“I had much work in connection with the Cape of Good Hope Observatory, chiefly relating to the instrumental equipment and to the geodetical work.  As it was considered advisable that any base measured in the Cape Colony should be measured with compensation bars, I applied to Major Jervis for the loan of those belonging to the East Indian Survey, but he positively refused to lend them.  On Jan. 20th I applied to Col.  Colby for the compensation bars of the British Survey, and he immediately assented to lending them.  Col.  Colby had suggested to the Ordnance Department that Capt.  Henderson and several sappers should be sent to use the measuring bars, and it was so arranged.  It still appeared desirable to have the command of some soldiers from the Garrison of Cape Town, and this matter was soon arranged with the military authorities by the Admiralty.

“The following are the principal points of my private history:  it was a very sad year.  On Jan. 24th I went with my wife to Norwich, on a visit to Prof.  Sedgwick, and in June I visited Sir J. Herschel at Slough.  On June 13th my dear boy Arthur was taken ill:  his malady soon proved to be scarlet fever, of which he died on June 24th at 7 in the morning.  It was arranged that he should be buried in Playford churchyard on the 28th, and on that day I proceeded to Playford with my wife and my eldest son George Richard.  At Chelmsford my son was attacked with slight sickness, and being a little unwell did not attend his brother’s funeral.  On July 1st at 4h.15m. in the morning he also died:  he had some time before suffered severely from an attack of measles, and it seemed probable that his brain had suffered.  On July 5th he was buried by the side of his brother Arthur in Playford churchyard.—­On July 23rd I went to Colchester on my way to Walton-on-the-Naze, with my wife and all my family; all my children had been touched, though very lightly, with the scarlet fever.—­It was near the end of this year that my mother quitted the house (Luck’s) at Playford, and came to live with me at Greenwich Observatory, where she lived till her death; having her own attendant, and living in perfect confidence with my wife and myself, and being I trust as happy as her years and widowhood permitted.  My sister also lived with me at the Observatory.”

1840

“In the latter part of 1839, and through 1840, I had much correspondence with the Admiralty, in which I obtained a complete account of the transfer of the Observatory from the Ordnance Department to the Admiralty, and the transfer of the Visitation of the Observatory from the Royal Society to the present Board of Visitors.  In 1840 I found that the papers of the Board of Longitude were divided between the Royal Society and the Admiralty:  I obtained the consent of both to bring them to the Observatory.