128 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



BUSHY HOUSt 



Bushy House, Ground Plan. 



And now having stated in general terms the aims of the labora- 

 tory and given some account of the progress in general, let me pass to 

 some description of the means which have been placed at our dis- 

 posal to realize those aims. I 

 here wish, if time permits, to 

 discuss in fuller detail some of 

 the work which it is hoped we 

 may take up immediately. 



The laboratory is to be at 

 Bushy House, Teddington. I 

 will pass over the events which 

 led to this change of site from 

 the old Deer Park at Eichmond 

 to Bushy. It is sufficient to say 

 that at present Kew Observatory 

 in the Deer Park will remain as 

 the observatory department of 

 the laboratory, and most of the 

 important verification and 

 standardization work which in 

 the past has been done there will 

 still find its home in the old building. The house was originally the 

 official residence of the Eanger of Bushy Park. Queen Anne granted it 

 in 1710 to the first Lord Halifax. In 1771 it passed to Lord North, 

 being then probably rebuilt. 

 Upon the death of Lord 

 North's widow, in 1797, the 

 Duke of Clarence, after- 

 wards William IV., became 

 Eanger. After his death in 

 1837 it was granted to his 

 widow. Queen Adelaide, 

 who lived here until 1849. 

 At her death it passed to 

 the Due de Nemours, son 

 of King Louis Philippe, 

 and he resided here at in- 

 tervals until 1896. In spite 

 of this somewhat aristo- 

 cratic history it will make 

 an admirable laboratory. 



The building is very solid and substantial. There is a good basement 

 under the main central block with roof of brick groining, which makes 

 a very steady support for the floor above. 



Bushy House, Basement. 



