TRANSIT OF VENUS, 1874. KAILUA. 213 



OBSERVATIONS AT KAILUA, ISLAND OF HAWAII. 

 By PROFESSOR GEORGE FORBES, F.K.S.E. 



HAVING selected KAILUA as his place of observation, Professor FORBES arrived 

 there in H.M.S. Scout, Captain R. P. CATOR, R.N., from Honolulu, 1874, 

 November 5. A commodious dwelling had been most kindly placed at his 

 disposal by H.R.H. the Princess RUTH, who occasionally resided there herself, 

 the grounds of which offered a suitable position for the instruments ; and 

 these were, for the most part, ready for use by November 15. The position 

 of the observatories is shown in Plate VI. ; the transit pier was 200 feet S.W. 

 of the most southern corner of the stone church. 



Professor Forbes undertook continuous observations for local time, and to 

 obtain as many meridional transits of the Moon as possible during his stay. 

 The Longitude of his station, however, was to depend upon the fundamental 

 determination of the longitude of the station at Honolulu, with which it was 

 to be connected by transportation of chronometers. 



The Transit Clock was originally constructed by Earnshaw, for the Royal 

 Observatory, Greenwich, many years ago. Its former gridiron pendulum 

 was replaced by one of Messrs. E. Dent and Co.'s cylindrical zinc and steel 

 pendulums, and it was otherwise put into good order by them. At Kailua 

 it was mounted on a firm tripod pedestal of wood and iron, which stood upon 

 pickets of 8-inch timber driven firmly into the ground, the floor of the 

 observatory being cut away clear of them. 



Professor Forbes was supplied with a fine transit instrument by Messrs. 

 T. Cooke and Sons, which was kindly lent to the Astronomer Royal by 

 WILLIAM GARNETT, Esq., of Bashall Lodge, Clitheroe. 



The Transit Instrument, from its size and weight, could hardly be termed 

 a " portable " instrument. The object-glass was 2f inches aperture and 

 about 36 inches focal length. The axis was 21 inches long and of great 

 strength. The stand was of cast iron, unusually massive, and, at Kailua, 

 stood upon a brick pier, with firm foundations on solid rock. The com- 

 modious wooden observatory, 13 feet by 10, was built at Honolulu. 



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