TWENTY-SIXTH CONGRESS, 1839-1841. 211 



admiralty board ( who have been empowered to issue instructions by the Queen in 

 council), which enter a little more minutely into the duties, but necessarily leave the 

 course of astronomical observations very indefinite. 1 



The board of admiralty sometimes call on the astronomer royal for a report, but 

 it is rather upon such matters as the state of the buildings and instruments, the con- 

 duct of the assistants, etc. , than upon the nature of the astronomical observations. 



I have myself introduced the rule of reading a report to the board of visitors at 

 their annual meeting at the observatory, applying as well to the astronomical labors 

 as to the general occurrences at the observatory; and this report they have each 

 year ordered to be printed. (Copies accompany this paper.) If this custom be 

 continued there will probably be found a more complete series of annuals of the 

 observatory than has hitherto existed. 



6. Besides the astronomer royal there are six assistants and a laborer, and a 

 watchman; also a gate porter (some old sailor from Greenwich hospital). The 

 duties of the assistants are to observe and compute, entirely under the direction of 

 the astronomer royal. None of these persons reside within the precincts of the 

 observatory or even within the park. They find houses for themselves, from the 

 salaries mentioned below (part of the salary being considered as compensation for 

 want of dwelling house). 



The salaries are: First assistant, 350; second assistant, 220 (in future instances 

 this is to be 190); third assistant, 190; fourth, fifth, and sixth assistants, 130 

 each; laborer, 43; gate porter, 15 12s.; watchman, 32 10s. 



7. The instruments in use at this time are: A transit instrument 10 feet long, 

 constructed by Trough ton, bought by the Government; price, I think, 300. 



Mural circle, 6 feet diameter, constructed by Troughton, bought by the Govern- 

 ment; price, I believe, 600. 2 



Zenith tube, or zenith sector, of small range, for the observation of Draconis only, 

 which passes very near to the zenith of Greenwich; purchased by the Government. 

 I know not the price. 



The eastern equatorial, or Shuckburg's equatorial, constructed by Ramsden; 

 presented by Lord Liverpool. 



The western equatorial; a very worthless instrument. 



The southern equatorial, or Sheepshanks' s equatorial. The object-glass made by a 

 Parisian artist (I think by Cauchoix); presented by the Rev. R. Sheepshanks; the 

 mounting by Mr. T. Grubb, of Dublin, at the expense of the Government; its cost, 

 205. 



Several telescopes; prices unknown some probably exceeding 100. 



Several clocks; the most expensive cost, I believe, 200. 



I ought not to omit that there is machinery for raising a large ball (5 feet in 

 diameter), on the top of the house, and dropping it precisely at 1 o'clock every day 

 as a signal by which the chronometers on board the ships in the River Thames may 

 be rated. It was erected at the expense of the Government; I know not the cost. 



Besides these, there is the magnetic apparatus, yet imperfect; the expense hitherto 

 incurred has been 30 or 40. 



8. There is a library, covering the walls of a room 20 feet square. It consists 

 principally of the transactions of societies, of mathematical and astronomical works, 

 works on the literature of astronomy, nautical astronomy, voyages, etc. In these 

 respects it is a very good library. It has been collected partly at the expense of the 

 Government, and partly from the presents of private persons and official bodies. 



1 The board of visitors are empowered by their warrant, under the royal sign man- 

 ual, to direct the astronomer royal to make such observations as they may think fit; 

 but I am not aware that they have ever exercised this power. 



'* Another mural circle of the same size, constructed by Jones, has lately been sent 

 from the royal observatory to the Cape of Good Hope. 



