"In March I wrote to Dr Wynter (Vice-Chancellor) at Oxford, requesting permission to see Bradley's and Bliss's manuscript Observations, with the view of taking a copy of them. This was granted, and the books of Transits were subsequently copied under Mr Breen's superintendence. --The following paragraph is extracted from the Report to the Visitors: 'In the Report of last year, I stated that our reductions had dropped considerably in arrear. I have the satisfaction now of stating that this arrear and very much more have been completely recovered, and that the reductions are now in as forward a state as at any time since my connection with the Observatory.' In fact the observations of 1842 were sent to press on Mar. 1st, 1843.--About this year the Annual Dinner at the Visitation began to be more important, principally under the management of Capt. W.H. Smyth, R.N.--In November I was enquiring about an 8-inch object-glass. I had already in mind the furnishing of our meridional instruments with greater optical powers.--On July 14th the Admiralty referred to me a Memorial of Mr J.G. Ulrich, a chronometer maker, claiming a reward for improvements in chronometers. I took a great deal of trouble in the investigation of this matter, by books, witnesses, &c., and finally reported on Nov. 4th that there was no ground for claim.--In April I received the first application of the Royal Exchange Committee, for assistance in the construction of the Clock: this led to a great deal of correspondence, especially with Dent.--The Lunar Reductions were going on in full vigour.--I had much work in connection with the Cape Observatory: partly about an equatoreal required for the Observatory, but chiefly in getting Maclear's work through the press.--In this year I began to think seriously of determining the longitude of Valencia in Ireland, as a most important basis for the scale of longitude in these latitudes, by the transmission of chronometers; and in August I went to Valencia and examined the localities. In September I submitted a plan to the Admiralty, but it was deferred.--The new Commission for restoring the Standards was appointed on June 20th, I being Chairman. The work of collecting standards and arranging plans was going on; Mr Baily attending to Standards of Length, and Prof. W.H. Miller to Standards of Weight. We held two meetings.--A small assistance was rendered to me by Mr Charles May (of the firm of Ransomes and May), which has contributed much to the good order of papers in the Observatory. Mr Robert Ransome had remarked my method of punching holes in the paper by a hand-punch, the places of the holes being guided by holes in a piece of card, and said that they could furnish me with something better. Accordingly, on Aug. 28th Mr May sent me the punching machine, the prototype of all now used in the Observatory.