| RefNo | MS/603/4/38 |
| Previous numbers | 627 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from J [James] William Gifford, Oaklands, Chard, to [Joseph] Larmor |
| Creator | Gifford; James William (1856-1930); British lace manufacturer and optical physicist |
| Recipient | Larmor; Sir Joseph (1857-1942); Irish theoretical physicist |
| Date | 8 October 1906 |
| Description | He has heard from [James] Simms of Troughton and Simms about testing the small circle. They have no competent person at present, but Simms made a suggestion that Gifford has always followed, referring to a 1902 Royal Society Proceedings paper. He notes that it easy to pick out an equal number of readings for each wavelength, giving the mean values of 54 readings. He discusses the errors which arise as not so significant as the difficulties in obaining pure water, and only one sample gave uniform results. He encloses his calculation papers [not present] and if they are valid he will be content that the present circles are at the absolute limit of accuracy. He asks for the return of the material but wonders if the calculations might form an appendix to the paper on water ['The refractive indices of water and of sea-water' by J W Gifford]. |
| Extent | 4p. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |