ASTRONOMICAL AND METEOROLOGICAL WORKERS. 69 



Ordnance Storekeeper. A contemporary living in Parramatta 

 when the Commission sat told me that Captain King, to whom 

 the Connnission was entrusted, called at the Observatory and 

 told Mr. Dnnlop that in two months the Connnission would call 

 upon him with the object of enquiring into the state of the 

 Observatory. This was can-ied out, and when Mr. Uunlop was 

 asked for the records of his obsexwations, he pointed to a series 

 of bound books on the shelves and said, " There they are." 



Many of the books were found to have been destroyed by the 

 wliite ant, and hence probably some of the early observing books 

 were destroyed in that way ; but it appears from Appendix G 

 that the written report said that the " instruments and books 

 generally are in good condition, but the buildings are in a 

 delapidated state." (See Appendices G and J.) 



In Votes and Proceedings 1852, 57a., it appears that Dunlop 

 himself packed the Parramatta instruments carefully into 

 boxes, and that they were sent to, and stored in the Ordi- 

 nance Stores, Sydney, ; but unfortunately many small pieces, 

 insignificant in themselves, but important for the instruments, 

 have been lost for want of that care on the part of 

 the storekeepei's which can only be given by some one who 

 understands such instruments. It should be mentioned that the 

 Platinum Ball, which was about two inches in diameter, and 

 formed the bob of the pendulum, the length of which was 

 measured at Parramatta, was sold by the Rev. W. Scott, with the 

 consent of the Government, in 1859, with the view of adding to 

 the useful instruments in the Observatory. 



There can be no doubt of the great natural ability shewn by 

 Mr. Dunlop at Parramatta, and the amount of work he got through 

 in those early years is very surprising. It is true that it was 

 done at high pressure and to meet Sir Thomas Brisbane's wish, 

 and there can be no doubt that Mr. Dunlop was fully aware of the 

 imperfections of the instruments, iniperfections which were in 

 them when purchased and for which he was in no way responsible. 

 Still, it is very much to be regretted that so many observations 

 were made ; a smaller number observed with greater care would 

 have been of far more value than the host of roughly observed 

 stars found in the Pari'amatta Catalogue. In forming an estimate 

 of this work, however, it is hardly fair to judge it by present 

 standards, then a less degree of accuracy satisfied the majority, 

 because instruments were less perfect, and it may be said that 

 the southern heavens were a new field in which most men would 

 be tempted by quantity rather than quality. 



Mr. Dunlop's career was a remarkable one. Selected by Sir 

 Thomas Brisbane, and taken from a subordinate position, he was 

 by him placed in a very responsible one, and praised on every 

 occasion. He shared with him the honour of the work done at 

 Parramatta, and took him as his private Astronomer at 



