Item 35 - Letter from George Airy

4 pp.

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - Some time ago Airy asked for Whewell's opinion about republishing his tracts [see Airy to Whewell, 10 October 1839]. Airy then wrote to Deighton [book publisher] - 'they say that the book sold very slowly and they do not like to publish again on their own risk; most certainly I shall not do on mine'. Has Whewell any suggestions on making it 'readable' or know of any young man who might take up the thing? - 'a treatise on Optics ought to exist in the market'. Airy has not done much work on tides recently. The gale of wind of January 2 and the following morning 'produced a most marvellous effect on the succeeding tide in the Thames. He has received Bunt's [Thomas G. Bunt] Bristol observations taken from the self registering tide gages: 'It is a great pity that he does not go to low water; and also that there is not an infinity of tide gages and gages symmetrically distributed over the coasts and seas'. They should try and get the observations from Brest. Can Whewell get the readings from the anemometers in Cambridge from January 1 to January 4, as he wants to find the course of the wind in connexion with the tide.