George Biddell Airy to Faraday   11 November 1859

Royal Observatory Greenwich | SE. | 1859 Novr. 11

My dear Sir

I am not ashamed of my delay in answering your letter of 7th¹., because I could not help it, but I am sorry for it. But pity the condition of a poor man who, when he finds several of his natural employments converging on him more than usual, is also suddenly attacked in manner following. The Sale of Gas Act was passed on August 13, and the Treasury had three months given them (to Nov 13) to prepare the necessary apparatus at the Exchequer. The Treasury went out grouse shooting and forgot all about it till an advanced day in October and then called on me, first to say what was to be done (which I had to learn, ab initio) secondly to do it. And this has given me abundance of work, not yet finished².

Now to your Royal Institution request. Depend on it that no word from you passes unnoticed by me. But I am rather jaded at present, and do not like much to make a positive engagement. But I will duly think on it, and assuredly will think on the subject which you indicate; and will report to you. My first idea was, that the communication of Accurate Time would make rather meagre subject, but on consideration it widens out a good deal. Thus - simply sympathetic clocks. Clocks maintained by themselves but partially regulated by other clocks. Great Clock at London Bridge for distributing signals. Apparatus at Lothbury for sending simultaneous signals along numerous railways. Primary time signal from Greewich. Drop of time ball at Deal, and its return signal. Dr. [word illegible] &c. Peculiar adjustment of Post Office clocks &c.

Is this the class of subjects of which you were thinking?

There are two disadvantages 1st. A good deal of apparatus would be required: 2nd. Our galvanic communication is in so bad a state that we cannot at present do all this, and it would then seem absurd to describe it³.

Yours my dear Sir, very truly | G.B. Airy

Professor Faraday