92 



PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION A. 



APPENDIX R. 



IProceedings of the Executive Council on the ^<A April, 1855, with respect to 

 the re-establishment of an Observatory in this colony.^ 



Extract from Minute No. 55/12. Confirmed 17th April, 1855. 



2. The Council express their entire concurrence in His Excellency's 

 views, and they advise that the Legislative Council be invited to make the 

 necessary provision for a building in or near Sydney to contain the valuable 

 instruments already in the possession of the Government — for such repairs 

 to these instruments as may be requisite — for a residence for the Astronomer 

 in the immediate vicinity of the Observatory,— and for such additional 

 accommodation for computors, etc., as may probably be required. 



3. It may also be desirable to provide for the purchase of a dozen sets of 

 Meteorological instruments for the purpose of recording at different points 

 throughout the extensive area of the colony, observations as to tentperature 

 moisture, direction of wind and atmospheric phenomena. 



MICHL. FITZPATRICK, 



Clerk of the Council. 



APPENDIX S. 



[Specifications for Ohservatoyy by Sir William Denison, xvritten 7th April.] 



Mr, Weaver to 

 be written to 

 on the subject 

 and desired to 

 report as aoon 

 as possible. 



Col, Architect 

 and Auditor- 

 General, 

 12 April, 1855. 



On 1 May, 



re-submitted, 



2 May, 



Not answered, 



4 May, 



Not received, 



15 May. 



The buildings for which the Colonial Architect will have to 

 estimate in addition to the mere foundations for the Time 

 Ball will be as follows : 1st.— A building about 36 feet long 

 by 15 feet wide divided into two rooms, one 24 feet long and 

 the other 12 feet, with two gable ends having two openings in 

 the I'oof of the main room, which openings will be prolonged 

 through the walls to within 3 feet of the ground. 



The object of these openings is to allow an observer to 

 direct his telescope to any portion of the meridional circle 

 which may be required. The openmg must have proper 

 shutters working with pulley and counter weights so as to 

 move easily, but yet close enough to keep out the weather 

 completely. 



The floor must be of wood raised some distance from the 

 ground and so framed round the pillars which carry the 

 instruments as to leave them quite clear and independent. 

 The pillars which carry the instruments should be of single 

 blocks of sound stone— the foundation for which should be 

 carried up from the solid rock, the foundation being kept 

 quite clear from the sides of the pit in which it is placed. 

 If it be necessary to quarry for this foundation, that is if 

 the rock comes near the surface, the pit should be taken down 

 five or six feet. 



2nd. — A circular building about fifteen feet in diameter 

 with a roof revolving upon balls or rollers, with a shutter 

 opening like those of the last described roof, but without any 

 openings in the walls. This building is for extra meridional 

 oljservations. A single pillar will be required in this building, 

 the walls may be raised to the same height as those of the 

 other building, but the floor should not be moi-e than 6 ft. or 

 6 ft. 6 in. below the wall plates. The building should be placed 

 so as to have a clear view all round to within 15° of the horizon. 

 3rd. — Dwelling house for the Astronomer, consisting of 

 four rooms with detached kitchen and offices. 



4th. — Fence to enclose a good space of ground round the 

 Observatory. 



