Scientific Industries. 491 



Other floating wharves have been built, and the company has now 

 a large fleet of colliers, many tugs and barges, as well as the largest 

 barge building yard in the kingdom at Charlton. 



THE DEPTFORD POTTERY, DEPTFORD. 



This firm, one of the oldest established in Deptford, was noted 

 for its " Deptford ware " in the earlier part of last century. " Dept- 

 ford ware " is described in Jewett's " Ceramic Art in Great Britain " 

 thus, " In the seventeenth century, existed at Deptford a pottery, 

 where were manufactured melting pots (crucibles) ' the best in the 

 world,' especially for founders. These were in great repute, and 

 gradually superseded those imported from Holland, Germany, and 

 Denmark." 



ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH. 



The Royal Observatory was founded in 1675 by Charles II. for 

 the promotion of astronomy and navigation. Its site is on the 

 hill rising in Greenwich Park behind the Hospital. 



Flamsteed was appointed the first Astronomer Royal at a salary 

 of 100 per annum, and he himself had to supply and make some 

 of the equipment, as the Government did not supply a single 

 instrument. Sir Jonas Moore presented several instruments, but 

 on his death little or no support was given by the Admiralty. 



Flamsteed began a valuable series of observations in 1689, with 

 a mural arc, which he installed, and the first star catalogue was 

 based on these observations. Lunar observations by him enabled 

 Newton to verify his lunar theory. 



Dr. Halley, Dr. Bradley, Dr. Bliss, Dr. Maskelyne, J. Pond, Sir 

 G. B. Airey, and Sir W. H. Christie have been Astronomers Royal 

 in succession, and by their valuable work they have- kept the 

 observatory well; to the front. 



Bradley, by his observations, laid the foundation of modern 

 stellar astronomy, and the observatory reached a high pitch of 

 excellence in Airey 's day. 



New buildings were erected in 1899, and the pavilion for the 

 important magnetic observations started in 1838 was separated 

 from, the main buildings a quarter of a mile, to avoid the disturbance 

 of the magnetic instruments due to iron in the new building. 



ef The instrumental equipment has been greatly added to of late 

 years, the great development of astronomical photography necessita- 

 ting this increase. 



