165 



From the Astronomer Royal. 



Koyal Observatory, Greenwich. 

 Dear Sir,— ^^^*- October 5th. 



Your complaints about the cistern on the Great Gable have not fallen to 

 the ground. Since I last wrote to you, I have consulted with Dr. Lietch who at 

 my request, was so kind as to undertake the practical management of the' matter 

 and we have fairly shifted the man ten feet to the Magnetic West. I have given 

 notice of this to the Ordnance Survey Office, so that no confusion wiU be produced 

 in their bearings. As you probably remember very weU the former state of the 

 cistern, perhaps you wiU have the goodness to compare notes with Dr Lietch or 

 with Mr. John Jackson, the postmaster at Eostliwaite, who went up with Dr 

 Lietch and directed the wallers in the work. I should be glad to know that the 

 cistern had not suffered under the operations of the Sappers of the Survey. 



I am, dear Sir, 



Yours truly, 



G. B. AIRY. 

 Frnm Mr. Otley to the Astronomer Royal. 



October 10th, 1854. 

 ^ ours of the 5th came duly to hand. Dr. Lietch called on me yesterday to say 

 that they had built a nice man on the Gable, according to your directions. If you 

 had not distinctly mentioned magnetic West, I should have thought it would have 

 been true west, as I presume the Ordnance Maps are laid down from the true meridian 

 He says they could not perceive any damage that has been done to it I should 

 have hked that he could have given some more of his observations long since made 

 He mentioned a natural crack which would prevent the cistern being filled to the 

 very brim, and he threw out a suggestion that the crack might be filled ud to 

 ascertain if it was really a spring. I told him I thought that was decided long 

 since as from the thousands of copies of my description, that have been put into 

 circulation since 1812, where I have said it is not a stream. If I had been wrong 

 I should have beeu contradicted before this time. I should have liked to have seen 

 John Jackson on the subject, but he seldom comes to Keswick, and I as seldom 

 reach Rosthwaite. Altho' I shall never see it, I am glad that it has been restored 

 to Its original state, so that if it ever was worth looking at as a natural curiosity it 

 may s ,1 continue the same. I have some recoUection of a natural crack in he 

 rock, 1 believe in the angle towards Great End. 



J^etu^en the years 1848 and 1855, a number of letters passed 

 between Otley and Mr. George Harrison, of Longlands, near Milnthorpe. 



