les at the time of the eclipse amounted to about
38"; while that of Hansen's (ultimately adopted by Mr Hind for the
calculation of the eclipse) did not exceed 3".'--With regard to
Chronometers it is stated that 'By use of the Chronometer Oven, to
which I have formerly alluded, we have been able to give great
attention to the compensation. I have reason to think that we are
producing a most beneficial effect on the manufacture and adjustment
of chronometers in general.'--With regard to the Cape of Good Hope
Observatory and Survey, the Admiralty enquire of me when the Survey
work will be completed, and I enquire of Maclear 'How is the printing
of your Survey Work?' In 1862 I began to press it strongly, and in
1863 very strongly.--I introduced a method (constantly pursued since
that time at the Royal Observatory) for computing interpolations
without changes of sign.--I had correspondence with Herschel and
Faraday, on the possible effect of the Sun's radiant heat on the sea,
as explaining the curve of diurnal magnetic inequality. (That diurnal
inequality was inferred from the magnetic reductions 1848-1857, which
were terminated in 1860.)--Regarding the proposal of hourly
time-signals on the Start Point, I consulted telegraph engineers upon
the practical points, and on Dec. 21st I proposed a formal scheme, in
complete detail. (The matter has been repeatedly brought before the
Admiralty, but has been uniformly rejected.)--I was engaged on the
question of the bad ocular vision of two or three persons.--The
British Association Meeting was held at Manchester: I was President of
Section A. I gave a Lecture on the Eclipse of 1860 to an enormous
attendance in the Free Trade Hall." The following record of the
Lecture is extracted from Dr E.J. Routh's Obituary Notice of Airy
written for the Proceedings of the Royal Society. "At the meeting of
the British Association at Manchester in 1861, Mr Airy delivered a
Lecture on the Solar Eclipse of 1860 to an assembly of perhaps 3000
persons. The writer remembers the great Free Trade Hall crowded to
excess with an immense audience whose attention and interest,
notwithstanding a weak voice, he was able to retain to the very end of
the lecture....The charm of Professor Airy's lectures lay in the
clearness of his explanations. The subjects also of his lectures were
generally those to which his attention had been turned by other
causes, so that he had much that was new to tell. His manner was
sli