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.
Encloses some comments of Archibald Smith about C. F. Gauss's General Theory. Believes Smith plans to go on an expedition. Mentions two new magnetometers, the building of a Cape observatory, and the recommendation to the Parliament of Holland to build an observatory.
Thanks JH for reading Mrs. Sabine's work. Discusses the work of C. F. Gauss and his observations regarding the southern hemisphere.
Physical Committee yesterday amended report by J. D. Forbes and recommended that R.S.L. establish a magnetical and meteorological observatory in vicinity of London.
Discusses difficulties with establishing public magnetical and meteorological observatory. Mentions other business.
[Charles] Riddell's observations suggest Europe and North America experience magnetic disturbances at similar times, but in opposite directions. Suggests course of action for [Charles] Riddell and Lieutenant Younghusband in North America.
Payment for instruments sent to Breslau observatory. Received proofs of JH's paper, which does justice to Humphrey Lloyd. Spoke to Lord Melbourne about establishing a magnetical and meteorological observatory in vicinity of London. Compares expenses for permanent and temporary observatories.
Reports on letter from Humphrey Lloyd and latest information from [J. C.] Ross's voyage. Has received JH's meteorological plates.
Will give Humphrey Lloyd's and his own latest magnetic data to JH for use in JH's report to the B.A.A.S. Observations continue in Milan. Year-long observations will soon be completed at Dublin Observatory. Proposes 400-page publication of simultaneous observations. Mentions Lloyd's insistence on processing incoming data himself.
Encloses letters from Heinrich Boguslawski and others about magnetic observatories at various foreign locations, e.g., St. Helena, Toronto, and Hammerfest, Norway. Is going to Glasgow for the B.A.A.S. meeting. Mentions seeing Humphrey Lloyd in Berne.
Excited about brilliant aurora in Toronto and the possibility of comparing magnetic data from observatories in North America, Europe, and St. Helena.
Encloses letter from Sanchez Cerquero about meteorological observations. Has not yet received JH's report on the magnetic observatories.
Received and corrected JH's magnetism [B.A.A.S.] report. Mentions interesting account by Dr. [Johann] Lam[ont] about a vertical force magnet used in Munich. ES read earlier letter from Heinrich Boguslawski proposing a special set-up of magnets. Humphrey Lloyd acknowledges it might be an improvement.
Actinometers for [Louis] Agassiz and John Caldecott are ready. Asks if JH wants to compare them to his standard instrument. Excessive magnetic disturbances in May were found simultaneously in Göttingen and Toronto, but the curves do not correspond.
Has requested John Caldecott to do what is needful to his own and [Louis] Agassiz's actinometers. Mentions great magnetic disturbances in June are not correlated in Toronto, Greenwich, and other observatories. Mentions proposal for correlation of observations between U.S. and Britain. ES leaves soon for Guernsey.
Consults JH before responding to Wilhelm Weber's proposal for publication of observations. ES proposes to publish German data with data from Toronto, St. Helena, the Cape, and Van Diemen's Land. The Physical Committee of the R.S.L. suggests strengthening Adolphe Quetelet's application to the Belgian government for magnetic observations. The Hammerfest [Norway] magnetic curve does not harmonize with European ones.
Has JH any special instructions for [Louis] Agassiz's actinometers? Has sent Wilhelm Weber recent data for Toronto and St. Helena observatories while requesting Göttingen lunar observations. Discusses publication of the German Magnetic Association. Seeks advice on the inclusion of a translation of JH's paper on photometric apparatus. Has left at the R.S.L. a copy of C. F. Gauss's and Weber's magnetic atlas.
Has received papers from Colonel Sykes. Describes (and includes a portion of) Lieutenant [Henry] Yule's report on broken instruments, which have prevented operations at Aden [?]. Suggests appointing a director there. Notes safe arrival of instruments at Toronto.
Encloses letter to JH on magnetic survey in Canada and two letters from Leipzig, as well as proposals for reforms in B.A.A.S. Hopes to meet JH at the upcoming anniversary of the R.S.L.
B.A.A.S. defers letter from [John] Washington to Magnetic Committee. Asks for JH's approval for funding [Robert] Schomburgk's portable magnetic observatory. JH should send Washington's letter to George Peacock. William Whewell, Humphrey Lloyd, and ES have contingently approved. Offers to order the appropriate instrument from Wilhelm Weber and seek partial funding from the Geographical Society. JH appends notice of his approval.
Encloses own copy of correspondence with Humphrey Lloyd and C. R. Fox about publication of magnetic observations. Mentions the affirmation of Lieutenant Younghusband in Canada. Will send the information to Charles Wheatstone and members of the Committee of Physics. Includes comments by Hew Ross and [Hussey] Vivian. Advises about cost of publication of data and sources for funding.