66 Roifal Astronomical Society, 



Dr. Young. This very eminent person had received valuable assist- 

 ance from Mr. Henderson in the computations required for the Nau- 

 tical Almanac, and had formed the most favourable opinion of his 

 talents. About a fortnight before his death he placed a memorandum 

 in the hands of the late Professor Rigaud of Oxford, to be made use 

 of in case of his decease ; and when the anticipated event took place, 

 the memorandum was found to contain a request that it might be 

 stated to the Board of Admiralty that he knew no person more com- 

 petent to be his successor in the superintendence of the Almanac 

 than Mr. Henderson. Professor lligaud lost no time in making 

 known in the proper quarter the recommendation of his deceased 

 friend, which he also supported with the weight of his own influence ; 

 but in consequence of other contemplated arrangements it was un- 

 successful, and the superintendence of the Nautical Almanac was, 

 upon that occasion, committed to Mr. Pond, then Astronomer Royal. 

 Mr. Pond was also well aware of the efficiency and value of Mr. 

 Henderson's aid, and immediately preferred a request to him to con- 

 tinue the same computations which he had been accustomed to sup- 

 ply to Dr. Young ; making offer at the same time of remuneration, 

 and sufficient employment to occupy a great portion of his time. 

 But although Mr. Henderson shortly after supplied Mr. Pond with 

 some calculations on which he had previously been engaged, this 

 offer appears to have been declined, and for two years longer he con- 

 tinued to follow his professional occupation. 



His character as an astronomer, however, was now fully esta- 

 blished ; and accordingly, on the death of Mr. Fallows in 1 83 1 , he 

 was regarded as one of the persons best qualified to undertake the 

 direction and management of the observatory established by Govern- 

 ment, and then recently completed, at the Cape of Good Hope. 

 Through the intervention of Captain Beaufort his qualifications were 

 a second time brought under the notice of the Lords Commissioners 

 of the Admiralty, and on this occasion successfully : but the idea of 

 leaving his country was distasteful to him ; and he accepted the 

 office with some reluctance, and only in deference to the advice of 

 his friends. The warrant of his appointment is dated in October 

 1831, and a few months after he embarked for the colony. 



Mr. Henderson arrived at the Cape in April 1832, and forthwith 

 commenced his observations. The principal instruments were a ten- 

 foot transit by Dollond, and a six-foot mural circle by Jones ; and 

 his only assistant was Lieutenant Meadows, who had been sent out 

 in the previous year. Few examples are upon record of more zea- 

 lous and successful exertion than that which is furnished by him du- 

 ring his residence of thirteen months at the Cape. The results of 

 his own personal exertions during that short interval comprehend 

 the determination of the latitude and longitude of his station ; the 

 positions of stars near the South Pole for determining the polar 2)o- 

 sitions of his instruments ; the amount of refraction near the horizon ; 

 observations of the moon and stars for determining the moon's hori- 

 zontal parallax ; of Mars for determining the parallax pf that planet, 

 and thence that of the sun ; of eclipses of Jupiter's satellites ; occul- 



