PHYSICAL LAHOKATOllY OF GRKAT BRITAIN. 



345 



Bushy house 



Observatory in tlic Deor I'ark will roinain as the ()))sorvator3' dcpart- 

 nient of the la])oratory, and most of the important veritioation and 

 standardization work, which in the past has ])een done there, will still 

 find its home in the old buildin^-. The house was orio"inallv the official 

 residence of the ranj^er of Bushy 

 Park. Queen Anne gran ted it in 

 171(» to the first Lord Halifax. 

 In 1771 it passed to Lord North, 

 beino- then prol)ably re})uilt. 

 Upon the death of Lord North's 

 widow, in 1797, the Duke of Clar- 

 ence, afterwards William IV, be- 

 came ranger. After his death, in 

 1837, it was granted to his widow, 

 Queen Adelaide, who lived here 

 until 1849. xVt her death it passed 

 to the Due de Nemours, son of 

 King Louis Philippe, and he re- 

 sided here at intervals until 1890. 

 In spite of this somewhat aristo- 

 cratic history it will make an 



admirable lal^oratory. The build- ''""^^' "'^"^^•' ^"■°""" f'^"' 



ing is very solid and substantial. There is a good basement under the 

 main central block, with roof of ])rick groining, which makes a very 

 steady support for the floor above. 



Such is the home of the laboratory. It may l)e of interest to compare 



it with the Peichsanstalt. 



The floor space available is 

 much less than that of the 

 Reichsanstalt. But size alone 

 is not an unmixed advantage; 

 there is much to be said in 

 favor of gradual growth and 

 development, provided the 

 conditions are such as to 

 favoi growth. Personally I 

 would prefer to begin in a 

 small way, if only I felt sure 

 I was in a position to do the 

 work thoroughly, but there 

 is danger of starvation. Even 

 with all the help we get in freedom from rent and taxes, outside repairs 

 and maintenance, the sum at the disposal of the committee is too small. 

 Fourteen thousand pounds will not build and e<juip the ial)oratory. 

 Four thousand pounds a yeai' will not maintain it as it ought to be 



Bushy House, basement. 



