119
Government Observatory
Sydney September 6 1870
Mr Browning
Dear Sir
I have just been appointed Astronomer for New South Wales and am very anxious to possess as soon as I can get it, a good spectroscope suitable for star or comet work. As I have no opportunity here of judging by the performance of different kinds, I have determined to leave it to you to send me what you think will be best only it must be good and one worthy of a public observatory.
My Equatorial was made by Berg?? & Son of Munich has an object glass of 7¼ inches clear aperture?? and a focal length of 10 feet 4 inches. The performance is good and it has a ?? parallel wire micrometer.
I am going to devote myself principally to southern double stars and want the spectroscope to apply to any star comet or other object under observation.
I?? few days since Mr Alherst Le Seur?? who was appointed to work the large reflector at Melbourne was here and he told me that the Equatorial performed better (making allowance for difference in aperture) than the Cambridge 11 in refractor I mention this also that with full aperture it shows two well defined discs with scarcely any radiation when turned on & caucis??: that you may have some idea of its performance to guide you in making the spectroscope.
I cannot send you an adapter for the telescope for I have not one to spare, but we have a good Instrument maker here and I can get that made.
I am prepared to pay £35 or from that to £40 for the spectroscope and hope you will be able to send it to me so as to reach me in January or February next, if before so much the better.
I want you to send me also a glass prism for the same telescope, plane surface 1¼ in unmounted intended for observing the Sun.
I want also to know the prices of your largest glass reflectors equatorially mounted with clock movement from 13 inches upwards.
If you have an agent in Sydney who has written authority to receive money for you please let me know as the government here are very particular about the payment of money.
Yours truly
HC Russell
Govt Astronomer
Sept 6th [18]70
My dear Sir
You will be sorry to hear that Mr Smalley died on the 11th of July last.
His strength had been failing rapidly for several months past and just as he was about to start for Europe dropsy set in and caused his death.
I have been appointed to succeed him and amongst his papers have found two letters from you dated respectively 3rd December 1869 & 4th April 1870 advising of two amounts due to Kew Observatory as I cannot tell whether Mr Smalley paid these amounts or not from the peculiar method he had of keeping his accounts. May I trouble you to let me know what is now due to Key Observatory the amounts given in the letters mentioned are
Balance on Barograph?? £3.5.0
Three Boxes ozone?? papers 1.1.4
I have not got in the Library the published results of the Kew Observatory and I have often wanted to refer to them. If you can send me a set I shall be very much obliged and will send you anything published by the Sydney Observatory which you have not got.
Believe me
Yours very truly
H. C. Russell
B. Stewart Esqr Kew—
113
September 5 1870
Sir
I have the honor herewith to enclose receipt for the payment of Premium on a Fidelity Guarantee Bond for £200 and request that it may be taken as my security until the 5 September 1871.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your Obedient Servant
H. C. Russell
Govt Astronomer
The Under Secretary
for Finance & Trade
Govt Observatory
Sept 5 1870
Sir
When rain falls into the evaporator it is not necessary to reduce the weight to 12 lbs when the fall of rain should be more than sufficient to fill the evaporator which will seldom if ever occur.
The reason it is not filled in the first instance is to leave room for rain and weights are supplied in excess of 12 lbs. It is necessary to be very careful with the weights and measuring. I find on examination that many of your results last month are wrong.
I have to urge your compliance with the order issued by the Superintendent of Telegraphs to send in your results daily.
I have &c
HC Russell
Govt Astronomer
The Station Master
Mudgee
Observatory Sydney
Sept 4th 1868
Sir
Since writing to you on the subject of Compass corrections I have been favored by Mr Thompson with a drawing and description of Pinkey’s Compass Corrector. The object of that Instrument is to determine the errors of the compass at any time during a long voyage; this it undoubtedly will do under favourable circumstances, that is, the Latitude being known, the weather fair and the sun or some known bright star visible. The results obtained by it are not however quite so accurate as those obtained by ?? the ship in harbour, nor is it calculated to be of any great service to coasters.
I will not enter more at length into the question put now as I propose to ask room in your columns for a full discussion of the subject at a future opportunity. In the meantime I hope the matter will not be allowed to drop, and that before long no iron steamer will be allowed to leave the port without a duly certified table of compass corrections.
