English Mechanic and the world of science :
Brashear's contributions
matt@considine.net
Below are links to scans of pages from "English Mechanic." The
pages selected contain Brashear's "letters to the editor," where each
letter was an outright contribution of his perspective on a particular
topic (e.g. silvering mirrors) or a response to a topic being discussed.
About this page
This is a subset of scans of telescope-related material found
in "English Mechanic." Over time, as more letters are identified, this
page will be updated. Other notes :
- Each image (GIF format) is approximately 400K in size.
- The date listed for each item is the date of the issue in which the item appeared.
7/25/1879 : "Congratulations - Dr. Draper's works - Testing flats - Mounting flats."
pg. 490
pg. 491
1/9/1880 : "Parabolic mirrors for reflecting telescopes, on a new method of measuring the curve."
pg. 430
pg. 431
6/11/1880 : "Hints on silvering specula, periscopic eyepieces, &c."
pg. 327
(Note: the first two lines of the third column did not reproduce well. They read :
"until you do get it, and never undertake to silver
unless you do get it. If you find any sediment you"
11/5/1880 : "Jupiter" (observation sketch)
pg. 210
11/4/1881 : "Brashear's silvering process."
pg. 208
11/25/1881 : "Visit to Harvard Observatory."
pg. 281
pg. 282
2/24/1882 : "Dr. Hastings and Steinheil's method of making and testing flat surfaces -
Apology to Mr. Calver - A remarkable feat in practical optics."
pg. 592
pg. 593
3/31/1882 : "Dr. Hastings' method of making and testing flats - Cleaning mirrors before silvering."
pg. 80
4/28/1882 : "Dr. Hastings' method of making flat surfaces - To Mr. Wassell."
pg. 171
6/16/1882 : "Testing mirrors - Star sketches."
pg. 328
Vol. 36, 10/13/1882 : "Specula" Note: these are scans of photocopies and need to be redone
pg. 138 (uploaded 4/10/2003)
pg. 139 (uploaded 4/10/2003)
Vol. 36, 2/2/1883 : "To 'Prismatique' - Mr.Calver - Silvering Mirrors - Transit of Venus -
Dr. Draper - The Great Washington Telescope - Prof. Rowland's Diffraction Gratings, &c."
pg. 500 (uploaded 4/8/2003)
pg. 501 (uploaded 4/8/2003)
Vol. 37, 3/23/1883 : "Testing Flat Surfaces, Silvering, &c. - To 'J.L.,'
'Prismatique,' and Others - Size of Flat for Newtonian"
pg. 58 (uploaded 4/8/2003)
pg. 59 (uploaded 4/8/2003)
Vol. 37, 5/11/1883 : "To 'Prismatique,' Mr. Holmes, Mr. Newbery - Dr. Draper's
Work on the Silvered-Glass Telescope - Memorial Tributes to Dr. Draper"
pg. 221 (uploaded 4/8/2003)
pg. 222 (uploaded 4/8/2003)
Vol. 37, 8/7/1883 : "Dr. Draper's Work on the Telescope - To the President of the
Liverpool Astronomical Society - To 'Prismatique' and Mr. Southwick - A New Form of
Telescope- The Eclipse Expedition."
pg. 552 (uploaded 4/8/2003)
4/3/1885 : reprint of "Critical Methods of Detecting Errors in Plane Surfaces."
pg. 98 (uploaded 4/10/2003)
pg. 99 (uploaded 4/10/2003)
pg. 100 (uploaded 4/10/2003)
4/16/1886 : "Apology and Thanks - Trade Secrets - Selfish Patents - Silvered and Unsilvered
Testings - Silvering Mirrors - Rosin v. Pitch Polishers - To 'Prismatique' - Diffraction Test for Flat Surfaces, &c."
pg. 148 (uploaded 4/10/2003)
pg. 149 (uploaded 4/10/2003)
Vol. 60, 10/5/1894 : reprint of "On the Care and Cleaning of Object Glasses."
pg. 156 (uploaded 4/3/2003)