1891
From June 16th to July 15th he was at Playford. And again from Oct. 12th to Dec. 2nd (his last visit). Throughout the year his weakness, both of brain power and muscular power, had been gradually increasing, and during this stay at Playford, on Nov. 11th, he fell down in his bed-room (probably from failure of nerve action) and was much prostrated by the shock. For several days he remained in a semi-unconscious condition, and although he rallied, yet he continued very weak, and it was not until Dec. 2nd that he could be removed to the White House. Up to the time of his fall he had been able to take frequent drives and even short walks in the neighbourhood that he was so fond of, but he could take but little exercise afterwards, and on or about Nov. 18th he made the following note: "The saddest expedition that I have ever made. We have not left home for several days."
The rapid failure of his powers during this year is well exemplified by his handwriting in his Journal entries, which, with occasional rallies, becomes broken and in places almost illegible. He makes frequent reference to his decline in strength and brain-power, and to his failing memory, but he continued his ordinary occupations, made frequent drives around Blackheath, and amused himself with his family history researches, arrangement of papers, and miscellaneous reading: and he persisted to the last with his private accounts. His interest in matters around him was still keen. On June 13th he was driving along the Greenwich Marshes in order to track the course of the great sewer; and on August 5th he visited the Crossness Sewage Works and took great interest in the details of the treatment of the sewage.—In March he contributed, with great satisfaction, to the Fund for the Portrait of his old friend Sir G.G. Stokes, with whom he had had so much scientific correspondence.—On July 25th an afternoon party was arranged to celebrate the 90th anniversary of his birthday (the actual anniversary was on July 27th). None of his early friends were there: he had survived them all. But invitations were sent to all his scientific and private friends who could be expected to come, and a large party assembled. The afternoon was very fine, and he sat in the garden and received his friends (many of whom had come from long distances) in good strength and spirits. It was a most successful gathering and was not without its meaning; for it was felt that, under the circumstances of his failing powers, it was in all probability a final leave-taking.—On July 27th he went down to the Greenwich Parish Church at 9 p.m., to be present at the illumination of the church clock face for the first time—a matter of local interest which had necessitated a good deal of time and money. On this occasion at the request of the company assembled in and around the Vestry he spoke for about a quarter of an hour on Time—the value of accurate time, the dissemination of Greenwich time throughout the country by time-signals from the Observatory, and the exhibition of it by time-balls, &c., &c.,—the subject to which so large a part of his life had been devoted. It was a pleasant and able speech and gave great satisfaction to the parishioners, amongst whom he had lived for so many years.—He received two illuminated addresses—one from the Astronomer Royal and Staff of the Royal Observatory; the other from the Vorstand of the Astronomische Gesellschaft at Berlin—and various private letters of congratulation. The address from the Staff of the Observatory was worded thus: "We, the present members of the Staff of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, beg to offer you our most sincere congratulations on the occasion of your 90th birthday. We cannot but feel how closely associated we are with you, in that our whole energies are directed to the maintenance and development of that practical astronomical work, of which you essentially laid the foundation. It affords us great pleasure to think that after the conclusion of your life's work, you have been spared to live so long under the shadow of the noble Observatory with which your name was identified for half a century, and with which it must ever remain associated."
After his return from Playford he seemed to rally a little: but he soon fell ill and was found to be suffering from hernia. This necessitated a surgical operation, which was successfully performed on Dec. 17th. This gave him effectual relief, and after recovering from the immediate effects of the operation, he lay for several days quietly and without active pain reciting the English poetry with which his memory was stored. But the shock was too great for his enfeebled condition, and he died peacefully in the presence of his six surviving children on Jan. 2nd, 1892. He was buried in Playford churchyard on Jan. 7th. The funeral procession was attended at Greenwich by the whole staff of the Royal Observatory, and by other friends, and at his burial there were present two former Fellows of the College to which he had been so deeply attached.
With the instinct of order which formed one of his chief characteristics Airy carefully preserved a copy of every printed Paper of his own composition. These were regularly bound in large quarto volumes, and they are in themselves a striking proof of his wonderful diligence. The bound volumes are 14 in number, and they occupy a space of 2 ft. 6 in. on a shelf. They contain 518 Papers, a list of which is appended, and they form such an important part of his life's work, that his biography would be very incomplete without a reference to them.
