Scope and Contents Correspondence with instrument manufacturers, other observatories, astronomers, inventors, etc., regarding instruments not held at the Royal Observatory, including letters asking for advice and requests to borrow or buy equipment. The papers include the following material:Miscellaneous correspondence, 1905-1937, including letters regarding plates needed for the trigonometrical surveys of India, 1909-1910; a new Evershed solar spectroscope, 1905-1906; and the renewal of an observatory...

Scope and Contents (1) Miscellaneous foreign observatoriesLetter from R. Atkinson to Colonel Gerado Dianderas, Peru, regarding equipment for the proposed Arequipa Observatory, 1946.Correspondence with the Hong Kong Royal Observatory regarding time signals, 1946.Letter from S. Jarocinski, Warsaw, to Sir Howard Grubb, Parsons and Co. Ltd, regarding the Babia Góra Observatory, 1937.(2) Miscellaneous British observatoriesLetters from E.M. Lindsay, Armagh Observatory, to Sir...

Scope and Contents (1) Correspondence regarding Commonwealth and colonial observatories, 1911-1935, including the following material:Correspondence regarding equipment for the Mount Faber Observatory, Singapore, 1928-1930, including a transit instrument and micrometer.Correspondence concerning the closure of the Apia Observatory, Samoa, by the New Zealand Government, 1919-1935.Correspondence on the supply and testing of a 4-inch transit instrument and clock for the Colombo Observatory,...

Scope and Contents Correspondence regarding the selection of guiding stars for the astrographic charts, 1891-1892.Correspondence with astronomers regarding photographic charts, 1887, including Sir George Airy's enquiry if visitors are to receive papers on star charts; A.A. Common on Isaac Roberts's photographs and the grant for photographic work; Herr Gotbard sending specimen stellar photographs; William Huggins and E. Knobel on the grant for the reduction of photographs; Isaac Roberts on stellar...

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Concerning whether his son Lieutenant William Dawes should return to England with the marine corps or remain at Sydney to continue his work at the observatory.

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Concerning his son's circumstances in New South Wales and the possibility of a salary for his work as Engineer and Officer of Artillery.

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Concerning a petition to compensate his son William Dawes for the work he had done as Engineer and Officer of Artillery in New South Wales, and a petition for leave of absence for him.

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Concerning his petitions on behalf of his son, William Dawes, in New South Wales.

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Thanking him for his assistance regarding his son, William Dawes and assuring him that the books and instruments would be brought back from Sydney on HMS Gorgon, which had just departed from Spithead with supplies. Dawes also discusses the shortage of food and clothing at the settlement, and recounts William's list of rations at the settlement, noting how they were cut after the loss of the Sirius.

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Concerning the rate of the Board of Longitude's watch and the provision of books and instruments.

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Concerning the rate of the Board of Longitude's watch; the provision of books; the testing of instruments intended for the observatory; the discovery of damage to a sextant; and his request for an advance of a year's subsistence.

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Requesting the advance of a year's subsistence and his request to be appointed to the land service at Botany Bay; also enclosing a copy of a letter from Lord Howe about his appointment.

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Concerning a letter from Lord Howe about his appointment to Botany Bay, and his objections to being placed in the marine detachment of HMS Sirius rather than in the land service.

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Concerning a fault in the sextant and requesting a replacement instrument; also concerning his desire to be placed in the land detachment.

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Concerning repairs to a sextant by Mr Ramsden and supplies for the observatory.

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Concerning a replacement sextant and black index glass from Ramsden.

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Concerning supplies of instruments and other preparations.

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Concerning receipt of a new sextant, trials of new instruments and other preparations.

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Concerning supplies of instruments, the rate of Mr Kendall's first timekeeper [K1], and his preparations.

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Written from the new settlement at New South Wales. Dawes reports on his work there, mentioning the lack of resources and the clearing of land for an observatory. He includes a rough sketch of the observatory.

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Reporting on his activities between leaving the Cape of Good Hope and his arrival at Sydney. The letter also includes an account of constructing the observatory in Sydney, and of the practical difficulties involved, particularly in finding suitable materials and craftsmen. He mentions, for example, that the forty marines employed in the work had to be provided with rum, water and new shoes (due to the damage from brushwood). Dawes also seeks further money and provisions.

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Reporting on the status of the observatory (which was nearly complete), on expenses incurred, and on his role there.

Scope and Contents Reporting on his activities at the observatory in Sydney, mentioning that much of his time had been employed 'in matters quite foreign to astronomy', and that while he had estimated the track of the comet, he had yet to see it. Dawes also reports that he intended to stay in New South Wales for a further three years, on the basis that he could not leave until a suitable person was sent out to take over: 'I think it would be a great pity to lose an established observatory in this Hemisphere'...

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Informing Maskelyne that he had a sent a letter via the Fishburn under Captain [Robert] Brown.

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Reporting on his work at the observatory in Sydney. Dawes reports that he had seen nothing of the comet and complains that his duties as Engineer and Officer of Artillery were preventing him from attending to the observatory, which had soured his relationship with the Governor. He asks that a suitable person be sent out to take over the Observatory before his six years there had expired. He also reports the naming of Maskelyne Point.