Description of a new Stand for a Reflecting Telescope. 335 
rests on it; and is made concave, so as to receive nearly the semi- 
diameter of the Telescope ; and makes a steady bed for it. The bed 
is lined with thin cloth to fit the Telescope more closely to it ; this 
lining also preserves the tube from scratches. It is drawn down 
tightly into the bed by a brass cross-bar let into the bed and 
screws, in the same manner in which Telescopes are commonly 
fixed on stands. The Telescope can therefore be taken off from 
the stand and kept ina box to prevent the mirrors being tarnished ; 
which is more necessary in this country, where it is difficult to 
get them perfectly well repolished. The pillars which support 
the Telescope are 15 inches high, 3 broad, spreading 6 inches at 
the base to increase their stability. They are so far apart as to 
allow an axis to be 15 inches, which gives more horizontal steadi- 
ness to the Telescope than it would have, if mounted on slender 
brass supporters, placed near the tube, as they generally are. 
A semicircular brass plate is fixed to the under part of the cir- 
cular board, projecting + of an inch from its edge. When the 
Telescope is brought nearly into the direction wanted for viewing 
the object, by a horizontal movement of the stand, it is fixed by a 
clamp on the circular plate ; and an accurate adjustment is made 
by a tangent screw; in the same manner in which the index of 
the sextant is moved. 
The vertical adjustment of the Telescope is by a double mahog- 
any bar 1 inch and = square. It is made in two parts, one sliding 
on the other, through two brass collars, that hold them together ; 
the collars being attached to one part, the other sliding through 
them. To the sliding part is fixed a slip of brass, having teeth 
cut upon its edge. On the other part is fixed a pinion and nut 
to give motion to the sliding piece. One end of the part which 
has the pinion on it, is connected by a strong brass joint with the 