He was very careful in selecting the channels for the publication of his Papers. Most of the early Papers were published in the Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, but several of the most important, such as his Paper "On an inequality of long period in the motions of the Earth and Venus," were published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, and others, such as the articles on "The Figure of the Earth," "Gravitation," "Tides and Waves," &c., were published in Encyclopaedias. After his removal to Greenwich nearly all his Papers on scientific subjects (except astronomy), such as Tides, Magnetism, Correction of the Compass, &c., &c., were communicated to the Royal Society, and were published in the Philosophical Transactions. But everything astronomical was reserved for the Royal Astronomical Society. His connection with that Society was very close: he had joined it in its earliest days (the date of his election was May 9th, 1828), and regarded it as the proper medium for the discussion of current astronomical questions, and for recording astronomical progress. He was unremitting in his attendance at the Monthly Meetings of the Society, and was several times President. In the Memoirs of the Society 35 of his Papers are printed, and in addition 129 Papers in the Monthly Notices. In fact a meeting of the Society rarely passed without some communication from him, and such was his wealth of matter that sometimes he would communicate as many as 3 Papers on a single evening. For the publication of several short mathematical Papers, and especially for correspondence on disputed points of mathematical investigation, he chose as his vehicle the Philosophical Magazine, to which he contributed 32 Papers. Investigations of a more popular character he published in the Athenaeum, which he also used as a vehicle for his replies to attacks on his work, or on the Establishment which he conducted: in all he made 55 communications to that Newspaper. To various Societies, such as the Institution of Civil Engineers, the British Association, the Royal Institution, &c., he presented Papers or made communications on subjects specially suited to each; and in like manner to various Newspapers: there were 58 Papers in this category. In so long an official life there would naturally be a great number of Official Reports, Parliamentary Returns, &c., and these, with other miscellaneous Papers printed for particular objects and for a limited circulation, amounted in all to 141. Under this head come his Annual Reports to the Board of Visitors, which in themselves contain an extremely full and accurate history of the Observatory during his tenure of office. There are 46 of these Reports, and they would of themselves form a large volume of about 740 pages.
The following summary of his Printed Papers shews the manner in which they were distributed:
Number ofPapers.
In the Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 30In the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 29In the Proceedings of the Royal Society 9In the Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society 35In the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 129In the Philosophical Magazine and Journal 32In the Athenaeum 55In Encyclopedias, and in various Newspapersand Transactions 58In Official Reports, Addresses, Parliamentary Returns,Evidence before Committees, Lectures, Letters,Sundry Treatises, and Papers 141—-Total 518
Date when read or published. Title of Paper. Where published.
1822 Nov. 25 On the use of Silvered Glass for the Mirrors Camb. Phil. Soc. of Reflecting Telescopes.
1824 Mar. 15 On the Figure assumed by a Fluid Homogeneous Camb. Phil. Soc. Mass, whose Particles are acted on by their mutual Attraction, and by small extraneous Forces.
1824 May 17 On the Principles and Construction of the Camb. Phil. Soc. Achromatic Eye-Pieces of Telescopes, and on the Achromatism of Microscopes.
1824 Trigonometry. Encycl. Metrop.
1825 Feb. 21 On a peculiar Defect in the Eye, and a Camb. Phil. Soc. mode of correcting it.
1825 May 2 On the Forms of the Teeth of Wheels. Camb. Phil. Soc.
1826 May 8 On Laplace's Investigation of the Attraction Camb. Phil. Soc. of Spheroids differing little from a Sphere.
1826 June 15 On the Figure of the Earth. Phil. Trans.
1826 Nov. 26 On the Disturbances of Pendulums and Camb. Phil. Soc.Balances, and on the Theory ofEscapements.
1827 Feb. 15 Remarks on a Correction of the Solar Phil. Trans.Tables, required by Mr South'sobservations.
1827 May 9 On some Passages in Mr Ivory's Remarks Phil. Mag.on a Memoir by M. Poisson relating tothe Attraction of Spheroids.
1827 May 14 On the Spherical Aberration of the Camb. Phil. Soc.May 21 Eyepieces of Telescopes.
1827 Dec. 6 On the corrections in the elements of Phil. Trans. Delambre's Solar Tables required by the observations made at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
1828 Feb. 26 Address to the Members of the Senate, on an Improvement in the Position of the Plumian Professor.
1828 Nov. 24 On the Longitude of the Cambridge Observatory. Camb. Phil. Soc.
1829 Nov. 13 On a method of determining the Mass of Astr. Soc.the Moon from Transit Observations of (Memoirs)Venus near her inferior conjunction.
1829 Nov. 16 On a Correction requisite to be applied Camb. Phil. Soc.to the Length of a Pendulum consistingof a Ball suspended by a fine Wire.
1829 Dec. 14 On certain Conditions under which a Camb. Phil. Soc.Perpetual Motion is possible.
1830 Aug. 17 Figure of the Earth. Encycl. Metrop.
1831 Feb. 21 On the Nature of the Light in the Two Camb. Phil. Soc. Rays produced by the Double Refraction of Quartz.
1831 Apr. 18 Addition to the above Paper. Camb. Phil. Soc.
1831 Nov. 14 On a remarkable Modification of Newton's Camb. Phil. Soc.Rings.
1831 Nov. 24 On an inequality of long period in the Phil. Trans.motions of the Earth and Venus.
1832 Jan. 2 Translation of Encke's Dissertation (on Encke's Comet) contained in Nos. 210 and 211 of the Astronomische Nachrichten.
1833 Mar. 5 On a new Analyzer, and its use in Camb. Phil. Soc. Experiments of Polarization.
1832 Mar. 19 On the Phenomena of Newton's Rings when formed between two transparent Substances of different refractive Powers.
1832 May 2 Report on the Progress of Astronomy Trans Brit. Ass.during the present century.
1832 Oct. Report of the Syndicate of the CambridgeObservatory.
1833 Feb. 2 Remarks on Mr Potter's Experiment on Phil. Mag.Interference.
1833 Apr. 12 On the Mass of Jupiter, as determined R. Astr. Soc. from the Observation of Elongations of (Memoirs) the Fourth Satellite.
