A PERSONAL HISTORY OF H.M. NAUTICAL ALMANAC OFFICE
30 October 1930 - 18 February 1972
PART 1. AT GREENWICH 1930-1936 Chapters 1-3
This part covers the period after Sadler's appointment when L. J. Comrie was the Superintendent. Comrie was a leading exponent of the use of commercial calculating machines for scientific computations and the compilation of mathematical tables. He introduced major changes in the working practices in the Office and initiated the preparation of new publications. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm was incompatible with Admiralty procedures.
| Chapter 1 | First impressions |
| Appointment in H. M. Nautical Almanac Office | |
| Staff and accommodation in 1930 | |
| Early work in the N.A.O. | |
| The Daniels and Richards | |
| Emden's equation and other tasks | |
| Work of the junior staff | |
| Chapter 2 | Mainly about the work of the Office |
| The method of cyclic packs | |
| The use of punched-card machines | |
| More on the use of cyclic packs | |
| The use of Brown's Tables | |
| Status of N.A.O. work in 1935 | |
| Various incidents involving Comrie | |
| The occultation programme | |
| Eclipse and comet work | |
| Navigational work | |
| Use of National machines | |
| Chapter 3 | Mainly about L. J. Comrie and his work |
| Comrie and mathematical tables | |
| Comrie and calculating machines | |
| Comrie's approach to computing | |
| Comrie as a 'consultant' | |
| More on Comrie and mathematical tables | |
| Comrie and the International Astronomical Union, etc. | |
| Comrie's personal relations | |
| Comrie and bureaucracy | |
| Comrie's marriages | |
| Comrie's relations with N.A.O. staff | |
| Comrie and the N.A.O. complement | |
| A note on my establishment and appointment | |
| Other appointments | |
| 'Winds' - a job for the War Office | |
| Comrie's final bid for more staff | |
| Download | PART 1. A T GREENWICH 1930-1936 pages 17-38; 152 Kbytes |
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