46 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION A. 



dieted time. The only records of his work that I can find are 

 the following, which shews that he determined the latitude and 

 longitude of the Observatory, but nothing is said to lead one to 

 suppose that he observed the comet : — 



Colonel Collins in "An Account of the English Colony in 

 New South Wales" (Vol. I, 1798, p. 15, Feby. 1788), says :— 

 " Among the buildings that were undertaken shortly after our 

 arrival must be mentioned an Observatory, which was marked 

 out on the western point of the cove, to receive the astronomical 

 instruments which had been sent out by the Board of Longitude, 

 for the purpose of observing the comet which was expected to be 

 seen about the end of this year. The construction of this building 

 was placed under the direction of Lieut. Dawes, of the marines, 

 who, having made this branch of science his peculiar study, was 

 appointed by the Board of Longitude to make astronomical 

 observations in this country. 



" The latitude of the observatory was 33° 52' 30" S. 



"The longitude, from Greenwich, 151° 19' 30" E 



In August, 1788 {loc. cit. p. 37), an observatory, on the west 

 point of the cove, is mentioned as being in progress this month. 

 Collins adds : — 



" ' The observatory, which was erected on our first landing 

 {loc. cit. p. 75, July, 1789), being found small and inconvenient, as 

 well for the purpose of observing as for the residence of Lieutenant 

 Dawes and the reception of the astronomical instruments, the 

 stone-cutters began preparing stone to construct another, the 

 materials for which were found in abundance upon the spot, the 

 west point of the cove' (Bunkers Hill.) 



"In October, 1879 {loc. cit. p. 83), the observatory is said to 

 be in same place as the magazine ; and {loc. cit. p. 189, November, 

 1791); "A corporal's guard was also mounted daily in the 

 building which had been used as an observatory by Lieutenant 

 Dawes." He must, therefore, have gone before this. 



Captain Flinders. 



The asti'onomical work of Capt. Flinders, Commander of H.M.S. 

 " Investigator," during her exploring voyage to Australia, was 

 important. On the 19th January, 1801, Matthew Flindei's was 

 appointed Lieutenant in Command of H.M.S. " Investigator " 

 (heretofore known as the " Xenophon") for lier exploring voyage 

 to Australia. Mr. John Crossley was appointed astronomer, but 

 owing to ill-health was obliged to leave the ship at the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and his duty was assumed by Flinders in addition to 

 his other duties, and probably a better observer could not have 

 been found. For all the principal places on the south coast of 

 Australia he determined the longitude by direct lunar observa- 

 tions, and without giving details, which may be found in the 

 "Voyage to Terra Australis " (Vol. I., 1814, App. p. 259), it 



