1. The First Time Balls
2. “For the purpose of giving correct time to the city, a staff has been placed on top of the dome, and a large, but light, ball is hoisted ten minutes before 12 o'clock of each day, except Sunday. The pulley is connected with an electro-magnetic battery after the ball is up, and the circuit is broken by the assistant in the chronometer room at the instant of noon” (Gilliss James M., Astronomical and meteorological observations made at the United States Naval Observatory during the year 1861 (Washington, 1862), p. x). Gilliss, Maury's successor, summarizes the various duties in the same manner as Airy did when he succeeded the sixth Astronomer Royal, John Pond.