e room for computers;
with our greatly increased business of Chronometers and
Time-Distribution, we are in want of a nearly separate series of rooms
for the Time-Department: we want rooms for book-stores; and we require
rooms for the photographic operations and the computations of the
Magnetic Department.'--The Report gives a curious history of Dr
Bradley's Observations, which in 1776 had been transferred to the
University of Oxford, and proceeds thus: 'More lately, I applied (in
the first instance through Lord Wrottesley) to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr
Jeune, in reference to the possibility of transferring these
manuscripts to the Royal Observatory.... Finally, a decree for the
transfer of the manuscript observations to the Royal Observatory,
without any condition, was proposed to Convocation on May 2nd, and was
passed unanimously. And on May 7th my Assistant, Mr Dunkin, was sent
to Oxford to receive them. And thus, after a delay of very nearly a
century, the great work of justice is at length completed, and the
great gap in our manuscript observations is at length filled
up.'--With reference to the Transit Circle, it had been remarked that
the Collimators were slightly disturbed by the proximity of the
gas-flames of their illuminators, and after various experiments as to
the cause of it, the Report proceeds thus: 'To my great surprise, I
found that the disturbance was entirely due to the radiation of the
flame upon a very small corner (about 16 square inches) of the large
and massive stone on which the collimator is planted. The tin plates
were subsequently shaped in such a manner as to protect the stone as
well as the metal; and the disturbance has entirely ceased.'
--Regarding the large S.E. Equatoreal, the Report states that
'On the character of its object-glass I am now able to speak, first,
from the examination of Mr Otto Struve, made in a favourable state of
atmosphere; secondly, from the examinations of my Assistants (I have
not myself obtained a sight of a test-object on a night of very good
definition). It appears to be of the highest order. The small star of
gamma Andromedae is so far separated as to shew a broad dark space
between its components. Some blue colour is shewn about the bright
planets.'--It is noted in the Report that 'The Equatoreal observations
of the Solar Eclipse are completely reduced; and the results are
valuable. It appears from them that the error in right ascension of
Burckhardt's Lunar Tab