1833 Syllabus of a Course of ExperimentalLectures.
1833 May 7 On the Calculation of Newton's Camb. Phil. Soc.Experiments on Diffraction.
1833 May 7 Remarks on Sir David Brewster's Paper Phil. Mag."On the Absorption of Specific Rays" &c.
1833 May 16 Results of the Repetition of Mr Potter's Phil. Mag. Experiment of interposing a Prism in the Path of Interfering Light.
1833 May On a supposed black bar formed by Phil. Mag.Diffraction.
1833 June 20 Report on Mr Barlow's Fluid-Lens R. Soc. (Proc.)Telescope
1834 Mar. 14 Continuation of Researches into the Value R. Astr. Soc. of the Mass of Jupiter, by observation of (Memoirs.) the Elongations of the Fourth Satellite.
1834 Apr. 14 On the Latitude of Cambridge Observatory Camb. Phil. Soc.
1834 June Report of the Syndicate of the Cambridge Observatory.
1834 June 13 On the Position of the Ecliptic, as inferred R. Astr. Soc. inferred from Transit and Circle (Memoirs.) Observations made at Cambridge Observatory in the year 1833.
1834 June 13 Observations of the Solar Eclipse of July R. Astr. Soc. 16th, 1833, made at Cambridge Observatory, (Memoirs.) and Calculations of the Observations.
1834 Nov. 24 On the Diffraction of an Object-Glass Camb. Phil. Soc. with Circular Aperture.
1834 Dec. 3 On the Calculation of the Perturbations Naut. Alm. of the Small Planets and the Comets of (1837, App.) short period.
1835 May 8 Continuation of Researches into the Value R. Astr, Soc.of Jupiter's Mass. (Memoirs.)
1835 June Report of the Syndicate of the CambridgeObservatory.
1835 June 12 On the Position of the Ecliptic, as R. Astr. Soc. inferred from Observations with the (Memoirs.) Cambridge Transit and Mural Circle, made in the year 1834.
1835 June 12 On the Time of Rotation of Jupiter. R. Astr. Soc.(Memoirs.)
1836 Feb. 12 Speech on delivering the Medal of the R. Astr. Soc.R. Astr. Soc. to Sir John Herschel. (Proc.)
1836 June 4 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1836 June 9 Report upon a Letter (on a Systematic R. Soc. Course of Magnetic Observations) addressed (Proc.) by M. le Baron de Humboldt to His Royal Highness the President of the Royal Society (by S. Hunter Christie and G.B. Airy).
1837 Jan. 13 Continuation of Researches into the Value R. Astr. Soc.of Jupiter's Mass. (Memoirs.)
1837 Feb. 10 Speech on delivering the Medal of the R. Astr. Soc.R. Astr. Soc. to Professor Rosenberger. (Proc)
1837 Mar. 10 Results of the Observations of the Sun, R. Astr. Soc.Moon, and Planets, made at Cambridge (Memoirs)Observatory in the years 1833, 1834, and1835.
1837 May 12 On the Position of the Ecliptic, as R. Astr. Soc.inferred from Observations with the (Memoirs)Cambridge Transit and Mural Circle, madein the year 1835.
1837 June 3 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1837 Sept. 9 Address delivered in the Town Hall ofNeath.
1837 Nov. 10 On the Parallax of alpha Lyrae. R. Astr. Soc.(Memoirs.)
1838 Feb. 10 Address to the Earl of Burlington on Religious Examination in the University of London.
1838 Mar. 26 On the Intensity of Light in the Camb. Phil. Soc.neighbourhood of a Caustic.
1838 June 2 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1838 Dec. 14 A Catalogue of 726 Stars, deduced from R. Astr. Soc. the Observations made at the Cambridge (Memoirs.) Observatory, from 1828 to 1835; reduced to January 1, 1830.
1839 Apr. 25 Account of Experiments on Iron-built Phil. Trans. Ships, instituted for the purpose of discovering a correction for the deviation of the Compass produced by the iron of the Ships.
1839 June 1 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1839 Nov. 8 On the Determination of the Orbits of R. Astr. Soc.Comets, from Observations. (Memoirs.)
1839 Article "Gravitation." Penny Cyclop.
1839 Article "Greenwich Observatory." Penny Cyclop.
1840 Mar. 2 On a New Construction of the Camb. Phil. Soc. Going-Fusee.
1840 Mar. 13 On the Regulator of the Clock-work for R. Astr. Soc. effecting uniform Movement of Equatoreals.
1840 May 15 On the Correction of the Compass in Un. Serv. Journ.Iron-built Ships. (Proc.)
1840 Results of Experiments on the Disturbance J. Weale.of the Compass in Iron-built Ships.
1840 June 6 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1840 June 18 On the Theoretical Explanation of an Phil. Trans.apparent new Polarity in Light.
1840 Nov. 19 Supplement to the above Paper. Phil. Trans.
1840 Dec. 4 On the Diffraction of an Annular Aperture. Phil. Mag.
1840 Dec. 9 Remarks on Professor Challis's Investigation Phil. Mag. of the Motion of a Small Sphere vibrating in a Resisting Medium.
1841 Jan. 20 Correction to the above Paper "On the Phil. Mag. Diffraction," &c.
1841 Mar. 22 Remarks on Professor Challis's Reply to Phil. Mag. Mr Airy's Objections to the Investigation of the Resistance of the Atmosphere to an Oscillating Sphere.
