8th. This was
the beginning of a correspondence which lasted long, but which led to
nothing, as will appear hereafter.--On Dec. 15th, being on a visit to
Dean Peacock at Ely, I examined the Drainage Scoop Wheel at
Prickwillow, and made a Report to him by letter, which obtained
circulation and was well known.--On May 26th the manuscript of my
article, 'Tides and Waves,' for the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana was
sent to the printer. I had extensive correspondence, principally on
local tides, with Whewell and others. Tides were observed for me by
Colby's officers at Southampton, by myself at Christchurch and Poole,
at Ipswich by Ransome's man; and a great series of observations of
Irish Tides were made on my plan under Colby's direction in June, July
and August.--On Sept. 15th Mr Goulburn, Chancellor of the Exchequer,
asked my opinion on the utility of Babbage's calculating machine, and
the propriety of expending further sums of money on it. I replied,
entering fully into the matter, and giving my opinion that it was
worthless.--I was elected an Honorary Member of the Institution of
Civil Engineers, London.
"The reduction and printing of the astronomical observations had been
getting into arrear: the last revise of the 1840 observations went to
press on May 18th, 1842.
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