Verrier, but
makes no mention of Adams.]

"'I have read, with very great interest, the account of your
investigations on the probable place of a planet disturbing the
motions of _Uranus_, which is contained in the _Compte Rendu de
l'Academie_ of June 1; and I now beg leave to trouble you with the
following question. It appears, from all the later observations of
_Uranus_ made at Greenwich (which are most completely reduced in the
_Greenwich Observations_ of each year, so as to exhibit the effect of
an error either in the tabular heliocentric longitude, or the tabular
radius vector), that the tabular radius vector is considerably too
small. And I wish to inquire of you whether this would be a
consequence of the disturbance produced by an exterior planet, now in
the position which you have indicated?'"

There is more of the letter, but this will suffice to show that he wrote
to Le Verrier in the same way as to Adams, and, as already stated,
received a reply dated three or four days later. But the rest of the
letter contains no mention of Adams, and thus arises a second difficulty
in understanding Airy's conduct. It seems extraordinary that when he
wrote to Le Verrier he made no mention of the computations which he had
previously received from Adams; or that he should not have written to
Adams, and made some attempt to understand his long silence, now that, as
he himself states, he "felt no doubt of the accuracy of both
calculations." The omission may have been, and probably was, mere
carelessness or forgetfulness; but he could hardly be surprised if others
mistook it for deliberate action.

[Sidenote: Airy announces the likelihood of a new planet, and suggests a
search for it at Cambridge not having suitable telescope at Greenwich]

However, attention had now been thoroughly attracted to the near
possibility of finding the planet. On June 29, 1846, there was a special
meeting of the Board of Visitors of Greenwich Observatory, and Airy
incidentally mentioned to them this possibility. The impression produced
must have been definite and deep; for Sir John Herschel, who was present,
was bold enough to say on September 10th following to the British
Association assembled at Southampton: "We see it (the probable new planet)
as Columbus saw America from the shores of Spain. Its movements have been
felt trembling along the far-reaching line of our analysis with a