Letter by W Scott, 10 May 1858

Observatory Sydney

May 10th 1858

My Dear Sir

I have to thank you for your letter of October 15th containing information as to size and price to equatorials. We should probably content ourselves with a seven inch Telescope accordingly being completed to spend the money at once or not at all, I have had the equatorial room built to carry a dome 17 feet diameter.

The observatory will be finished in another month, after which I will send you a full description. I see no mention of a collinating eyepiece for Meridian Circle. Of course, Messrs Troughton & Simms will supply one.

Trusting that your large telescope may answer your expectations.

I remain dear sir
Yours very truly
W Scott

125

Observatory
Janry 27 1891

Sir

I have the honour to request authority to pay the Messenger at the Observatory the increased salary …. ₤120 provided on the estimates for 1891. His salary has been ₤110.

Also authority to expend the sum of ₤200 noted on estimates for 1891 for mounting star mapping Telescope and ₤100 for photographic apparatus for star mapping Telescope.

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

The Under Secretary for Public Instruction

666

Copy

Sydney Observatory
25 Janry 1873

Sir

The Government of New South Wales have granted a sum of money for the Transit of Venus.

From their Agent General in London you have, or will in a few days receive, a general order for an object glass eyepiece &c the focal length is there given 12ft but that was written before the receipt of your letter to Mr Kopsch.

In this letter I send you more particular instructions, and as much has to be done I will be much obliged if you will execute the order as soon as possible.

Please send also a description and Photo of the Position Micrometer and say when I may expect the order to be completed.

I want an Object Glass of the finest possible description ['description' has been crossed out in the letter] quality specially adapted for double star work, but at the same time as achromatic as possible.

[over]

The clear aperture to be 280 mille focal length must not excede [sic] 4065 mille and if possible be 3950 mille

The object glass to be mounted in a brass cell of which a small model will be sent.

I want also the Brass work for the eye end of the tube with rack tube not less than 130 mille diameter and having a motion in slide of about 400 mille all the Brass work to be as light as possible consistent with strength, and made for a wooden tube?

I want also (8) eyepieces four negative and 4 positive powers of each set to be above/about ?? 100 200 400 & 800.

Also Phograpic [sic] enlarging lens made specially for taking Photographs of the sun during the transit of Venus diameter of sun’s image to ??(110) one hundred and ten mille.

The Object Glass must be ?? to some competent person to be hereafter [named??] who will certify as to its quality before it leaves Hamburg.

In conclusion I may say that I hope Mr Schr?der will send me a ?? that will justify me in passing by Mr Cooke of York and other English ?? in/on ?? the worlds competition ?? during the transit of Venus ?? are ?? next ?? equal if not superior to any of the same size.

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

Hugo Schroder
Optical Institute
Hamburg

The Photographic enlarging lens is not in the order for ?? the Agent General but I will send you the ?? working for it and some other things yet to be ?? through Mr Kopsch.

HCR

665

Copy

Sydney Observatory
23 Janry 1873

Sir

I have the honor to request that the agent general for New South Wales may be Instructed by the outgoing mail to order from Mr Hugo Schroeder of the Optical Institute Hamburg an object glass of the finest possible quality 11 inches clear aperture? (in diameter) and 12 feet focal length mounted in a brass cell, together with the Brass work for the eye end of the telescope, and eight eyepieces for negative and four positive.

I have &C
HC Russell

The Principal Under Secretary

108-109

Janry 15

My dear Ellery

I am sending you with this a photograph of the mounting I have had made for the Astrophoto work. The telescope is of course 11ft 4in long and the girders are 2in x 12 in x 15 feet. These dimensions will be a guide in looking at the photo. The moving parts weigh past two tons, and move with great smoothness an [sic] ease. The driving clock weight is 80lbs descending 5ft per hour.

I have been waiting to send you a full Set of the Milky Way photos but they [sic] printer Has delayed getting them together very much but they will be done soon now and I will send them at once.

If you have a photo of your astrophoto glass I should be very glad to have one to see how Grubb had carried it out.

I have been working away at the focus of mine and find it is very sharp and good but I do not think it is so aplanatic as the one at Paris. When there they gave me a positive of a star cluster and in it the definition is sharp over a wider field than it is in mine. however that may have been done but making it a little inside the focus in centre. and I have not tried that yet.

In July last I sent the money to admiral Mauchez for a réseau, and have not got it yet. Have you got yours if so I should be so much obliged if you would send me a contact print from it. I had thought of rulling [sic] one myself, not with the intention of using it for measures, but simply to get into the way of using it.

