918 Transactions.— Miscellaneous, 
The point of departure in Sydney harbour was Fort Maequarrie, which 
was assumed to be in longitude 151 14’ 00’ E. Pipitea Point, in Welling- 
n Harbour, was placed in longitude 174° 47' 53" E., difference being 23° 
83’ 58”, or 1h. 34m. 15:583s. 
It has been since ascertained that there was error in this assumed 
longitude for Fort Maequarrie, and that Fort Macquarrie is 2:68 seconds 
E. of Sydney Observatory.* 
The longitude of Sydney Observatory was taken as 10h. 04m. 53°9s. 
E. Wellington Observatory is 8800:2 feet W., by measurement from 
Pipitea Point, or 2:88 seconds. 
These data thus gave result :— 
H. M. SEQ. 
Sydney Observatory ... is 2. 10. 08 Sd 
Fort Maequarie es Sse + 2°63 
10 04 56°53 
Difference $i: n sae + 1 84 15:588 
11 389 12-063 
Pipitea Point from Observatory — 2.88 
11 39 09:183 
This longitude is at present used at the Observatory. True time is 
there gained and corrected for this constant error 9m. 09:183s., so that the 
clock which drops the time ball shows always the same time as a clock 
stationed at lih. 30m. 00s. E. There is this manifest advantage in this 
plan: & shipmaster has only to note the difference of his chronometer from 
12h. 30m., when the Wellington ball drops, to gain a Greenwich date; and 
so, observing from time to time, to gain the rate of his chronometer.] ` 
In the early part of this year a communication was received from Dr. 
Russell, Astronomer Royal at Sydney, proposing to interchange signals 
between Sydney and Wellington. At an arranged time, at the ending of 
each fifteen seconds in five minutes, a key was pressed down, thus giving 
twenty signals; and, after an arranged interval, twenty similar signals were 
received from Sydney 
Dr. Russell gives this as the result :— 
H. M. SEC. 
From Wellington to Sydney  ... e. 4 94 1095 
From Sydney to bau im =a -. 1 84 16-6898 
With mean ce is ss 1 94 150949 
I have no hesitation in saying that the signals from Wellington to 
Sydney are of more value than those from Sydney to Wellington, and that 
* Capt. Nares, “ Trans. N.Z. Inst.," Vol. VIL, p. 504. 
t Hector, ** Trans, N.Z., Inst.," Vol. I., p. 48.” n.e. p. 
