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Letter from William Branwhite Clarke to Charles Robert Darwin; written at Sydney damaged

(Letter)

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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.

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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 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 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.

Scope and Contents Letters from various observatories on filling vacancies, the construction of time balls at Sydney and New Brunswick (with a plan), and the establishment of new observatories at Nottingham, Bristol and other locations. The correspondents include J. Challis, Sir W. Denison, C.E. Trevelyan, J.R. Hind, R. Stephenson, C.P. Smyth, C. Pritchard and M.J. Johnson. There are also two reports on Liverpool Observatory, a paper on Brussels Observatory, and a piece from 'Le Moniteur Universel' on the...

Scope and Contents Letters from various British and international observatories on filling vacancies at Sydney; requests for new instruments from Madras and other places; and the possible establishment of new observatories at Bristol and other locations. The correspondents include C.P. Smyth, J.C. Adams, R. Grant, N.R. Pogson, R.L.J. Ellery, O. Struve, W. De La Rue, F.A.T. Winnecke, Sir F. Galton, R.C. Carrington, A. de Morgan, J.C. Maxwell and T. Maclear. There is also a photograph of Fletcher's Observatory;...

Scope and Contents Letters from various British and international observatories on filling vacancies, requests for new instruments at Sydney, and covering letters to reports. Approximately half the correspondence is concerned with the possible closures and alternative uses of the Madras, Bombay and Colaba observatories; reports on the Madras and Colaba observatories and their history; and governmental recommendations for the Indian observatories. The correspondents on these matters include E.B. Eastwick,...

Scope and Contents Letters from various British and international observatories on filling vacancies; the foundation of new observatories at Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand; requests for astronomical works; and recommendations for the Indian observatories. The correspondents include H. Merivale, N.R. Pogson, C.E. Delaunay, Sir W. Denison, J.A. Broun, R.L.J. Ellery, B.A. Gould, the Earl of Rosse, R. Grant, Sir D. Gill, W.M. Maskell, J.C. Adams, A.R. Clarke and W. Harkness. There are proceedings and...

Scope and Contents Letters from various British and international observatories on the subject of filling vacancies, requests for new instruments at Oxford, and information on recent work performed at various centres. The correspondents include J.C. Adams, U.J.J. Le Verrier, C. Pritchard, W. Huggins, G. Salt, H. Merivale, R.L.J. Ellery, Lord Lindsay, the Earl of Rosse, Sir R.S. Ball, N.R. Pogson, F.A.T. Winnecke and L. Mallet. There are various additional papers, including 'Le Revue Scientifique'; the history...

Scope and Contents Letters from various British and international observatories on filling vacancies, an enquiry into the transfer of Edinburgh Observatory, requests for new instruments, and the current state of work carried out at various centres. The correspondents include Sir H. Grubb, Lord Lindsay, C.P. Smyth, L. Mallet, Sir C.R. Markham, G.G. Stokes, N.R. Pogson, R.L.J. Ellery, W. De La Rue, C. Pritchard and F.A.T. Winnecke. There are numerous reports from observatories at Adelaide (1875), Dearbourne...

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Daily log entries made while the Investigator was at anchor at Port Phillip, while travelling eastwards via Wilson’s Promontory, and while in Sydney Cove, Port Jackson.