Sends Journal of the Asiatic Society. Calcutta Museum wants a hippopotamus skeleton; asks JH for leads.
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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.
Sends Journal of the Asiatic Society. Calcutta Museum wants a hippopotamus skeleton; asks JH for leads.
Completed tour of Upper Assam searching for [wild tea shrub]. Wife and seriously ill children leaving for England. Lord Auckland [governor-general of India] urges sending consignments of plants and seeds to JH and Baron C. F. H. Ludwig.
Sends meteorological observations for September. Has ceased making a charge at the observatory for the checking of chronometers. Has lost income but gained work. Comments on the effects of gravity on the balance wheel of a chronometer.
Another son born. Has given lectures at Cambridge University. Remarks on routine at Royal Observatory. St. Helena Observatory closed. Printing of the Greenwich Observations. 'Northumberland' telescope not ready yet. Observations on the Greenwich zenith tube. Estimates for the Observatory. Suggests that the Observatory should be moved to a new site. Railway plan near Greenwich altered. James MacCullagh's new theory of optics.
Cornerstone and tree answer admirably. Gives the points in the present triangulation. Lieut. John Williams of the Engineers has promised assistance. There is a French frigate in the harbor, which he intends to visit.
Stewart & Co., printers, and publishers Smith, Elder & Co. would be honored to print JH's proposed book. Estimates costs. Printing would require three years while JH is in Africa, but only four months after JH returns to England. Anticipates problems if [Hugh Percy] Duke of Northumberland purchases entire edition for free distribution.
Has succeeded in fixing an 18 pounder gun firmly in the ground to mark the western termination of the base-line query on how to measure the meridian of a mountain at sea level. Has requested permission from the Governor to inspect the military orders for 1751-2.
Pleased to hear JH's work is progressing. Disappointed with Dr. [John] Davy's meteorological observations at Malta. Comments on other scientific news, including recent eclipse, [Andrew] Crosse's controversial artificial crystals at Bristol B.A.A.S. meeting, JF's 1832 observations in Switzerland, and William Whewell's and William Buckland's books.
Is pleased JH takes an interest in the natives. Comments on the necessity of promoting the welfare of the native races. Hopes to found an International Society for providing assistance and advice to foreigners.
Outlines the election of J. D. Forbes and attributes his success to JH's letter. Regarding the work of Thomas Henderson. Pity JH has to waste time doing his own reductions. Paris observations. Saw the comet in Valparaiso. Magnitude of stars compared to the moon. Hopes he liked his own recent book. Pleased the sextant is of use.
JH is frustrated with his inaccurate barometric readings.
Sends C. P. Smyth with the observing lists of JH's zero stars. Comments on these lists. Would like to see the Cedar Mountains, but cannot spare the time at present. Wished to visit Riebeck's Castle to verify one of N. L. Lacaille's remarks. Did not notice any air bubbles in JH's barometer. The Observatory barometer is similar to the one of Sir John Franklin. Goes to the Block House tomorrow to commence the triangulation.
Asks to borrow chain for tomorrow's survey.
Pleased to hear that all is progressing well with JH. Regrets the discordance in the Parramatta Right Ascensions. Observed an occultation of Gamma Virginis in April. Has seen the method of determining the nadir point of a circle. Cape reductions suffered a setback last season as he had to lecture on mathematics.
Has received the Royal medal from the R.S.L. on JH's behalf. Shooting star phenomenon seen in France and Scotland. The Americans are preparing an expedition to the South Pole. Has constructed two pendulums.