--Our chronometer-room contains at present 219
chronometers, including 37 chronometers which have been placed here by
chronometer-makers as competing for the honorary reputation and the
pecuniary advantages to be derived from success in the half-year's
trial to which they are subjected. I take this opportunity of stating
that I have uniformly advocated the policy of offering good prices for
the chronometers of great excellence, and that I have given much
attention to the decision on their merits; and I am convinced that
this system has greatly contributed to the remarkably steady
improvement in the performance of chronometers. In the trial which
terminated in August 1869, the best chronometers (taking as usual the
average of the first six) were superior in merit to those of any
preceding year.--With the funds placed at my disposal for the Transit
of Venus 1874 I purchased three 6-inch equatoreals, and have ordered
two: I have also ordered altazimuths (with accurate vertical circles
only), and clocks sufficient, as I expect, to equip five stations. For
methods of observation, I rely generally on the simple
eye-observation, possibly relieved of some of its uncertainty by the
use of my colour-correcting eyepiece.
Pages:
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469