1841 June 5 Report of the Astronomer Royal to the Board of Visitors.
1841 July 10 Reply to Professor Challis, on the Phil. Mag. Investigation of the Resistance of the Air to an Oscillating Sphere.
1841 Oct. 26 Extraordinary Disturbance of the Magnets.
1841 Nov. 25 On the Laws of the Rise and Fall of the Phil. Trans. Tide in the River Thames.
1841 Dec. 21 Report of the Commissioners appointed to consider the steps to be taken for Restoration of the Standards of Weight and Measure.
1842 Apr. 16 On the [Greek: Ichtis] of Diodorus Athenaeum.
1842 May 13 Account of the Ordnance Zenith Sector. R. Astr. Soc.(Proc.)
1842 June 4 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1842 Nov. 11 Observations of the Total Solar Eclipse of R. Astr. Soc.1842 July 7. (Memoirs.)
1842 Dec. 1 Remarks on the Present State of Hatcliff's PrivateCharity (Greenwich).
1842 Article on Tides and Waves. Encyc. Metrop.
1843 Mar. 2 On the Laws of Individual Tides at Phil. Trans. Southampton and at Ipswich.
1843 Apr. 29 On Monetary and Metrical Systems. Athenaeum.
1843 June 3 Report of the Astronomer Royal to the Board of Visitors.
1843 Sept. 25 Address to the Individual Members of theBoard of Visitors of the RoyalObservatory (proposing the Altazimuth).
1843 Oct. 6 Account of the Northumberland Equatorealand Dome, attached to the CambridgeObservatory.
1843 Nov. 10 Address and Explanation of the proposedAltitude and Azimuth Instrument to theBoard of Visitors of the RoyalObservatory.
1844 June 1 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1844 Dec. 12 On the Laws of the Tides on the Coasts of Phil. Trans. Ireland, as inferred from an extensive series of observations made in connection with the Ordnance Survey of Ireland.
1845 Jan. 10 On the Flexure of a Uniform Bar R. Astr. Soc. supported by a number of equal Pressures (Memoirs.) applied at equidistant points, &c.
1845 Feb. 14 Speech on delivering the Medal of the R. Astr. Soc.R. Astr. Soc. to Capt. Smyth (Proc.)
1845 May 9 On a New Construction of the Divided R. Astr. Soc.Eye-Glass Double-Image Micrometer. (Memoirs.)
1845 June 7 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1845 July 21 On Wexford Harbour.
1846 Report of the Gauge Commissioners. Andletter to Sir E. Ryan.
1846 May 7 On the Equations applying to Light under Phil. Mag.the action of Magnetism.
1846 May 12 Remarks on Dr Faraday's Paper on Phil. Mag.Ray-vibrations.
1846 May 25 On a Change in the State of an Eye Camb. Phil. Soc.affected with a Mal-formation.
1846 June 6 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1846 June Account of the Measurement of an Arc of R. Astr. Soc. Longitude between the Royal Observatory (Month. Not.) of Greenwich and the Trigonometrical Station of Feagh Main, in the Island of Valentia.
1846 July 25 Letter to Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Bart., Athenaeum. M.P., in answer to Sir James South's attack on the Observations at the Greenwich Observatory.
1846 Nov. On the Bands formed by the partial Phil. Mag. Interception of the Prismatic Spectrum.
1846 Nov. 13 Account of some circumstances historically R. Astr. Soc.connected with the Discovery of the (Memoirs.)Planet exterior to Uranus.
1847 Jan. 8 Reduction of the Observations of Halley's R. Astr. Soc.Comet made at the Cambridge Observatory in (Memoirs.)the years 1835 and 1836.
1847 Jan. 8 On a proposed Alteration of Bessel's Method R. Astr. Soc. for the Computation of the Corrections by (Memoirs.) which the Apparent Places of Stars are derived from the Mean Places.
1847 Feb. On Sir David Brewster's New Analysis of Phil. Mag. Solar Light.
1847 Feb. 20 On the Name of the New Planet. Athenaeum.
1847 Feb. 27 Mr Adams and the New Planet. Athenaeum.
1847 Plan of the Buildings and Grounds of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, with Explanation and History.
1847 May 14 Explanation of Hansen's Perturbations of R. Astr. Soc.the Moon by Venus. (Month. Not.)
1847 June 5 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1847 Nov. 30 Address to the Individual Members of theBoard of Visitors of the Royal Observatory.(Zenith Tube.)
1847 Dec. 10 Results deduced from the Occultations of R. Astr. Soc.Stars and Planets by the Moon, observed (Memoirs.)at Cambridge Observatory from 1830 to 1835.
1848 Feb. 11 Abstract of Struve's "Études d'Astronomie R. Astr. Soc.Stellaire." (Month. Not.)
1848 Mar. 13 Syllabus of Lectures on Astronomy to be delivered at the Temperance Hall, Ipswich.
1848 Apr. 10 Remarks on Prof. Challis's Theoretical Phil. Mag.Determination of the Velocity of Sound
1848 May 8 Supplement to a Paper on the Intensity of Camb. Phil. Soc.Light in the neighbourhood of a Caustic.
1848 May 12 Address to Individual members of theBoard of Visitors. (New Transit Circle,Reflex Zenith Tube, &c.)
1848 June 3 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1848 June 9 Corrections of the Elements of the Moon's R. Astr. Soc.Orbit, deduced from the Lunar (Memoirs.)Observations made at the Royal Observatory,of Greenwich from 1750 to 1830.
