Autobiography of Sir George Biddell AiryAiry, George Biddell
Science
Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy
Airy, George Biddell
Airy, George Biddell, 1801-1892; Astronomers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Autobiographies; Royal Greenwich Observatory
"In the inferior departments of the Admiralty, especially in the
Hydrographic Office (then represented by Captain Beaufort) with which
I was principally connected, the Observatory was considered rather as
a place for managing Government chronometers than as a place of
science. The preceding First Assistant (Taylor) had kept a book of
letter references, and I found that out of 840 letters, 820 related to
Government chronometers only. On Jan. 17th I mentally sketched my
regulations for my own share in chronometer business. I had some
correspondence with Captain Beaufort, but we could not agree, and the
matter was referred to the Admiralty. Finally arrangements were made
which put the chronometer business in proper subordination to the
scientific charge of the Observatory.
"In my first negociations with the Admiralty referring to acceptance
of the office of Astronomer Royal, in 1834, Lord Auckland being then
First Lord of the Admiralty, I had stipulated that, as my successor at
Cambridge would be unprepared to carry on my Lectures, I should have
permission to give a final course of Lectures there. At the end of
1835 Lord Auckland was succeeded by Lord Minto: I claimed the
permission from him and he refused it. When this was known in
Cambridge a petition was presented by many Cambridge residents, and
Lord Minto yielded. On April 18th I went to Cambridge with my wife,
residing at the Bull Inn, and began Lectures on April 21st: they
continued (apparently) to May 27th. My lecture-room was crowded (the
number of names was 110) and the lectures gave great satisfaction. I
offered to the Admiralty to put all the profits in their hands, and
transmitted a cheque to the Accountant General of the Navy: but the
Admiralty declined to receive them.
"On June 4th the Annual Visitation of the Observatory was held, Mr
F. Baily in the Chair. I presented a written Report on the Observatory
(a custom which I had introduced at Cambridge) in which I did not
suppress the expression of my feelings about chronometer business. The
Hydrographer, Captain Beaufort, who was one of the Official Visitors,
was irritated: and by his influence the Report was not printed. I
kept it and succeeding Reports safe for three years, and then the
Board of Visitors agreed to print them; and four Reports were printed
together, and bound with the Greenwich Observations of 1838.
"In the course of this year I completed the volume of Observations
made at Cambridge Observatory in 1835 and on Nov. 10th the printed
copies were distributed. About the end of 1835 the Dome for the
Northumberland Telescope was erected: but apparently the polar frame
was not erected."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account