the Magnetic ground was enclosed in
1837.

"In the inferior departments of the Admiralty, especially in the
Hydrographic Office (then represented by Captain Beaufort) with which
I was principally connected, the Observatory was considered rather as
a place for managing Government chronometers than as a place of
science. The preceding First Assistant (Taylor) had kept a book of
letter references, and I found that out of 840 letters, 820 related to
Government chronometers only. On Jan. 17th I mentally sketched my
regulations for my own share in chronometer business. I had some
correspondence with Captain Beaufort, but we could not agree, and the
matter was referred to the Admiralty. Finally arrangements were made
which put the chronometer business in proper subordination to the
scientific charge of the Observatory.

"In my first negociations with the Admiralty referring to acceptance
of the office of Astronomer Royal, in 1834, Lord Auckland being then
First Lord of the Admiralty, I had stipulated that, as my successor at
Cambridge would be unprepared to carry on my Lectures, I should have
permission to give a final course of Lectures there. At the end of
1835 Lord Auckland was succeeded by Lord Minto: I claimed the
permission from him and he refused it. When this was known in
Cambridge a petition was presented by many Cambridge residents, and
Lord Minto yie