1848 Aug. 9 Explanation of a proposed construction ofZenith Sector: addressed to the Boardof Visitors of the Royal Observatory,Greenwich.
1848 Oct. 14 On the Construction of Chinese Balls Athenaeum.
1849 Description of the Instruments of Process used in the Photographic self-registration of the Magnetical and Meteorological Instruments at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
1849 Description of the Altitude and Azimuth Instrument erected at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, in the year 1847.
1849 Astronomy. (Tract written for theScientific Manual.)
1849 Mar. 9 Substance of the Lecture delivered by the R. Astr. Soc.Astronomer Royal on the large Reflecting (Month. Not.)Telescopes of the Earl of Rosse and MrLassell.
1849 June On a difficulty in the problem of Sound. Phil. Mag.
1849 June 2 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1849 June 8 On Instruments adapted to the Measure of R. Astr. Soc.small Meridional Zenith Distances. (Month. Not.)
1849 Nov. 9 Results of the Observations made by the R. Astr. Soc. Rev. Fearon Fallows at the Royal (Memoirs.) Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, in the years 1829, 1830, 1831.
1849 Nov. 9 On Bell's Calculating machine, and on R. Astr. Soc. Lord Rosse's Telescope. (Month. Not.)
1849 Nov. 10 On the Exodus of the Israelites. Athenaeum.
1849 Dec. 14 On the Method of observing and recording R. Astr. Soc. Transits, lately introduced in America, &c. (Month. Not.)
1850 Jan. 10 On a problem of Geodesy. Phil. Mag.
1850 Feb. 8 Address on presenting the Medal of the R. Astr. Soc.R. Astr. Soc. to M. Otto von Struve. (Month. Not.)
1850 Mar. 15 On the Present State and Prospects of the R. Inst.Science of Terrestrial Magnetism.
1850 Mar. 16 On the Exodus of the Israelites Athenaeum.
1850 Mar. 30 On the Exodus of the Israelites. Athenaeum.
1850 May 10 Statement concerning Assistance granted R. Astr. Soc.by the Admiralty to Hansen—Also on (Month. Not.)Henderson's numbers for the teeth ofwheels.
1850 May 10 On the Weights to be given to the separate R. Astr. Soc.Results for Terrestrial Longitudes, (Memoirs.)determined by the observation of Transitsof the Moon and Fixed Stars.
1850 June 1 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1850 June 14 Letter from Hansen on his Lunar Tables.—Valz R. Astr. Soc. on an arrangement of double-image (Month. Not.) micrometer.—On the Computation of Longitude from Lunar Transits
1850 Dec. 13 On a Method of regulating the Clock-work R. Astr. Soc. for Equatoreals. (Month. Not.)
1850 Dec. 13 Supplement to a Paper "On the Regulation R. Astr. Soc. of the Clock-work for effecting Uniform (Memoirs.) Movement of Equatoreals."
1850 Dec. 27 On the Relation of the Direction of the Phil. Trans. Wind to the Age of the Moon, as inferred from Observations made at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, from 1840 Nov. to 1847 Dec.
1851 Jan. 14 Remarks on Mr Wyatt's Paper on the Inst. C.E. Construction of the Building for the (Minutes.) Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations in 1851.
1851 Feb. 15 Address on presenting the medal of the R. Astr. Soc. R. Astr. Soc. to Dr Annibale de (Month. Not.) Gasparis.
1851 Mar. 28 Letter to Professor Challis regarding the Adams Prize.
1851 Mar. 29 On Caesar's place of landing in Britain. Athenaeum.
1851 Suggestions to Astronomers for the Brit. Assoc.Observation of the Total Eclipse of theSun on July 28, 1851.
1851 Apr. 11 On the Determination of the probable R. Astr. Soc.Stability of an Azimuthal Circle by (Month. Not.)Observations of Star and a permanentCollimator.
1851 May 2 On the Total Solar Eclipse of 1851, July 28. R. Inst.(Lecture.)
1851 May 9 On the Vibration of a Free Pendulum in an R. Astr. Soc.Oval differing little from a Straight Line (Memoirs)
1851 June 7 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1851 July 2 The President's Address to the Twenty-first Athenaeum.Meeting of the British Association forthe Advancement of Science, Ipswich.
1851 Oct. 17 On Julius Caesar's Expedition against Naut. Mag.England, in relation to his places ofdeparture and landing.
1851 Nov. 14 Account of the Total Eclipse of the Sun on R. Astr. Soc.1851, July 28, as observed at Göttenburg, (Memoirs.)at Christiania, and at Christianstadt.
1851 Dec. 13 On the Geography of the Exodus. Athenaeum.
1852 Jan. 9 On the Solar Eclipse of July 28, 1851. R. Astr. Soc. (Month. Not.)
1852 On the place of Caesar's Departure from Soc. of Antiq. Gaul for the Invasion of Britain, and (Memoirs.) the Place of his Landing in Britain, with an Appendix on the Battle of Hastings.
1852 On a New Method of computing the Naut. Alm. 1856, Perturbations of planets, by J.F. App. Encke—translated and illustrated with notes by G.B. Airy.
