THE GREAT LICK OBSERVATORY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1530, 12 April 1887, Page 3

THE GREAT LICK OBSERVATORY

1 The Lick Observatory m California has received the lenses for its great telescope, which have been ground m Cambridge, Massachusetts, and transported acrops tbe Stateß with most elaborate care. It is thought that no such lenses could ba made again, aa both the man who ca r jt and gronnd the gl.is?es are two old to go through the work, a second time. The two lenses were first wrapped m fifteenor twenty thick-nesses of soft ootton cloth, washed and beaten to be thoroughly freed from any atay gtlt, then In thick paper, ai:d laid m a felt lined wooden box shaped like the lens. This box was picked In a oube -shaped steel box, all interßtscas being filled up with curled hair, and the steel oube m its turn enclosed la an outer steel chest, the inner box being kept firm by spiral Bprings. The outer chest was packed with abestos, to he made fireproof, and then suspended by pivots on a wooden frame, bo arranged that the obeat will turn round slightly on eaoh day of \ l p journay. This contrivance is to prevent any molecular disarrangement m the glass likely to be caused by the jtrring of the train. Finally, the lenses were insured for £10.5000. "Australian and South American."