to Dr. Maskelyne, the Astronomer Royal of England, for his advice and
kindly offices in this emergency. Maskelyne responds--in terms
calculated to allay the anxiety of the Bursar--"Mr. Ramsden has left
property behind him, and the College can be in no danger of losing
both their money and the instrument." The business of Ramsden was
then undertaken by Berge, who proceeded to finish the circle quite as
deliberately as his predecessor. After four years Berge promised the
instrument in the following August, but it did not come. Two years
later (1806) the professor complains that he can get no answer from
Berge. In 1807, it is stated that Berge will send the telescope in a
month. He did not; but in the next year (1808), about twenty-three
years after the great circle was ordered, it was erected at Dunsink,
where it is still to be seen.

The following circumstances have been authenticated by the signatures
of Provosts, Proctors, Bursars, and other College dignitaries:--In
1793 the Board ordered two of the clocks at the observatory to be
sent to Mr. Crosthwaite for repairs. Seven years later, in 1800, Mr.
Crosthwaite was asked if the clocks were ready. This impatience was
clearly unreasonable, for even in four more years, 1804, we find the
two clocks were still in hand. Two years later, in 1806, the Board
determined to take vigorous action by asking the Bursar to call upon
Crosthwaite. This evidently produced some effect, for in the
following year, 1807, the Professor had no doubt that the clocks
would be speedily returned. After eight years more, in 1815, one of
the clocks was still being repaired, and so it was in 1816, which is
the last record we have of these interesting timepieces. Astronomers
are, however, accustomed to deal with such stupendous periods in
their calculations, that even the time taken to repair a clock seems
but small in comparison.