But I feel that our present instruments are
insufficient even for my wishes; and I cannot overlook the
consideration that due provision must be made for future interests,
and that we are nearer by twenty years to the time when another
judgment must decide on the direction which shall be given to the
force of the Observatory."--"In August I had some correspondence about
the Egyptian wooden astronomical tablets with Mr Gresswell and others:
they were fully examined by Mr Ellis.--In this year I was much engaged
on schemes for compasses, and in June I sent my Paper on Discussions
of Ships' Magnetism to the Royal Society.--On Dec. 6th the mast of the
Observatory time-ball broke, and the Ball fell in the Front Court.--On
Aug. 4th my valued friend Mr Sheepshanks died; and on Aug. 14th I went
to London to see the Standard Bars as left by him. Afterwards, on
Oct. 25th I went to Reading to collect the papers about Standards left
by Mr Sheepshanks.--I made a mechanical construction for Euclid I. 47,
with which I was well satisfied.--On Apr. 13th I joined a deputation
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir G. Cornewall Lewis) on Decimal
Coinage."
Of private history: "I was at Playford for a large part of
January.
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