A copy of Professor Phillips’s Address was sent to me immediately after its delivery, and, on my detecting the error, I endeavoured to induce a friend of his, deservedly eminent as a practical astronomer, to draw the Professor’s attention thereto, with a view to its correction before the publication of the permanent report of the Society’s proceedings; but, unfortunately, the attempt did not succeed.
In another similar case, however, as appears by the following correspondence between the Astronomer Royal and myself, I was more successful:—
“Hampstead, N.W.
“1868—June 17.[373]
“My dear Sir,—Pray accept my thanks for the copy of your Report. It came while I was at Brighton; but, since my return home, I have read it with great interest. I felt it a great privation not to be able to attend the Visitation.
“Will you allow me to request your attention to what appear to me to be serious errors in the recent annual Address of the President of the Astronomical Society? They will be found in the last paragraph of page 119 of the ‘Monthly Notices’ for February. To save you trouble, I have extracted the part in question, and have underlined the words which I think erroneous. ‘At the present time the Earth is about three millions of miles nearer to the Sun in our northerly winter than in our summer; our coldest month is about 60° Fh. colder than our hottest, and our winter lasts for about eight days longer than our summer. M. Leverrier has calculated that 200,000 years ago the Earth approached the Sun by upwards of ten millions of miles nearer in winter than in summer: the winters were then nearly a month longer than the summers, and in the latitude of London there was a difference of about 112° Fh. between the hottest and the coldest periods of the year.’
“If you find that I am right, perhaps you will have the kindness to draw Mr. Pritchard’s attention to the errors, with a view to their correction before the Address is printed in the ‘Transactions.’ I would write to Mr. Pritchard myself, but that, as I could not speak with authority, I might give offence.
“I have watched the subsequent monthly numbers in the expectation of finding a correction, but none has appeared.
“Faithfully yours,
“Rowland Hill.
“The Astronomer Royal, &c., &c., &c.”