1852 June 5 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1853 Feb. 3 On the Eclipses of Agathocles, Thales, Phil. Trans.and Xerxes.
1853 Feb. 4 Lecture on the results of recent R. Inst.calculations on the Eclipse of Thalesand Eclipses connected with it.
1853 May 3 Address to the Individual Members of theBoard of Visitors of the Royal Observatory,Greenwich. (Lunar Reductions.)
1853 May 14 On Decimal Coinage. Athenaeum.
1853 June 4 Report of the Astronomer Royal to the Board of Visitors.
1853 June Lecture on the Determination of the R. Astr. Soc. Longitude of the Observatory of (Month. Not.) Cambridge by means of Galvanic Signals.
1853 Sept. 10 On Decimal Coinage. Athenaeum.
1853 Dec. 14 Description of the Transit Circle of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. (App. Gr. Observ. 1852.)
1853 Dec. 14 Regulations of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. (App. Gr. Observ. 1852.)
1854 Jan. 14 On the Telegraphic Longitude of Brussels. Athenaeum.
1854 Feb. 10 Address on presenting the Gold Medal of R. Astr. Soc. the R. Astr. Soc. to Mr Charles Rümker. (Month. Not.)
1854 Feb. 25 On Reforms in the University of Cambridge. Athenaeum.
1854 Apr. 15 Letters relating to "The Late M. Mauvais." Liter. Gaz.
1854 June 3 Report of the Astronomer Royal to the Board of Visitors.
1854 Sept. The Deluge. Private.
1854 Oct. 28 On the Correction of the Compass in Iron Athenaeum. Ships. (Scoresby's Experiments.)
1854 Nov. 10 On the Difference of Longitude between R. Astr. Soc.the Observatories of Brussels and Greenwich, (Memoirs.)as determined by Galvanic Signals.
1855 Jan. 1 Lecture at S. Shields on the PendulumExperiments in the Harton Pit, andLetter on the Results.
1855 Feb. 2 Lecture on the Pendulum Experiments R. Inst. lately made in the Harton Colliery for ascertaining the mean Density of the Earth.
1855 Feb. 3 On the Correction of the Compass in Iron Athenaeum.Ships. (Remarks on Dr Scoresby'sInvestigations.)
1855 Address on presenting the Medal of the R. Astr. Soc.R. Astr. Soc. to the Rev. William Rutter (Month. Not.)Dawes.
1855 Feb. 15 On the Computation of the Effect of the Phil. Trans. Attraction of Mountain Masses, as disturbing the Apparent Astronomical Latitude of Stations in Geodetic Surveys.
1855 June 2 Report of the Astronomer Royal to the Board of Visitors.
1855 Oct. 18 Address to the Individual Members of the Board of Visitors of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. (Equatoreal.)
1855 Nov. 21 Remarks upon certain Cases of Personal R. Astr. Soc. Equation which appear to have hitherto (Memoirs.) escaped notice, accompanied with a Table of Results.
1855 Nov. 22 Discussion of the Observed Deviations of Phil. Trans. the Compass in several Ships, Wood-built and Iron-built: with a General Table for facilitating the examination of Compass-Deviations.
1855 Description of the Reflex Zenith Tube of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. (App. to the Greenwich Obs. for 1854.)
1856 Jan. 9 On Professor Peirce's Criterion for Astr. Journ. discordant observations. (Cambr.)
1856 Jan. 24 Account of Pendulum Experiments undertaken Phil. Trans. in the Harton Colliery, for the purpose of determining the Mean Density of the Earth.
1856 June 7 Report of the Astronomer Royal to the Board of Visitors.
1856 Aug. 25 On Scheutz's Calculating Machine. Phil. Mag.
1856 Aug. 30 Science and the Government. (Reply to Athenaeum. statements in the Morning Chronicle about the instrumental equipment of the Royal Observatory.)
1857 May 8 On the Means which will be available for R. Astr. Soc. correcting the Measure of the Sun's (Month. Not.) Distance in the next twenty-five years.
1857 May 12 Knowledge expected in Computers andAssistants in the Royal Observatory.
1857 June 6 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1857 June 12 On the Eclipse of Agathocles, the Eclipse R. Astr. Soc. at Larissa, and the Eclipse of Thales. (Memoirs.) With an Appendix on the Eclipse of Stiklastad.
1857 June 18 Account of the Construction of the New Phil. Trans. National Standard of Length, and of its principal copies.
1857 Dec. 5 Letter to the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University regarding Smith's Prizes.
1857 Dec. 7 On the Substitution of Methods founded Camb. Phil. Soc. on Ordinary Geometry for Methods based on the General Doctrine of Proportions, in the treatment of some Geometrical Problems
1857 Description of the Galvanic Chronographic Gr. Obs. 1856, Apparatus of the Royal Observatory, App. Greenwich.
1858 Mar. 8 Suggestions for Observation of the Annular Eclipse of the Sun on 1858, March 14-15.
1858 Mar. 12 Note on Oltmann's Calculation of the R. Astr. Soc. Eclipse of Thales. Also On a Method (Month. Not.) of very approximately representing the Projection of a Great Circle upon Mercator's Chart.
1858 May The Atlantic Cable Problem. Naut. Mag.
1858 May 20 Report of the Ordnance Survey Commission; together with Minutes of Evidence and Appendix.
1858 June 5 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1858 June 16 On the Mechanical Conditions of the Phil. Mag.Deposit of a Submarine Cable.
