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Royal Observatory Greenwich - Further to WW's memorial on tides, the Secretary of the Admiralty requires more details before they approve the plan. Thus could WW make out a more precise explanation. It would be prudent to consult a naval man like Francis Beaufort - 'who knows ports, winds, and currents' [see GA to WW, 31 Dec. 1851].

Flamsteed House Greenwich - GA encloses the Tide Memorial for WW's signature: 'I should think that it would be best addressed to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and sent with a letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - Further to his last letter and the approval of WW's memorial on tides, GA subsequently sent a paper copy to Lord Rosse at the Royal Society for his approval; 'but I have heard nothing more about it (A non-resident President is a great evil). However, it will come I should think before long'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - WW's memorial on the tides 'was duly read by me and approved to the best of my judgement, and reserved for the intended meeting of the B.A. Council'. A Council was called without informing GA: 'Imagine a Seniority Meeting without notice to the Master - so I have pronounced said meeting null and void, and we will have another soon, as soon as I have screwed Henslow and Hooker into shape, who are the most unpractical dogs that I ever met with. The business of the Association will, in fact, be somewhat advanced by this apparent contretemps'. GA has had a letter from 'Madeira yesterday. My party seem to be posited comfortably; but with regard to the ultimate success in the main object of the voyage, I have little hope' [see GA to WW, 20 Nov. 1851].

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - GA has received a letter from his wife: 'With one day's roughness the voyage had been very smooth. They had scarcely any sickness, but Mrs Airy had suffered constant nausea; and they seem weary of the voyage' [see GA to WW, 20 November 1851].

Collingwood - JH encloses a note he got from George Airy with a suggestion identical to the course JH 'had prepared to take having first written to the Sec. of the B. Assoc. to enquire with whom we are to communicate on their part'. If WW and Peacock approve he will write to Edward Sabine accordingly. Has WW any 'ideas' generally on magnetic observations: It strikes JH that a great deal of the existing machinery could be dispensed with and 'what we now need is in the nature of magnetic surveys, with a few fixed establishments to keep up connexion between the past and future'.

Playford near Ipswich - Edward Sabine has told GA that there should be a meeting of the BAAS in mid-January: 'The connexion of this with your Tidal proposal is not extremely close, but it suggests to me to ask you how far you have got the whole affair into shape. I do not think it right towards the Government or politic towards ourselves to make application till we know pretty exactly what is to be done, and can thus put them in a state to judge well of the magnitude, duration, and expense of the expedition'. GA agrees that the character of the expedition should be exclusively tidal.

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - Due to a little ailment and the desire to go to Playford with his family, GA must 'reluctantly give up the chance of seeing' WW.

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - The ship Richarda Airy is to sail on 'probably will not sail outward from Southampton before December 5' [see GA to WW, 20 November 1851]. This will probably prevent GA coming to Cambridge next week.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - 'Richarda Airy has determined on taking our daughter [Elizabeth Airy who is ill] to Madeira. This, I need not say, is a grave measure; the mere expense is to me not a slight thing; but the most serious part is the separation for so long a time of the head of such a family'. GA proposes to come to Cambridge at some time and among other things talk to WW about the Sydney Professorships: 'These good people in Australia suddenly sent a commission to Herschel, Malden, H. Denisen, and myself, to ship them off 3 professors'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA returned from Gottenberg almost three days ago '& have my eclipse very well...and very wonderful it was: - doubtless the reds belong to the sun's atmosphere (not to the moon, nor to the sun's body)'. He has not yet drawn up his account of the eclipse due to work: 'Main is gone out for holiday and I am master and man. I am as it were up to the elbows in refractions...no bad thing, occasionally, to be fairly forced to go through the details of the books: for I always find a multitude of little things which though perfectly venial are almost intolerable'. He will present his account of the eclipse at the November meeting of the Astronomical Society.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA sends by rail the Greenwich Observations for 1849.

Observatory - GA gives WW references to French works on polarisation written between 1808 and 1824: 'Most of Biot's papers are tremendous to a person who is not very familiar with the subject, & perfectly easy to one who is familiar with it and has thought upon it well'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - The tide observations Mr Maclear [Thomas Maclear] refers to are 'assuredly observations made at the Cape of Good Hope. Whether they have yet been sent to England, I do not know'. They will be sent to Francis Beaufort and not GA.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA corrects a common misinterpretation of a Greek word (the sense of which is 'reverence' and not 'modesty') - 'a favourite language with me'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA's suggestion for a Greek word appropriate to describe 'constructions or usages like those of a murial circle'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - WW coined the word Altazimuth for the Altitude and Azimuth Instrument, on consideration has he any change to make in it? Can he think of a name which is logical and convenient for another instrument commonly called a Collimater: 'Now the instrument so used is not described as to its characteristic property by this word, it may be used, it is true, for errors of collimation, but its distinguishing property is embedded in the words "inverse-action telescope". Could you invent a word of knowing aspect yet not excessively strange which would express this?'

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - George Airy's brother has come across a copy of the Solemn League and covenant signed by most of the people in his parish [Swineshead]: 'I think there are not many of these parochial covenants in existence - so it appeared to me well to ask his licence to offer it to the library'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA is 'in the agony of mounting the great transit circle... I fully expect that it will do well'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA has just sent WW the Greenwich Observations for 1848.

Bonar Bridge - Thomas Clarkson, the son of GA's late friend the abolitionist Clarkson, is coming up to Trinity in October: 'This youth I dare say has no brilliant talent... Slightly uncouth in manner. - Now I am anxious that he should be in the society of gentlemanly men (I do not mean expensive men, for his fortune is not large)... Would it suit your views and your convenience that I should give him a simple note of introduction to you?... I really feel as much interest in the fortune of this youth as if he was my own relation'."

Inverness - Regarding WW's question concerning fringes, 'I really can say nothing about them without seeing them. The dust-fringes and vapour-fringes have always mystified me a little. The others I have no doubt will come out as easily as becomes matters which usually have some very unmanageable geometry with very easy physics. But to tell the truth I do not know precisely how either set is formed'. Otto Struve is on his way to Lassell [William Lassell] at Liverpool and Lord Rosse at Parsonstown to see telescopes.