ervatory (through
the telegraph wires of the South Eastern Railway) is perfect. The
automatic changes of wire-communications are so arranged that, when
the Ball at Deal has dropped to its lowest point, it sends a message
to Greenwich to acquaint me, not with the time of the beginning of its
fall (which cannot be in error) but with the fact that it has really
fallen. The Ball has several times been dropped experimentally with
perfect success; and some small official and subsidiary arrangements
alone are wanting for bringing it into constant use."--The operations
for the galvanic determination of the longitude of Brussels are
described, with the following conclusion: "Thus, about 3000 effective
signals were made, but only 1000 of these were admissible for the
fundamental objects of the operation. The result, I need scarcely
remark, claims a degree of accuracy to which no preceding
determination of longitude could ever pretend. I apprehend that the
probable error in the difference of time corresponds to not more than
one or two yards upon the Earth's surface.--A careful scheme had been
arranged for the determination of the longitude of Lerwick, but
'unfortunately, the demand for chronometers caused by our large naval
armament has been so considerable that I cannot reckon on having at my
disposal a sufficient number to carry on this operation successfully;
and I have, therefore, unwillingly deferred it to a more peaceful
time.'--The covering stone of Halley's Tomb in Lee Churchyard was much
shattered, and I applied to the Admiralty for funds for its complete
restoration: these were granted on Feb. 3rd.--In this year, under my
cognizance, _L100_ was added to the Hansen grant.--I had much
correspondence and work in connection with the printing of Maclear's
work at the Cape of Good Hope. In June, all accounts, &c. about the
Transit Circle were closed at the Admiralty, and the instrument was
completely mounted at the Cape.--Dr Scoresby (who in his own way was
very imperious) had attacked my methods of correcting the compass in
iron ships: I replied in a letter to the Athenaeum on Oct. 17th.--I
made enquiries about operations for determining the longitude of
Vienna, but was utterly repelled by the foreign telegraph offices.--In
the Royal Astronomical Society; I prepared the Address on presenting
the Medal to Ruemker.--In Melbourne University: The first letter
received was from the Chancellor of the University dated Jan. 26th,
re