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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 observations taken at Garden Island, Sydney, New South Wales, and his equipment and instruments. A postscript concerns a gift of a pet for Miss Maskelyne, with mention of the different animals of the country.

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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 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.

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Reporting on his work at the observatory in Sydney. He refers to the loss of HMS Sirius and states that the timekeeper [K1] was moved to HMS Supply undamaged. The letter also includes a description of his observatory.

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Reporting on his work at the observatory at Sydney, and describing the main hindrances to his work (including the lack of 'men of business' in the country, the 'unfortunate want of abilities' of the surveyor of lands, and his problems with the Governor). The letter also includes a description of the local topography of Sydney and his opinion of the country - 'a more dreary, dismal, barren, inanimated [sic] country I believe does not exist anywhere in the whole world'.

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Written on board HMS Gorgon on Dawes' return passage to England and concerning the safe return of instruments from the observatory at Sydney.

Scope and Contents Twenty six letters sent by William Dawes to Nevil Maskelyne, covering his initial preparations for departure, his passage via Rio de Janeiro, the establishment of the observatory at Port Jackson, his work there, and his eventual return on HMS Gorgon six years later. The letters include detailed accounts of setting up the observatory in Sydney where he hoped to observe a comet, and of the difficulties encountered there (particularly shortages of supplies and Dawes' own disagreements with...