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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.
Has just received the Admiralty Manual. Thinks it would be helpful if some tables for determining the heights of mountains by means of the barometer could be included in the next edition. Points out an error in the Nautical Almanac.
Found his letter and petition waiting for him on his return from East Kent, and had already presented it to the House of Commons. Outlines the events.
Hopes to present the petition on Monday. Had a letter from Mary Somerville at Turin introducing Count and Countess Grizzo.
[John Russell] Hind is being considered for the post of astronomer at Trivandrum in India.
Before he sends the 'Instructions' to the press would like to know if there is any objection to the use that he has made of JH's Admiralty Manual.
Believes that Edward Sabine has brought J. H. Lefroy's paper on the Aurora Borealis to JH's notice. Now presents another report on this subject, with comments.
Giving his views on the proposed supply of a large reflector for the Cape Observatory.
Sends a copy of the notice in the Times of a fall of ice in Rossshire, also an account of a similar fall in India in 1826. Comments on these occurrences. [James] Dalmahay has constructed a slide rule for computing the dew-point.
Reimbursement from Navy for bills paid by JH to Georg Merz for 'Cape Equatorial.'
Encloses note from accountant general of Navy about payment of Cape telescope. Send receipt to FB to complete transaction.
Cannot accept the invitation to stay during the B.A.A.S. meeting in Edinburgh, as JH will be unable to come.
Selection procedures for the vacant astronomy post at Trivandrum [see RS's 1850-3-31].
About some difficulty in trying to determine [Andrew] Graham's interest in the Trivandrum post.
[Andrew] Graham is not interested in the post [see JH's 1850-4-23].
Sends some post office stamps to pay for a 'certificate'.
Thanks JH for the volume of verse. Hopes the Herschels will visit if they come to London.
Asks JH to accept sunspot observations made over 14 years by the late [J. W.] Pastorff of Altona Observatory. Accompanying micrometrical measurements are worthless due to mounting of telescope.
Sends [J. W.] Pastorff's solar observations [see HS's 1850-4-16] as JH's own property.
Discusses balloon experiments to explain fall of barometer with humidity, and explains more discrepancies in vapor-pressure observations. Mentions new 'Hygrometric condenser' as an alternative to wet bulb experiments.
Clarifies results of pressure oscillations on two coasts of India as similar despite different weather conditions, and deems results thus unsatisfactory; explores reasons and suggests solutions for lack of success.