Grateful for JH's help in making a successful claim upon Her Majesty's Government.
Grateful for JH's help in making a successful claim upon Her Majesty's Government.
Will gather information JH requested. It may be difficult to change the Indian appointment to Bengal of JH's son [William].
Discusses letter to [G. B.] Airy and JH's response to it. Discusses instruments at Toronto Observatory. Describes 18 November 1841 magnetic disturbances. Working on Atlantic declination maps.
Edward Sabine will recover. Please tell JH how grateful ES is for JH's positive remarks regarding his report. Discusses several scientific matters. Contains message from ES for JH on instrumentation at Kew Observatory.
Alexander von Humboldt reports reading that Lord Rosse's telescope has resolved the nebula of Orion. Humboldt requests JH's view on the matter. Describes new government.
Relays debate about the use of names of Roman gods for 'planets.' [Annibale] de Gasparis proposes to name his discovery in Italian, 'Igia,' rather than the Roman Hygia [Hygeia]. Which version will JH adopt?
Sends account of rainbow-like atmospheric phenomena; asks JH for an explanation. Remarks on American empirical discoveries. Too many hypotheses being put forward, including [Daniel] Kirkwood's. Comments on [B. A.] Gould and [Stephen] Alexander. Americans think they are absolute judges in scientific matters. Astronomische Nachrichten of 3 November contains improved method for computing planetary orbits.
Thanks JH for explanation of phenomena [see HS's 1849-12-4]. B. A. Gould [?] has begun to publish American version of Astronomische Nachrichten, but without strong financial backing.
Is passing on a request for a copy of JH's Cape Results from C. L. Littrow of Vienna.
A number of copies of the Cape Results were sent out, including one to Charles Ludwig Littrow [see GA's 1849-6-22]; JH will now try to trace the books whereabouts.
Supports proposal made by C. M. Elliot to execute 'running survey' of India with instruments from observatories.
Describes usual method for interpolation of altitudes at sea. JH's graphic method probably would be practicable.
Asks JH's opinion on a passage from [John] Williams's Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South Seas regarding unusual tides in Tahiti and Society Islands.
About adjudication of R.S.L. medals.
Asks GA if he knows of any rules or pitfalls in calculating time from earlier times [even B.C.] to the present.
Has little advice to offer JH about time calculation [see JH's 1849-3-29], except for fairly standard reminders.
Comments on JH's Treatise Astr. in the Cabinet Cyclopaedia, mentioning its continued publication, misstatements he wishes to correct, and his addition of A. de Gasparis's newly-discovered planet [Hygeia].
Glad to hear that Margaret Louisa [JH's daughter] is coming to visit GA's family; could JH send along the key to the R.A.S. strong box?
Responds to GA's 1849-4-4, and sends the key.
Is making a case for JH's priority claims with regard to the means of determining double star orbits, in conflict with Yvon Villarceau.