Letter by H C Russell, 31 May 1871

405

Sydney Observatory

May 31st 1871

Dear Sir

I have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your Weather Tables.

The leading principles may be clear enough to yourself but I have not yet been able to understand them, especially what is meant by Magnetism. It is an attracting or repelling force, or mostly a polar force in your theory, and what is the “law of an angle of direction of the attracting bodies” spoken of in the third paragraph of your Principles & Remarks.

I would suggest ?? like Mr Saxby you publish a work explaining your weather system, so that those who like myself are anxious to understand and fairly test it: may be able to do so.

I am not tied to any weather system. but am anxious to give all an impartial hearing, so that at least I may profit by the observations of those who form them.

Yours truly
H C Russell

G. W. Groves Esqre
Crown Lands Office
Melbourne

Letter by G R Smalley, 28 May 1870

81-82

Royal Observatory

May 28 1870

Sir

In reference to the annual Vote of £12 for Meteorological Observations at country stations. I have the honor to request that I may be authorized to distribute this vote in such proportions as I may deem most expedient for the scientific welfare of the Colony.

The Vote was first granted when there were 12 Stations only but recent alterations made especially at the request of the Agricultural Society render it expedient that there should now be about 50 Stations and I have decided to give a small retaining fee to each observer especially the Telegraph Stations a list of which you have already had.

You will perceive that this is not a special grant but an annual vote and the want of money from this Vote as well as the £50 placed on the supplementary Estimates for 1869 have thrown?? back the arrangements to which I have pledged myself and which I am repeatedly urged to complete.

I have the honor to be
Sir
Your obedient servant
George R Smalley

The Principal Under Secretary

Letter by G R Smalley, 5 May 1870

68

Royal Observatory
May 5 1870

Sir

I have the honor to request that the Colonial Secretary will be pleased to approve of my disposing of the annual vote of £120 for the purpose of taking Meteorological Observations in different parts of the Colony in such proportions and in such places as I may think it expedient for the Publick [sic] benefit without limitation for a first scale of remuneration for each individual observer Voucher for each payment with details being returned to the Treasury as usual.

I have the honor to be
Sir
Your obedient Servant
George R Smalley

The Principal Under Secretary

Letter by W Scott, 16 April 1858

Observatory Sydney
April 16th 1858

58/52

Sir

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of April 1st with meteorological returns commencing March 12th not March 1st as stated in the letter. If you have made observations from 1st to 11th inclusive please send them without delay.

You had better hang the ?? thermometer a little higher so as to ?? adjust the board to prevent shaking; the Solar radiation thermometer cannot be so secured but care must be taken to keep it a little inclined so that the Quicksilver may not run up too high.

Please register the tenths of sky covered with clouds at the time of observation.

As your first return commences in March 1st I cannot certify for the Salary earlier than March 1st but will you send your Abstract with letter of appointment at the end of the next quarter certified for 4 months.

I am Sir
Your obedient servant
W Scott

W Brayden (??)
Cape Moreton

Letter by H A Lenehan, 5 April 1887

Letter by H A Lenehan, 5 April 1887

61/87

Sydney Observatory

April 5th 1887

Mr. L. Houp
Woolgoolga
‘The Grafton’
Dear Sir

Your note of 17th ultimo in which you offered to record the rainfall in your locality I received a few days ago and have delayed replying until I found out if we had a station in your neighborhood. This I find we have Mr. W J Pullen’s place at Cowper, which is situated about three miles north of you I will not be able at present to forward a gauge, as our stock is limited to a few. But when our next supply at the end of this year is received Mr. Russell who will by that time have returned from England, may reconsider your application. I have given instructions to have forms sent to you and will be thankful if you will forward them with the information you have already collected and that which you will no doubt continue to record.

I am dear sir
Yours truly
H. A. Lenehan
Acting for Government Astronomer

Letter by H C Russell, 2 April 1873

690

Sydney Observatory
2 April 1873

Sir

Since my return I have looked carefully at your returns and am very much ?? with what I see, viz: an evident want of care not especially?? as ?? doing the thermometer? and these ?? & since ?? ?? is a most ?? state as the observatory?? & carefully ?? otherwise the salary amount ?? ?? for the ?? Bulb?? is excluded??

I have &c
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer

Mr L Mackel??
Mt Victoria

Letter by W Scott, 1 April 1859

Observatory Sydney

April 1st 1859

59/35

Sir

In reply to your letter of March 31st respecting the astronomical, meteorological and magnetical observations in this colony, I beg to hand you the accompanying documents which contain all the information that can be given on those subjects.

It will give me much pleasure to be placed in communication with the directors of the National Observatories of Russia.

I am sir
Your obedient servant
W Scott

E M Paul Esquire
Free Consul of Russia

Letter by W Scott, 22 March 1859

Observatory Sydney

March 22, 1859

59/31

My Dear Sir:

I am much obliged by your ready attention to my letter respecting the meteorological observations, and have no doubt of the goodness of your selection of a new observer. Of course, Mr. Baxter is aware of the importance of regularity in the observations and would not have undertaken the office if likely to be deterred from such regularity by his professional duties.

Brisbane is a rather more suitable place for carrying on the observations than Cape Morton as the letter indicated the character of the climate at sea rather than on land. I send D. Baxter a book of instructions by this post and remain

My Dear Sir
Yours faithfully
W Scott

N McLeary Esquire

Letter by H C Russell, 4 February 1871

266

Sydney Observatory
4 Feby [1871]

My dear Sir

I am very sorry to hear of your illness and hope that ere this you have recovered health again.

I hope you have not misunderstood my not of Jan 31st. I merely wanted to know if you had the obs for January: and thought that perhaps as I had only been publishing the rainfall; you thought it was not necessary to send anything else.

I am not at all anxious to put the instruments in other hands, for having got a good observer I would be very sorry to lose him. And I can assure you my daily experience with Telegraph Station Masters as observers is anything but satisfactory.

I must however leave the matter in your hands. If you would like to keep the instruments for use I shall be glad to take such obs as you can send.

Believe me
Dear Sir
Yours very truly
H C Russell

Revd A. H. Wyate
Moss Vale

262

Sydney Observatory

1 February 1871

Sir

I am pleased with your observations and returns but there are one or two things which you appear not to understand.

The Sum of the columns is the arithmetical sum of all the observations which is limited by the number of days on which observations were taken to find the ?? or it is the total number of degrees during the month for the sum: divided by number of observations for ?? when in reference to the directions of wind if you observe it more than once in the day it is necessary to give the time of each observation. And I also observe that you sometimes take out the amount of evaporation incorrectly: If you correct these matters your returns will then be one of the most satisfactory that I receive from the country observers.

I have the honor to be
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer

Mr A Lambs?? Tunks??
Kiama?? Kiandra??