ected over the entrance to the North Terrace.--The
position of the free Meridional Magnet (now mounted in the Magnetic
Observatory) was observed at every 5 m. through 24 hours on Feb. 22nd
and 23rd, May 24th and 25th, Aug. 30th and 31st, and Nov. 29th and
30th. This was done in cooperation with the system of the Magnetic
Union established by Gauss in Germany.--The Reduction of the Greenwich
Planetary and Lunar Observations, 1750 to 1830, went on steadily. I
had six and sometimes seven computers constantly at work, in the
Octagon Room.--As in 1838 I had a great amount of correspondence with
Mr Baily on the Cavendish Experiment.--I attended as regularly as I
could to the business of the University of London. The religious
question did not rise very prominently. I took a very active part, and
have a great deal of correspondence, on the nature of the intended
examinations in Hydrography and Civil Engineering.--On the Standards
Commission the chief work was in external enquiries.--On June 6th I
had enquiries from John Quincey Adams (U.S.A.) on the expense, &c., of
observatories: an observatory was contemplated in America.--I had
correspondence about the proposed establishment of observatories at
Durham, Glasgow, and Liverpool.

"I had in this year a great deal of troublesome and on the whole
unpleasant correspondence with the Admiralty about the correction of
the compass in iron ships. I naturally expected some acknowledgment of
an important service rendered to Navigation: but the Admiralty
peremptorily refused it. My account of the Experiments &c. for the
Royal Society is dated April 9th. The general success of the
undertaking soon became notorious, and (as I understood) led
immediately to extensive building of iron ships: and it led also to
applications to me for correction of compasses. On Jan. 9th I was
addressed in reference to the Royal Sovereign and Royal George at
Liverpool; July 18th the Orwell; May 11th two Russian ships built on
the Thames; Sept. 4th the ships of the Lancaster Company.

"I had much work in connection with the Cape of Good Hope Observatory,
chiefly relating to the instrumental equipment and to the geodetical
work. As it was considered advisable that any base measured in the
Cape Colony should be measured with compensation bars, I applied to
Major Jervis for the loan of those belonging to the East Indian
Survey, but he positively refused to lend them. On Jan. 20th I applied
to Col. Colby for the c