I hope Mrs Ellery has quite recovered please remember me very kindly to her. ?? invalid after 13 months in her room is getting about again and seems quite well. In a few days [s]he is to go to the country for a long change.

Yours faithfully
HC Russell

P.S. I see the photo Committee have put you Gill & I together and seem to think that it will be an advantage so that we can arrange for the overlapping photos. I wish they would start that New Zealand Observatory and take a share of the Astro photo work I have got more than I wanted fancy 1400 photos twice over + all the failures from Clouds & C.

764

Govt Observatory
28th December 1874

Sir

I have the honor to request authority to sell the following Instruments which are of no use to the Observatory now that the Transit of Venus is over.

5 inch telescope and stand
4¼ inch “ “
10¾ inch silvered glass reflector & stand
2 small Equatorial stands
2 Temporary wooden observatories??
8 observing incliners
3 small canvas observatories
16 Photographic dark slides

These instruments will sell for more than the amount still due for Transit of Venus expenses but the Auditor General tells me that they cannot be sold to pay those expenses: but must be paid into Treasury in cash.

I have the honor to be
Sir
Your Obedient Servant
H C Russell
Govt Astronomer
The Under Secretary
For Justice & Public Instruction

60/41

Observatory Sydney
Nov. 14 1860

My dear Sir

The Clock has arrived and been set up but I cannot yet give any opinion as to its character.

From your letter to Sir W Denison it appears that the Telescope will cost £3 x 232 say £700; with Clock £773 leaving £127 in your hands and £100 in mine. Such being the case I am directed by the Government to purchase for the Observatory an Incl??meter and ?? Ma??meter at a cost of £75 and have applied to the Kew Committee for that purpose.

I am also directed to request that you will be good enough to pay for the Instruments out of the funds at your disposal, after which there will I presume be enough left to pay for the transmission of the Magnetic Instruments and the Telescope.

I am sorry to say that our excellent Governor is about to leave us very shortly.

The first volume of Sydney Observations is printed and I hope to send you a copy by this mail.

I am dear Sir
Yours very truly
W Scott

G B Airy Esq
Astronomer Royal

762

Sydney Observatory
22 September 1874

Sir

I have the honor to request that you will have the following works executed as soon as possible for I cannot mount the new Telescope till they are done and every day is now of great consequence to one.

An Iron curtain outside the Dome to prevent it from coming off.
A ?? metal moulding for?? the Dome.
To Paint the inside of the Dome dull black.
To repair plastering.
To paint stone pillar of New Telescope.

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

The Colonial Architect

122

Government Observatory
Sydney September 8th 1870

Sir

In reference to the proposed dedication of the land adjacent to the Observatory to the City Corporation for the use of the Citizens, I have the honor to report.
(1) The area proposed to be set apart for the Observatory is not sufficient even for its present requirements. From experiments made for the purpose of ascertaining the effect of the buildings on some of the Meteorological Instruments I am convinced that there is no position in the proposed area free from such influence and it is impossible to say now what may be the space required by the Observatory in the future, especially when a large telescope which is essential to the proper equipment of the Observatory is added to the Instruments now in use.

The Government in Victoria have wisely placed their Observatory in the Public Gardens where there is room to carry on scientific observations and I would suggest that as far as possible the same course should be adopted here by making the land adjacent to the Observatory into a Public Garden so that the Citizens may have the use of it without injury to the Observatory.

(2) If it should be dedicated to the Public and handed over to the City Corporation any additional accommodation for the Observatory can only be obtained by moving it which will cost at least 10000.
(3) In the year 1862 or 1863 the Director of the Botanical Gardens in accordance with instructions, prepared plans for converting Flagstaff Hill into a Public Garden and he expresses his willingness now to carry out those plans if a small sum be granted annually for the purpose.
(4) The Flagstaff Hill has been used for some years as a place to drill and assemble the Naval Brigade, and I would suggest that before the reserve is dedicated the matter should be referred to Capt Hixon for his report, especially since the present aspect of European affairs seems to render the possession of a site commanding a large part of the town & harbor of great importance.

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

The Principal
Under Secretary

707

Sydney Observatory
8 August 187[3]

Sir

I have the honor to inform you that I find considerable risk of breakage will be incurred if the object glass ordered from Mr Hugo Schroeder is forwarded by mail. Owing to the necessity for several transhipments.

I have therefore to request that the object glass for the large?? telescope may be forwarded to the Colony by first class sailing ship and that the box containing it may be marked so as to indicate the value of the contents, and given into the special care of the Captain of the ship.

The Brass work and eyepieces to be sent by mail to save time. Mr Schroeder promises to have ready before the object glasses that I might go on with necessary preparations here.

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

The Principal
Under Secretary