557, May
19. This identification promises to prove valuable, not merely for its
chronological utility, but also for its accurate determination of an
astronomical epoch, the point eclipsed being exactly known, and the
shadow having been very small.'--In April I gave a lecture to the
Royal Astronomical Society on the methods available through the next
25 years for the determination of the Sun's parallax.--Dr
Livingstone's observations for African longitudes were computed at the
Observatory.--The Admiralty enquire of me about the feasibility of
adopting Piazzi Smyth's construction for steadying telescopes on board
ship: I gave a Report, of mixed character, on the whole
discouraging.--I had correspondence with G.P. Bond and others about
photographing the Stars and Moon.--On Feb. 17th Piazzi Smyth's books,
&c. relating to the Teneriffe Experiment were sent to me: I
recommended that an abridged Report should be sent to the Royal
Society.--Respecting the Sheepshanks Fund: there was correspondence
with Miss Sheepshanks and Whewell, but nothing got into shape this
year: Miss Sheepshanks transferred to me _L10,000_ lying at Overend
and Gurney's.--In November experiments were made for the longitude of
Edinburgh, which failed totally from the bad state of the telegraph
wire between Deptford and the Admiralty.
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