231

4 January 1871

Sir

I have the honor herewith to enclose vouchers in support of the payments of £3..8..6 from the vote for New Books 1871.

I have the honor to be
Sir
Your obedient servant
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer

The Under Secretary
for Finance & Trade

55

Observatory
Jan 2. 90 (1891)

J. Meldrum Esqre
Marengo

Dear Sir

Your letter of yesterday duly received. I should be much obliged if you would arrange with someone to continue the Observations. and if you think the Post Master Mr J S Shambler would undertake the duty: I shall be glad if you will ask him for me, to do so. I am very much obliged to you for the care you have taken of the Observations so far.

Yours truly
H.C. Russell
Govt Astronomer

53

Observatory
Janry 2 91

? ? Lu….. Esqre
Isooboralong

Dear Sir

Your letter of 29th duly received and I am much obliged to you for offering to send me copies of your rainfall records. I am sending under separate ….. the necessary forms you will see that some are for monthly reports this year and others for the records in 1887, 88, 89 & 90 and I should be much obliged if you would enter each days fall in the place provided for it. On each sheet there is space for every day in the year.

I am sorry to put you to so much trouble and if you will send me the originals I will have them copied and returned to you. The ……. card is of great use to me in (tracing?) rain storms.

Yours very truly
H.C. Russell
Govt Astronomer

230

Sydney Observatory
30 Dec 1870

Sir

I have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of Vol II Part II and Vol V annals of the Observatory at Harvard College.

I have the honor to be
Your obedient servant
H C Russell

Govt Astronomer
J Winlock Esqre
Director of Harvard College Observatory

30 Decr 70

Sir

I have the honor to acknowledge with many thanks the receipt of Donations of Books from the Smithsonian Institution.

The Late Astronomer has not left on record whether he sent you the publications which have been issued by this Observatory.

If you have not received them I shall be most happy to forward them to you.

Yours very truly
H C Russell

Govt Astronomer
The Secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution

Observatory
30 Dec 90

Govt Astronomer
Messrs Pepperday & Cider??
Hunter Street

Dear Sir

Upon getting the tenders for printing small book in. It was found that your tender was not the lowest. And the lowest has been accepted.

Yours truly
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer

Observatory
30 Dec 90

Govt Astronomer
Messrs Trockel & Cooper
41 York Street

Dear Sir

Upon getting the tenders for printing small book together. It was found that your tender was not the lowest; and the lowest was accepted.

Yours truly
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer

45

Observatory
29th December 1890

Sir

I have the honour to inform you that there is an unexpended balance of ₤200 on the Observatory Vote for 1890 for Extra Clerical Assistance.

The following items might have been provided for by Extra Assistance in the Observatory: and are I think for that among other reasons …….. ……… the above unexpended balance.

(1) Mr J A Pollock left the staff of the ………… on March 31st. but expressed a desire …….. allowed to finish preparing all the Double Star observations for the …….. without pay. The work has been so admirably done that I would recommend that he be paid for the time he spent over this work at the usual ₤10 rate paid to him previously. ……₤10 for the months work.

(2) In May last owing to an accident to one of the instruments when we were doing Longitude work that could not be delayed. I was obliged to keep the Instrument Maker for 27 ½ hours overtime recommended that he be paid for it at the usual ₤3-8-0 rate 2lb per hour, in all amounting to ₤3-8-0.

(3) The Double Star work prepared by Mr Pollock is new and loses its value if not printed at once.

I have obtained from the Government Printer an estimate of the probable cost of printing it which is ₤25-4-0. I have obtained the three Tenders enclosed and recommend that Messrs Turner & Henderson’s tender

The Under Secretary
Public Instruction

Cont. 46

to print & find 250 copies of the Double Star measures for ₤16-10-0 be accepted. ₤16-10-0

Another volume of Astronomical work consisting of Meridian observations is ready for the press it will cover about 126 pages. The exact number cannot now be ascertained but Messrs Turner & Henderson are prepared to undertake it at the same rate as the previously mentioned volume and I recommend that their tender for 250 copies not to exceed ₤100 be accepted. ₤100-0-0

During the past 8 months most valuable Stellar photographs have been obtained. These should be published at once for the information of other observatories and the credit of this. I have obtained tenders for printing the photograph. Mr Baylis tenders for 4 ½° each and Mr C…… at 3° & I would recommend Mr Cleaver tender for acceptance total cost ₤22-10-0. ₤22-10-0

Special books for holding these with the necessary printed descriptive letter press.
Mr Owen …….. for many of his a book binder in the Govt Printing Office tenders to make 100 for ₤52-10-0. Mess.. John Sands tender for the same work for ₤36-0-0. ₤36-0-0

I would recommend that Mr Sands tender be accepted. The Government Printer is very much pressed for work and cannot do these books for the Observatory at once. It will not cost more to do them as proposed then it would in the Govt Printing Office and it will use up a Vote that would otherwise be lost.

I have the honour to be
Sir
Your Obedient Servant

H.C. Russell
Govt Astronomer

44

Observatory
29th December 1890

Sir

I have the honour to report that the authority given to me to employ two boys for December was not acted upon owing to the delay in finding suitable boys.
I have now the honour to request authority to employ for 3 months from January 1st the two lads whose letters are enclosed and to pay them at the rate of ₤30 per annum each.
P.N. Hewett is the son of Mr Hewett Instructor in Physics at the Technical College and is I think a suitable lad. Walter Graham’s recommendation from the Head Master of the Model School is a sufficient guarantee of his fitness.
I have also the honour to request authority to continue the services of James Short attending to the Photographic Telescope at the rate of pay provided in the estimates for 1891 ….₤.. … to June 30th.

I have the honour to be
Sir
Your Obedient Servant
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer

The Under Secretary
For Public Instruction

527

Government Observatory
29th December 1871

Sir

I have the honor to report that during my absence with the Eclipse Expedition ?? ?? of some defect?? has been made to the Observatory Reserve by the person removing stone from the western side of the Reserve. I have therefore the ?? to request that steps may be taken as soon as possible to stop the removal of stone from the Observatory Reserve and to cause the restoration of that which has been taken away.

I have the honor to be
Sir

Your obedient servant
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer

The Principal
Under Secretary