Klotz. — Transpacific Longitudes. 63 



Upon my arrival in Wellington in November. 1903, I was 

 wery cordially received by Sir James Hector and Mr. T. King. 

 Sir James, by the way, we Canadians claim as a kinsman, for 

 we have not forgotten the very valuable work he did nearly 

 half a century ago in the Rocky Momitains in connection with 

 the Palliser expedition. The Hon. Mr. Richard J. Seddon, Pre- 

 mier, who had been officially notified of my coming, offered 

 every facility for the successful issue of the work, and Sir Joseph 

 "Ward, Postmaster- General, kindly placed the telegraph-lines at 

 my disposal. Mr. King and I discussed the work in hand — 

 the connection of Doubtless Bay and Wellington. The star 

 programme, the routine of observing and exchange of time- 

 signals were followed as already explained. Mr. King in his 

 time work always observes by " eye and ear," and this method 

 he followed too in the longitude work, including the personal- 

 equation observations, while I, as usual, recorded my observa- 

 tions on the chronograph. 



The main consideration was the installation of electric appa- 

 ratus to enable the exchange of time-signals between the two 

 stations. After explaining to Mr. J. K. Logan, Superintendent 

 of Government Telegraphs, what was required, the electrician, 

 Mr. Buckley, and Mr. Chisholm installed the necessary batteries 

 a,nd relays at the observatory, a description of which, furnished 

 me by Mr. Logan, follows later. A brief resume of the apparatus 

 at the Wellington Observatory may be given. 



The observatory was estabUshed in 1869, and is used for 

 time service only. It is situate on the summit of the hill ^Yithin 

 the old cemetery, and overlooks the city, harbour, and surround- 

 ing country. The building has two rooms — a clock-room and a 

 transit-room. IJ! V \- r','pS" |F 



Clocks. — In the former are three mean-time clocks, and one 

 sidereal — Dent No. 39720 — having electrical attachment making 

 contact or circuit every second except the 60th in order to iden- 

 tify the mirute. The clocks are all mounted on brick and 

 cement bases, and are fastened to substantial braced frames. 



Transit. — The transit is by Troughton and Simms, and is 

 mounted on a rather high stone pillar. It has an aperture of 

 2| in., and a focal length of 32 in. The reticule has seven threads 

 at equal equatorial intervals of about 17 seconds of time. There 

 is a sensitive striding-level, and one oil-lamp for illuminating 

 the field. The single small setting-circle reads to minutes, and 

 the reversing of the telescope is done directly by hand. 



Meridian Mark. — The meridian mark, placed thirty-five years 

 ago, which also serves for testing coUimation in the daytime, is 

 a 3 in. iron bar set in cement, and shows well above the slc^^- 

 line of the Tinakori Range to the north. 



Chronograph. — The chronograph is of the Morse pattern and 



