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
any way whatever, provided that such means are arranged for carrying
out the extension as will render unnecessary the withdrawal of
strength from what are now the engrossing objects of the
Observatory.'--I had much correspondence on Comets, of which Donati's
great Comet was one: the tail of this Comet passed over Arcturus on
October 5th.--Respecting the Sheepshanks Fund: In September I met
Whewell at Leeds, and we settled orally the final plan of the
scheme. On Oct. 27th I saw Messrs Sharp, Miss Sheepshanks's
solicitors, and drew up a Draft of the Deed of Gift. There was much
correspondence, and on Nov. 20th I wrote to the Vice-Chancellor of
Cambridge University. A counter-scheme was proposed by Dr Philpott,
Master of St Catharine's College. By arrangement I attended the
Council of the University on Dec. 3rd, and explained my views, to
which the Council assented. On Dec. 9th the Senate accepted the gift
of Miss Sheepshanks.--I had much correspondence throughout this year,
with the Treasury, Herschel, Sabine, and the Royal Society, about the
continuation of the Magnetic Establishments. The Reductions of the
Magnetic Observations 1848-1857 were commenced in February of this
year, under the direction of Mr Lucas, a computer who had been engaged
on the Lunar Reductions.--In this year I came to a final agreement
with the South Eastern Railway Company about defining the terms of our
connection with them for the passage of Time Signals. I was authorized
by the Admiralty to sign the 'protocol' or Memorandum of Agreement,
and it was signed by the South Eastern Railway Directors.--On
Aug. 28th I made my first proposal to Sir John Packington (First Lord
of the Admiralty) for hourly time signals on the Start Point, and in
September I went to the Start to examine localities, &c. On Dec. 23rd
the Admiralty declined to sanction it.--I presented to the Royal
Society a Paper about drawing a great-circle trace on a Mercator's
chart.--In October I gave a Lecture on Astronomy in the Assembly Room
at Bury.--On Jan. 25th I was busied with my Mathematical Tracts for
republication."--In this year Airy published in the Athenaeum very
careful and critical remarks on the Commissioners' Draft of Statutes
for Trinity College. He was always ready to take action in the
interests of his old College. This Paper procured him the warmest
gratitude from the Fellows of the College.
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