ESTABLISHMENT AT BURNHAM. 483 



VOYAGE, AND NAMES OF OBSERVERS. 



MAJOR PALMER, R.E., accompanied by Lieutenant H. CraAvford, R.N., as 

 Assistant in the Astronomical Department, and by gentlemen whose duties 

 were limited to the Photographic Department, sailed from Plymouth in the 

 sailing ship Merope on 1874, June 27, and arrived at Port Lyttelton on 

 September 27. The time of the voyage was employed in preparing various 

 numerical computations, by which much trouble was subsequently saved. 



THE SITE AT BURNHAM. 



Major Palmer proceeded immediately to examine the country in the 

 neighbourhood of Christchurch, for selection of a site for the Transit Obser- 

 vatory. In this he was assisted in every way by His Honour "W. Rolleston 

 and other resident officials. After balancing various considerations, Major 

 PALMER fixed on BURNHAM, a place about 18 miles distant from Christchurch r 

 and on the Southern Railway ; and he states that subsequent experience gave 

 him no reason to repent this choice. The only drawbacks to Burnham were 

 the wind and the frequent mirage, which gave some little trouble, but nothing 

 serious. 



A railway, accompanied by telegraph, runs through the whole length of 

 the great southern island of New Zealand. The plot of ground selected for 

 the Observatory is described by Major Palmer as 800 yards N.W. of the 

 Burnham Railway Station, and 360 yards in rear of the Industrial School, on 

 land belonging to the Provincial Government ; and here a quadrangular space 

 about 180 x 133 feet was inclosed. Major Palmer satisfied himself by 

 experiment that no sensible tremor was communicated to the Observatory 

 ground by the passage of the heaviest trains on the railway. All the 

 instruments were in place on October 30. For avoiding the possible effects 

 of mirage the equatoreal pier and hut were raised 3 feet higher than would 

 otherwise have been necessary. The works generally were effected by the 

 local Government, who voluntarily undertook this expense. 



