On
August 16th the Admiralty assent. There were many preparations to be
made, both personal and instrumental. My party consisted of Dunkin
(Superintendant), Ellis, Criswick, Simmons, Pogson, and Ruemker: I did
not myself attend the detail of observations. The observations began
on Oct. 2nd and ended on Oct. 21st: supplementary observations were
subsequently made at Greenwich for examining the coefficient of
temperature-correction. On Oct. 24th I gave a Lecture at South Shields
on the whole operation. In 'Punch' of Nov. 18th there was an excellent
semi-comic account of the experiment, which as I afterwards found was
written by Mr Percival Leigh."
Of private history: "On Jan. 18th I returned from Playford. From
Mar. 10th to 13th I was at Deal, and visited Sir John Herschel at
Hawkhurst.--From June 28th to Aug. 7th I was staying with my family at
The Grange, in Borrowdale near Keswick: and also made an expedition to
Penrith, Carlisle, Newcastle, Jarrow, &c.; and descended the Harton
Pit.--In September and also in October I was at South Shields on the
Harton Experiments.--From Dec. 14th to 18th I was at Cambridge, and on
the 26th I went to Playford."
The following letter, written in answer to a lady who had asked him to
procure permission from Lord Rosse for her to observe with his
telescope, is characteristic:
ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH.
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