22nd he wrote, avoiding my question in some measure, but saying
that our instruments must be changed for such as those at Kew (his
observatory): I replied, generally declining to act on that
advice.--In March and April I was in correspondence with Mr Cowper
(First Commissioner of Works, &c.) about the bells of the Westminster
Clock; also about the smoky chimneys of the various apartments of the
Palace. On Apr. 21st I made my Report on the clock and bells, 20
foolscap pages. I employed a professional musician to examine the
tones of the bells.--In November I was writing my book on Probable
Errors, &c.--I was engaged on the Tides of Kurrachee and Bombay.--The
first examination of Navy telescopes was made for the Admiralty.
--Hoch's Paper on Aberration appeared in the Astronomische
Nachrichten. This (with others) led to the construction of the
water-telescope several years later.--In September I wrote in the
Athenaeum against a notion of Sir H. James on the effect of an
upheaval of a mountain in changing the Earth's axis. In October I had
drawn up a list of days for a possible evagation of the Earth's poles:
but apparently nothing was done upon them.
"In this year I was a good deal occupied for the Lighthouse
Commission.
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