Regarding the travels of a packet of Wilhelm Struve's observations. Please bring F. W. Bessel's letter with him when he comes to the Committee meeting.
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The Sir John Herschel Collection
The preparation of the print Calendar of the Correspondence of Sir John Herschel (Michael J. Crowe ed., David R. Dyck and James J. Kevin assoc. eds, Cambridge, England: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1998, viii + 828 pp) which was funded by the National Science Foundation, took ten years. It was accomplished by a team of seventeen professors, visiting scholars, graduate students, advanced undergraduates, and staff working at the University of Notre Dame.
The first online version of Calendar was created in 2009 by Dr Marvin Bolt and Steven Lucy, working at the Webster Institute of the Adler Planetarium, and it is that data that has now been reformatted for incorporation into Ɛpsilon.
Further information about Herschel, his correspondence, and the editorial method is available online here: http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/herschel/?p=intro
No texts of Herschel’s letters are currently available through Ɛpsilon.
Regarding the travels of a packet of Wilhelm Struve's observations. Please bring F. W. Bessel's letter with him when he comes to the Committee meeting.
Will be pleased to accept his invitation to spend some days at Slough.
Send copies of the errata to Giuseppe Piazzi's catalogue. Cloud ruined his observation of Saturn.
Regarding his own experiments with revolving balls.
Richard Copeland has received such instruments as the Board thought he should have. A mountain barometer seems extravagant for his duties. If JH thinks a camera lucida is necessary, one can be supplied.
News since he left Palermo. Comments on the pamphlet NC recently sent him. Has to inform him that he has been elected an Associate of the Astronomical Society.
Is grateful for being elected an Associate of the Astronomical Society. Compares barometers. Grateful for comments on his pamphlet. News of expedition up Mont Cuccio. Local disputes regarding the results.
Thanks for information on the R.S.L. barometers. Would he purchase various instruments for the new observatory. Notes on star readings.
Let Josef Fraunhofer make WW's whole transit instrument, and mural circle as well. Attests to Fraunhofer's artistry. Germans will soon leave no stars to discover. Wishes someone would import G. F. Reichenbach's meridian circle and use it on F. W. Bessel's plan. Suggests WW order clocks from [Robert] Molyneux or [William] Hardy.
Introduces Dionysius Lardner, author of system of algebraic geometry, visiting England.
Received volume on double stars by JH and James South. Followed JH's advice, ordered instruments from Germany. Asked Josef Fraunhofer to design transit instrument to fit pillars designed by Edward Troughton. Quotes Fraunhofer's response [in French] that pillars should be moved to accommodate his instrument. David Brewster anxious for JH to answer last letter.
Edinburgh Institution's decision to order instruments from Josef Fraunhofer should send message to 'dilatory and ... abominably expensive' English artists. Axis of Fraunhofer's 8-foot transit instrument is too long. Compares those of Cambridge, Greenwich, Paris, and James South. [Robert] Woodhouse's paper in 1825 R.S.P.T. eliminated JH's hope that Cambridge would devote time to general catalogue.
Appreciates JH's interest in and encouragement of CW's experiments. Describes new experiments to elucidate theory of undulatory motion of sound and light. Invented 'kaleidophone' to display paths of vibrating rods. Hopes JH can confirm these results.
Sends drawings associated with WW's paper and passed by [R.S.L.] Council for printing, and memoir from M. A. Pictet.
Invites JH to dinner Saturday to meet J. G. S. Van Breda.
Encloses paper sent by Mr. Perkins for R.S.L, and impression just received from printer.
Returning to Cookham. Thanks for minerals. Describes shipment of new minerals from Baffin Bay. Expecting another from Rio de la Plata, courtesy of Woodbine Parish [consul-general to Buenos Aires].
Edward Sabine declares that R.S.L. is hostile to ES's interests. If ES makes future claim for compensation, JH wants TY's opinion in writing. Need to order four night glasses for Fairlight Station. Encloses letter from [Richard] Copeland.
Ask Charles Babbage to send tables of logarithms to TY, who will compare them to [Brook] Taylor's. Bets that five errors will be found. Did JH order mountain barometer from [J. F.] Newman? Will inquire about [W. E.] Parry's instruments. Admiralty, not us, should order sextants.
Questions JH's conclusion that Board of Longitude has power to interfere in Admiralty operations. Disagrees that Nautical Almanac errors are serious. Compares them to tables of Charles Hutton, F. X. von Zach, and H. C. Schumacher. When will TY receive Charles Babbage's table?