The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-01-16
TELESCOPES.
THE MOST POWERFUL INSTRUMENT IN
EXISTENCE.

The most powerful telescope IN existence
is the magni ficent new rejecting telescope
which has just been finished by A. Ainslee
Common and In erected at his residence in
Ealing. This telescope has a silver-on-
glass speculum, thirty-seven and hall
inches in diameter, aud a focal length Of
over twenty feet. IL is eqnstorially mount
ed In a novel but most efiicacious manner,
and Ia driven by powerful clock con-
trolled In an ingenious manner by method
invented by Mr.. Common. THIS new tele-
scope, which has only been finished about a
month, has turned out great success, and
In upquestionably the finest and most pow
erful telescope in existence.
Within year of its being begun the tele-
scope was rapidly approaching lis compile
ton. The great speculum had been brought
to the right shape and was partially pol
ished, and every day the announcement
was expected that it bad been completed,
or at least only required the finishing
touches. Suddenly telegram arrived-an
imperfect figure? This would be most
annoying thing, for 1t would require the
whole to be reground and polished. But
no 1t was brief, but it announced terri
Bile misfortune. II was pressing request
TO come down at once. The whole specu.
lum had burst into thousand pieces. Ii
was terrible blow. for it was the very
misfortune which had been prognosticated
by the Englieh manufacturers aud by the
greater number of astronomers, including
those who had much experience In the
use and construction Of spscula. The ex-
piosioa had been terrific. The whole work
shop was covered with jagged, torn masses
Of glass, varying in weight from ten or
twelve pounds to an irnpalpable dust Mr..
Calver haa had narrow escape, but he
and his workmen escaped without serious
injury. The monetary loss was great and
bade fair to be greater, for with the loss of
the speculum the rest of the telescope be-
came useless. 1t might well seem that
they were right who held the view that
siIver-on-glass specnla were impracticable.
as from the difficulty in annealing large
masses Of glass they might be expected to
break at any nom mt. Within an hour or
two Of receiving the telegram announcing
this terrible mishap, Mr.. Common was in
the library of the Royal Astronomical So
ciety. While there he was met by friend,
a fellow astronomer, who, being aware that
the news was daily expected of the COM
pletion of the great speculum, asked him
for the latest intelligence. Mr.. Common
calmly handed him the fateful telegram.
lie was thunderstruck, for it was 80 uuex-
pscted and he was one OF those who had
looked for so much gain to astronomy to
accrue from the construction and subse-
quent employment of this grand new in
stiument. After expressing, no doubt inn
perfectly enough. his sorlow, sympathy
and disappointment, he naturally put the
question, "What can you do now" The
answer came gently enough 81 Do? Why
have teiegraphsd over TO Paris to see If
can't get two more discs Of glass. II will
be one to spare In case of another cxplo-
sion" Success must crown indomitable
like this. The new discs arrived
and were duly transferred TO MIR. CAL
yer. One was selected, and, after much
labor, ground, polished and finished. The
portion of the instrument and
The observatory were pushed on as rapidly
M possible. On August /, 1879, the IN
strument was complete, and the grandcst
and most powerful telescope In existence
stood finished before its maker, designer
and owner.