Saturday December 15, 1894

M^r Jordan Super^t of Greenwich Park came down about proposed modification to R.O. Boundary. Gave him a litho. plan of R.O. showing modifications proposed including enclosure for Magnetic Pavilion E. side of Blackheath Avenue.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... Liographic plans of the Observatory's site seem to have been produced from time to time, on behalf of the Admiralty's Department of Works. The proposed new enclosure is what became the Christie Enclosure, about 320 meters east of Flamsteed House, which was initially home to the Magnet Pavillion but in the 1930s had buildings containing the reversible transit circle, Cookson zenith telescope and Yapp 36-inch telescope.

Thursday June 14, 1894

M^r Hancock Supe^t of Telegraphs Western Australia examined arrangements for Earth current registers, which he proposes to start on two long lines of telegraph in Western Australia. Discussed the question with him & suggested that magnetic registers should also be taken. Saw Director of Works & M^r Crisp about new buildings, and also M^r Awdry.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Friday March 9, 1894

R.A.S. Meeting. Shewed photo’s taken with 28ⁱⁿ telescope corrected for photography. Also photo’s of Sunspot of February -------- and magnetic disturbances.
Went to M^r W.H. Whites R. Institution lecture on the making of a modern fleet.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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R.A.S. The Astronomer Royal shewed trial photos taken with 28ⁱⁿ.

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

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RH says..... An account of this day's Royal Astronomical Society meeting from The Observatory magazine can be downloaded here. Christie presented the photographs with caution, saying that although they hoped that they had nearly got the adjustment corrected they were still in the experimental stage. As Sir Howard Grubb was in town, having been at Greenwich the day before to discuss the proposed 26-inch telescope, he was present and asked to comment on the lens. Sounding rather defensive, he pointed out that "As this was the only large object-glass I ever had to make without having to make the mounting for it, I was placed under very peculiar circumstances, not being able to try it on a celestial object until it was at Greenwich" but, all things considered, he was pleased with the results. The data about sunspots and magnetic readings was presented by E. Walter Maunder, head of the ROG's Photographic and Spectroscopic Department and one of the RAS's secretaries.

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W.H. White's Royal Institution lecture was reported in The Times the next day. 'The Making of a Modern Fleet' focused on the programme of shipbuilding begun after the passing of the 1889 Naval Defence Act. White reported that all but eight or nine of the 70 ships paid for would be ready for service by the end of the month, the date specified in the Act. It was (according to White and The Times) "an unprecedented feat which no other country in the world could rival".

Sunspots in February 1894

Rebekah Higgitt says.....
Having mentioned Maunder's interest in sunspots in yesterday's post, I checked The Astronomer Royal's Report to the Board of Visitors for 1894. This records that for sunspots, "the characteristic of the year [May 1893-May 1894] has ... been rather the great number of groups visible at the same time than the extent of any one of them". It was noted that "the groups of 1893 November and 1894 February were very large". Magnetic Observations were carried out by a different department, but they noted that, while this year in general saw much less magnetic activity than the year before, "there was a large increase occurring 1894 February, at the time of the great sun spot."