1858 July Instructions and Chart for Observations R. Astr. Soc. of Mars in right ascension at the (Special.) Opposition of 1860 for obtaining the Measure of the Sun's Distance.
1858 Aug. 20 On the Advantageous Employment of Photog. Notes. Stereoscopic Photographs for the representation of Scenery.
1858 Nov. 6 On the "Draft of Proposed New Statutes Athenaeum. for Trinity College, Cambridge."
1858 Nov. 20 Letter to the Vice-Chancellor of theUniversity of Cambridge, offering theSheepshanks Endowment.
1858 Dec. 6 Suggestion of a Proof of the Theorem Camb. Phil. Soc.that Every Algebraic Equation has aRoot.
1859 Manual of Astronomy—for the Admiralty. Parly. Paper.
1859 Feb. 1 Letter to Lord Monteagle relating to the Standards of Weights and Measures.
1859 Feb. 4 Remarks on Mr Cayley's Trigonometrical Phil. Mag. Theorem, and on Prof. Challis's Proof that Equations have Roots.
1859 Mar. 11 On the Movement of the Solar System in R. Astr. Soc. Space. (Memoirs.)
1859 Apr. 8 On the Apparent Projection of Stars upon R. Astr. Soc. the Moon's Disc in Occultations. Also (Month. Not.) Comparison of the Lunar Tables of Burckhardt and Hansen with Observations of the Moon made at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
1859 Apr. 8 On the Apparent Projection of Stars upon R. Astr. Soc.the Moon's Disc in Occultations. (Memoirs.)
1859 June 4 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1859 June 10 Abstract of Maxwell's Paper "On the R. Astr. Soc.Stability of the Motion of Saturn's Rings." (Month. Not.)
1859 July 8 Corrections of the Elements of the Moon's R. Astr. Soc. Orbit, deduced from the Lunar Observations (Memoirs.) made at the Royal Observatory of Greenwich from 1750 to 1851.
1859 Sept. 10 On the Invasion of Britain by Julius Caesar. Athenaeum.(Answer to Mr Lewin.)
1859 Nov. 12 On Iron Ships—The Royal Charter. Athenaeum.(Answer to Archibald Smith's Remarks.)
1859 Nov. Circular requesting observations of smallPlanets.
1859 Dec. 9 Notice of the approaching Total Eclipse of R. Astr. Soc. the Sun of July 18,1860, and suggestions (Month. Not.) for observation.
1859 Dec. 12 Supplement to A Proof of the Theorem Camb. Phil. Soc. that Every Algebraic Equation has a Root.
1860 Jan. 13 Description of the New Equatoreal at the R. Astr. Soc.Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Also (Month. Not.)Abstract of an Essay by Gen. T.F. deSchubert on the Figure of the Earth.
1860 Jan. 28 On the Claudian or Plautian Invasion of AthenaeumBritain.
1860 Feb. 2 Examination of Navy 2-foot Telescopes at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1860, Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.
1860 Feb. 11 Report on the Instrumental Equipments Ho. of Commons. of the Exchequer Office of Weights and (Parly. Paper.) Measures, as regards the means for preventing Fraud in the Sale of Gas to the Public; and on the Amendments which may be required to the existing Legislation on that subject.
1860 Mar. 9 Address on the approaching Solar Eclipse R. Astr. Soc. of July 18, 1860, &c. (Month. Not.)
1860 May 10 Correspondence between the Lords Ho. of Commons. Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, (Parly. Paper.) &c., and the Astronomer Royal, relating to Gas Measurement, and the Sale of Gas Act.
1860 June 2 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors. And Address to theMembers of the Board in reference toStruve's Geodetic suggestions.
1860 June 7 Correspondence regarding the Grant of£1000to Prof. Hansen for his Lunar Tables.
1860 Sept. 13 Remarks on a Paper entitled "On the Polar Distances of the Greenwich Transit Circle, by A. Marth." Addressed to the Members of the Board of Visitors.
1860 Sept. 22 On Change of Climate, in answer to Athenaeum. certain speculations by Sir Henry James.
1860 Oct. 20 Circular relating to the distribution ofGreenwich Observations and otherpublications of the Royal Observatory.
1860 Nov. 9 Account of Observations of the Total R. Astr. Soc.Solar Eclipse of 1860, July 18, made (Month. Not.)at Hereña, near Miranda de Ebro; &c. &c.
1860 Nov. 17 On Change of Climate: further discussion. Athenaeum.
1860 Letters on Lighthouses, to the Commission on Lighthouses.
1860 Dec. 14 Note on the translation of a passage in a R. Astr. Soc. letter of Hansen's relating to (Month. Not.) coefficients.
1861 Feb. 9 On the Temperature-correction of Syphon Athenaeum. Barometers.
1861 March Results of Observations of the Solar R. Astr. Soc. Eclipse of 1860 July 18 made at the Royal (Month. Not.) Observatory, Greenwich, for determination of the Errors of the Tabular Elements of the Eclipse. Also Suggestion of a new Astronomical Instrument, for which the name "Orbit-Sweeper" is proposed. Also Theory of the Regulation of a Clock by Galvanic Currents acting on the Pendulum.
