BY PROFESSOR ALEX. MCAULAY, M.A. 87 



It is of interest to know that what are, I believe, the 

 two most valuable instruments which belonged to those two 

 observers are likely now, after a number of years of idleness, 

 to be put again to useful work. 



The transit instrument of Mr. Abbott has recently 

 been acquired by the University by purchase. It has been 

 housed and nearly completely repaired. Its various adjust- 

 nier^ts in its new home have just been commenced by the 

 students of the University. It is a larger instrument than 

 the Observatory possesses, and it is probable that its per- 

 formance will be found correspondingly more accurate. 



I may say for the benefit of those of my hearers who 

 are not conversant with the technical terms of Astronomy 

 that the chief object of a transit instrument (other than one 

 of the first class, which has additional uses) is to obtain 

 the true time as accurately as it can be obtained. No other 

 instrument is nearly so accurate for this pui^pose, and the 

 time in all the States of Australia is at present obtained by 

 means of transit instruments. 



Mr. Biggs' equatorial telescope was left by him as a 

 bequest to the Koyal Society. The Royal Society has re- 

 cently offered it on loan to the University, and it is at pre- 

 sent stored at the University, though not in such a way as to 

 be capable of use. The University has not yet signified its 

 acceptance of the loan, probably because an expense of some 

 £60 will be necessary to house, mount, and repair it. This 

 telescope is an 84-inch reflector (Newtonian), and is, there- 

 fore, much superior to the equatorial at the Observatory. 



It is mucn to be hoped that the University will see 

 its way to accepting the offer, and so secure (let us hope for 

 all time) the benefit to students of observing the wonders of 

 the Heavens, after listening to the dry-as-dust description 

 of them in the lecture room. It is to be remarked also that 

 the students may be expected, with such an opportunity, 

 to add to the knowledge of the human race, and this is no 

 little reason why the offer should be accepted 



I look forward to the time when an Astronomical School 

 of renown shall be firmly established here. Our opportuni- 

 ties in the matter of position are great. Let us not neglect 

 them for petty passing reasons. 



While considering practical astronomy in Tasmania in 

 the past, we ought not to omit a reference to the transit of 

 Venus in 1874. The main interests of that transit were, of 

 course, world-wide, but Tasmania (did she but know it) has 

 herself benefited by the visually insignificant fact that in 

 1874 Venus passed between the earth and the sun, and there 

 fore was visible as a dot on the sun's face. Tasmania's gain is 



