| RefNo | HSF/2/1/73 |
| Previous numbers | 32.8.56 and 32.8.56A-C |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from J H [John Herschel], G T [Great Trigonometrical] Survey Office, Massori [Mussoorie], to 'My dear Father' [Sir John Frederick William Herschel] |
| Creator | Herschel; John (1837-1921); British army officer and astronomer |
| Date | 4-9 May 1864 |
| Description | John has just read his father's letter of 17 March, the last among accumulated correspondence. He thinks he often worries his father by not acknowledging books, letters and queries, finding it hard to be methodical in such things. He has received everything except the last pamphlets on earthquakes, vocanoes, the Sun and comets. He should have no difficulty in recovering the amount of a bill on presenting it to the office. On the question of Schenk's theodolite and the Molyneaux chronometer, they are of no practical value to him, as he can find anything of that kind that he needs. They may be inferior to those offered, but they have advantages. He would only accept them for the pleasure of owning old friends, but against that there is the risk and cost of transporting them from England, and in his wanderings. He thinks the days may be past when he has to handle a theodolite; at present he is tied to a desk. One of his letters was from [James Thomas] Walker, which he may pass on to his father, as it is full of interest. John's statement that the Indian Survey's observations were superior to the Ordnance Survey's may have seemed problematic, but was true; [John Baboneau Nickterlien] Hennessey has written to say that he is to meet Walker at the Southampton office, but they will learn little except from the mapping department. He expands upon the differences in calculating methods, stating that it is the quality of the observational data that has saved them so far. The Indian Survey's reputation rests upon [George] Everest meridian arc, but John is to 'upset the idol', being convinced that the Survey has 'a severe spinal complaint'. He has an ambition to be in a country untrodden by previous surveyors, such as Australia. He expands upon the differences between Indian and British surveys and the reduction of errors, then the use of angles instead of distances in surveying. He gives his theory against current practice in India, with an example of one significant azimuth error. He changes the subject to 'bad English', with examples, but retracting when he finds them in his father's own article 'On the Sun'. He feels the need of a dictionary, but cannot choose, wanting one on the roots of words. He is once more six or seven thousand feet above sea level in Mussoorie. The experience of three seasons has left him less shy of society, and there are 'young ladies' in numbers, but it would require a strong inducement to cause him to forego a return to England. |
| Extent | 16p. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA7955 | Herschel; John (1837 - 1921); Colonel; military engineer, surveyor and astronomer | 1837 - 1921 |