| RefNo | HSF/2/1/101 |
| Previous numbers | 32.8.87 and 32.8.87A |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from J H [John Herschel], Bangalore [Bengaluru], to 'Dear Pater' [Sir John Frederick William Herschel] |
| Creator | Herschel; John (1837-1921); British army officer and astronomer |
| Date | 27 September 1869 |
| Description | He acknowledges receipt of the proofs of a new edition of 'Outlines' [of Astronomy]. He thinks that his father has done justice to recent advances. John read [J Norman] Lockyer's Royal Institution lecture from last May just recently and was almost ashamed that he had dared meddle in the subject. He has been continually disappointed in the last three months in being unable to see the Sun due to cloud, but he has been otherwise occupied in any event. There is a prospect of obtaining a new zenith sector designed and perfected by Colonel [Alexander] Strange. John is now embarked upon the branch of geodesy connected with the Trigonometrical Survey with the main object of determining the figure of the Earth and one element of local attraction. The series of observations will take three or four years and John will be absorbed in issues of figure and attraction and he is anxious to start well. He sketched out some outlines on the subject five years ago in the Roorkee Engineering papers and his views hold, if modified. Captain [James Palladio] Basevi has been using the pendulum for three or four years and has asked John to give an opinion on his plan to deduce both figure and attraction from his data. In their discussion, Basevi's and his own methods were different, and John considers Basevi's to be speculative, but he is not wedded to any view. Colonel [James Thomas] Walker has undefined ideas on the subject, and tends to follow the Archdeacon [John Henry Pratt], whom he venerates. John is writing to have him accept a statement of the problem, which he will send to his father next week for an opinion. He moves to personal matters, saying that Mary's [Mary Cornwallis Herschel's] health has improved, due to gardening and croquet. Her cough is 'inveterate' and she gains no weight, but is well in spirit. They hope to take a trip to a hill station in the hot weather, and she ought not to venture into camp life. She acknowledges the Irish lace sent by John's mother. Because of his rooftop observatory, he was asked in all seriousness about a coming catastrophe predicted by some prophet for 5 October, which he dismissed as a pack of nonsense. |
| Extent | 8p. |
| 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 |