1861 June 1 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1861 June 5 On a supposed Failure of the Calculus of Phil. Mag.Variations.
1861 July Report of a Committee of the R. Soc. on R. Soc.(Proc.) the advisability of re-measuring the Indian Arc of Meridian.
1861 Sept. 21 Lecture at Manchester on the Great Solar Athenaeum. Eclipse of July 18, 1860.
1861 Sept. 21 The same Lecture. London Review.
1861 Oct. Examination Paper for the SheepshanksExhibition.
1861 Nov. 1 Translation of Dr Lamont's Paper "On the Phil. Mag.most Advantageous Form of Magnets."
1861 Nov. 8 Note on a Letter received from Hansen on R. Astr. Soc. the Lunar Theory. Also Discussion of (Month. Not.) a Result deduced by Mr D'Abbadie from Observations of the Total Solar Eclipse of 1860, July 18.
1861 Nov. 16 Instructions for observing the Total Eclipseof the Sun on December 31.
1861 Dec. On a Projection by Balance of Errors for Phil. Mag.Maps.
1861 Dec. 28 On the Circularity of the Sun's Disk. R. Astr. Soc.Also Table of Comparative Number of (Month. Not.)Observations of Small Planets.
1862 Jan. On the Direction of the Joints in the Phil. Mag.Faces of Oblique Arches.
1862 Mar. 15 Review of "An Historical Survey of the Athenaeum.Astronomy of the Ancients" by the RtHon. Sir G. Cornewall Lewis.
1862 Apr. 24 Notes for the Committee on Weights andMeasures, 1862.
1862 May 15 On the Magnetic Properties of Hot-Rolled Phil. Trans.and Cold-Rolled Malleable Iron.
1862 June 7 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1862 June 24 Evidence given before the SelectCommittee on Weights and Measures.
1862 Oct. 4 Biography of G.B. Airy (probably in part London Review.based upon data supplied by himself).
1862 Oct. 11 Abstract of Paper "On the Strains in the Athenaeum.Interior of Beams and Tubular Bridges."
1862 Oct. 11 Translation of a Letter from Prof. Lament Phil. Mag.on Dalton's Theory of Vapour, &c.
1862 Nov. 6 On the Strains in the Interior of Beams. Phil. Trans.
1862 Nov. Correspondence with Sabine concerning his attack on the Greenwich Magnetic Observations. (Confidentially communicated to the Board of Visitors.)
1862 Nov. 21 Evidence given before the Public Schools Commission.
1862 Nov. Abstract of M. Auwers's Paper on the R. Astr. Soc. proper motion of Procyon, and Note on (Month. Not.) same.
1862 Dec. Abstract of Mr Safford's Paper on the R. Astr. Soc. Proper Motion of Sirius. Also on the (Month. Not.) Forms of Lenses proper for the Negative Eye-pieces of Telescopes. Also on the measurements of the Earth, and the dimensions of the Solar System. Also on Fringes of Light in Solar Eclipses.
1863 Jan. Address to the Board of Visitors on a further attack by Sabine on the Greenwich Magnetic Observations (confidential).
1863 Jan. 9 On the Observations of Saturn made at R. Astr. Soc. Pulkowa and Greenwich. (Month. Not.)
1863 Feb. 24 Report to the Board of Trade on the Proposed Lines of Railway through Greenwich Park.
1863 Mar. 2 Determination of the Longitude of Valenciain Ireland by Galvanic Signals in thesummer of 1862 (App. III. to the Gr.Astr. Obsns. 1862).
1863 Mar. 13 On the Movement of the Solar System in R. Astr. Soc.Space, deduced from the Proper Motions (Memoirs.)of 1167 Stars. By Edwin Dunkin (forG.B.A.).
1863 Mar. 13 On the Visibility of Stars in the Pleiades R. Astr. Soc. to the unarmed eye. (Month. Not.)
1863 Mar. 21 On Marriage Odes. Athenaeum.
1863 Apr. 9 Further Report as to the Probable Effects of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway on the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park.
1863 Apr. 10 Determination of the Sun's Parallax from R. Astr. Soc. observations of Mars during the (Month. Not.) Opposition of 1862. By E.J. Stone (for G.B.A.). Also Remarks on Struve's account of a Local deviation in the direction of Gravity, near Moscow. Also an Account of an apparatus for the observation of the spectra of stars, and results obtained.
1863 Apr. 23 On the Diurnal Inequalities of Phil. Trans.Terrestrial Magnetism, as deduced fromobservations made at the RoyalObservatory, Greenwich, from 1841to 1857.
1863 May 8 On the Discordance between the Results R. Astr. Soc.for Zenith-Distances obtained by Direct (Memoirs.)Observation, and those obtained byObservation by Reflection from theSurface of Quicksilver.
1863 June 6 Report of the Astronomer Royal to theBoard of Visitors.
1863 July 2 On the Amount of Light given by the R. Astr. Soc.Moon at the greatest stage in the (Month. Not.)Excentrically-total Eclipse, 1863,June 1.
1863 Aug. Plan of the Buildings and Grounds of theRoyal Observatory, Greenwich, withExplanation and History.
1863 Sept. 5 On the origin of the apparent luminous R. Astr. Soc. band which, in partial eclipses of the (Month. Not.) Sun, has been seen to surround the visible portion of the Moon's limb.