THE DOMINION ASTEONOMICAL OBSEEVATOEY, 



For purposes of description, the work carried on at and in connee- 

 tion with the Observatory may be classified thus : 



Meridian Work and Time Service 



Field Astronomical work 



Astrophysics 



Geo|physics 



International Boundary Surveys 



Geodetic Survey. 



Meridian Work and Time Service. 



Meridian Circle. — ^The improvements to the house for this instru- 

 ment, referred to in last year's report, have been made. The piers have 

 been rebuilt, with provision for the underground collimator marks. Some 

 difficulty was encountered from water at the footings of the piers, at a 

 level below that of the drains of the building. This has made the use of 

 a pump necessary, by means of which it is hoped that the trouble will be 

 fully avoided. The mechanism for opening and closing the roof shutters 

 by means of winches has been put in and works very satisfactorily. The 

 shutters themselves have been overhauled with a view to making them 

 rain and snow-tight, and the vertical shutters at the north and south 

 wall openings have been improved. 



The vertical circles of the instrument, which had been damaged in 

 transport, were re-made by Messrs. Troughton & Simms. It was found 

 that the pivots of the instrument were made of too soft a steel. This was 

 remedied by fitting on the ends of the axis, bushings of hardened steel, 

 a very delicate piece of work, which however has been carried out success- 

 fully by the mechanician of the Observatory. Improvements have also 

 been made to the counterpoises. 



Time Service. — The time service to the Government buildings con- 

 tinues to prove satisfactory and frequent requisitions are received for 

 additional dials. A secondary-master clock has been placed in the Eoyal 

 Mint for operating dials in that building, and in the Archives Building 

 and the Printing Bureau. There are now in operation, under the sys- 

 tem, 277 minute-beating dials, 5 seconds dials, and 2 tower clocks. 



Field Astronomical Work. 



Latitudes and longitudes were determined at twenty-seven stations 

 during the season of 1908. 



Some of these determinations were made for purposes of the boimd- 

 ary surveys, others for geographical purposes. Of the former there were 



Proc. 1909. 13. 