Your obedient servant
W Scott
The Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald
112
Govt Observatory
Sept 3 1870
Dear Sir
I am sorry to hear such a bad account of the Max ‘Ther’??, none of those bought for the new stations were first class but the funds would only pay for such as they are. You might as a further trial of the instrument heat it up to 100 and see if it runs back as the bulb cools, it will save me in the experiment if you wet the bulb to cool it if the mercury runs back into the bulb when the tube is held vertical in the above experiment it will be better to send the instrument to me.
The Sun will be on the Meridian on Tuesday the 6th instant at 11 hours 58 minutes 37 seconds and Wednesday at 11h.58m 7s on Thursday at 11h. 17m. 46s and if on either of these days you hang a plumline?? 10 or 12 feet distant from you and at the moment the Sun is on the Meridian ?? your point of observations in a line with the center of the Sun and the string?? ??line joining the plumlob?? ?? point of observation ??a true A and S line ?? the string be thick it will be sufficient to mark on the ground the shadow of it at the moment the Sun is on the meridian having thus obtained a true A & S ?? line it is ?? to mark?? ?? the others. In reference to the force you will see it is according to the observers judgment, and ?? accuracy in the estimate force no one can attain.
Believe me
Yours very truly
HC Russell
110
Sept 2nd [18]70
The Cashier of the General Post Office
Please give the bearer for the use of the Govt Observatory the following
stamps
Penny 480 — £2.0.0
Twopenny 720 — 6.0.90
Sixpenny 160 — 4.0.0
£12.0.0
HC Russell
Govt Astronomer
109
Govt Observatory
Sept 1st 1870
Dear Sir
Amongst other letters left by the late astronomer and which I fear failing health prevented him from answering is yours of Janry 14 kindly forwarding meteorological information for which I take this opportunity of thanking you: more especially as you have furnished some information in reference to the wind which may help me in tracing our local winds.
As you you [sic] kindly offer to supply further information if you have forms I send you some in the hope that you will find time to copy and send me your past and future observations.
I also send a copy of instructions issued to our new stations and I shall be glad to send you a raingage [sic] if you will tell me how to forward it.
The scales spoken of in the instructions are only used with the raingage [sic] as a check over the measures made by some careless observers who seem not to take any interest in their work. I will not therefore forward them to you unless you would like to have an evaporator as well as Raingauge.
Yours very truly
H. C. Russell
Govt Astronomer
Govt Observatory
Sept 1st [18]70
The Station Master
Orange
The Broken Thermometer is useless and you can throw it away.
I will send you another by rail and coach tomorrow. but do not let the want of this instrument delay you in sending in ?? of Rainfall and Evaporation which are of great importance.
Yours truly
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer
247/87
Sydney Observatory
August 31st 1887
My dear Mr Russell
I send on spare sheet of this with particulars in your own writing of the error in Mr ?? of circle. this ?? circle is still I use here. It was the one on the western axis that you have. I sent through Colonial Secretary a telegram today in accordance with your wishes “Circle 318” – I expect you will now be on the eve of leaving + will not have much time left to attend to this matter. I hope that the error has by then been detected and made good. I expect to see you about 22nd of November as I hear the ship is to be put to her greatest speed on the outward journey, five bricks to be taken out of furnaces to increase heating surfaces +c. Wishing you all a safe and speedy return.
I am dear Mr Russell
Yours faithfully H A Lenehan
Copy of entry in Note Book 1A June 28th 1879
in handwriting of H. C. R.
Microscope the divisions correct at 330 degrees get gradually wrong to 316 degrees where the divisions are about 11’ in error.
This affects the nadir and makes G?? microscope read about 10: too great see below
Division 318.15 is right
318.20 is 10” too great
I about 170 degrees begins ?
” as 177 I 4” too great
” ” 193 ” 6”
” ” 203 ” 6”.6
” ” 210 ” 8.5
” ” 220 ” 10.3” ”
This error appears to begin at about 270 and rapidly increases to 318 degrees .15 and is lost at a jump for 318 degrees.20 is right for this division when measured with the Mic: 8” too large.
