ASTRONOMICAL AND METRORO LOGICAL WORKERS. 61 



and it is wortli noting that Sir Thomas Brisbane gave up his 

 appointment on December 1st, 1825, and tliat Dunlop remained in 

 Parramatta Observatory until March 2nd, 1826. From May 

 10th, 1826, Rumker was a most active observer for latitude, 

 longitude, pendulum and other observations, until December 26tli, 

 1828, which is the date of his last observation. The results are 

 published in the Philosophical Transactions, 1829, Part III, and 

 occupy one hundred and tifty-five pages, and in the Royal Astro- 

 nomical Society's Memoirs (Vol. III., pp. 100 and 277), 

 occupying thirty-four pages. 



The Royal Astronomical Society's Notices also contain notes of 

 papers by him, written while he was in Australia, as follows :- - 



Vol. 1, page 75, On the length of Pendulums. 



,, ,, ,, 78, Results of observations at Parramatta. 



,, „ ,, 98, December solstice. 



,, ,, „ 125, Solstice and equinox in 1827, and others. 



,, ,, ,, 183, Observations on a passage from N.S.W. also to England. 



It appears on the title page of his observations in the Philoso- 

 phical Transactions for 1829, that the printing was paid for by 

 His Majesty's Colonial Department. This work consists of a 

 vast number of observations to determine the latitude ; a few 

 to determine the longitude ; a number of comet observations, 

 and others to determine latitude by the sun's solstice ; observa- 

 tions of the moon and planets, etc. 



Every care has evidently been bestowed upon these observa- 

 tions, and their subsequent reduction, and it was no fault of Mr. 

 Rumker's that the observations are affected by incurable errors 

 depending upon the imperfect instruments with which he was 

 obliged to work. Of these Mr. Rumker was fully conscious, and 

 by every means in his power tried to eliminate them, but they 

 were of such a nature that all his efforts necessarily failed to 

 produce the desired results. 



I find by reference to official letters that Mr. Rumker's promise 

 of appointment is dated 21st December, 1827 (see Appendix C) ; 

 but his observations began in Pararmatta in May 1826, he 

 must, therefore, have been appointed by the Governor, subject to 

 confirmation by the Home Government. (See Appendix D,, 

 letter of July 16, 1829, his actual appointment.) 



Rumker, (Philosophical Transactions, 1829, part III., pp. 29 

 and lol), says : — 



The longitude of Parramatta as a mean of all is — 



Parramatta ... ... ... ... lOh. 4m. 6.25s. 



*Port Jackson — by Brisbane observing 

 at Government House, August 

 16, 1822 10 5 17.89 



*By the Map referred to in next note the lonjritude of Government House Observatory is 

 given as 151° 15' 20'' or lOh. 5m. 1.33s. which does not agree with any of those given 

 above. See also Capt. King's results already given. 



