Item 55 - Letter from George Airy

4 pp.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA just missed WW at York. He has since been with Richarda to Kingstown in Dublin on the first stage of the chronometric project to Valentia: 'The chronometers had already been in oscillation some time, Sheepshanks [Richard Sheepshanks] doing the Astronomical part at Kingstown. For the transmission of the chronometers, I had had to establish a wonderful system of boxes screwed upon railway carriages and in steamboat cabins, all which boxes could be opened by the same keys; and agents were appointed to transfer the chronometers at the proper places'. GA has marked out all that he intends doing with regard to the Irish tides - 'I have analysed every one of my 1300 tides' and he gives an overview of some of the more 'curious' conclusions he has drawn.