Brass quadrant electrometer consists of four quarter-cylindrical brass boxes (quadrants ) each mounted on a glass insulating pillar. The whole is housed within an electrostatic shield (Faraday cage) - a beehive shaped wire cage enclosure (aka a “bird cage”). The quadrants and cage stand on a round base platform on three legs with levelling screws (tribach base?). Arising from the platform is a separate vertical rod arises from the periphery and terminates over the axis of cylindrical symmetry and from which provision is made for a conducting suspension fibre which supports the horizontal “paddle” which is free to rotate within the cylindrical cavity of the four quadrants. The suspension and paddle are unfortunately missing.Label on front: “Natural Philosophy Laboratory No. University of Melbourne” Engraved on front: “Elliott Bros London”

Port Of Portland Authority ArchivesFront: Wharf 4- biro Back: Wharf 4 -Biroport of portland archives, main breakwater, harbour construction, development, battery point

Hygeia Built in 1890 by Napier, Shanks & Bell of Yoker, Scotland (yard no 49). At 300 ft (92 m) long, she was an enormous paddler, outclassing the luxurious Ozone and surviving in service until 1930. In 1932 her stripped shell was scuttled off Barwon Head. The PS ‘Hygeia’ was a paddle steamer, built by Napier, Shanks & Bell, in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1890. When the paddle steamer PS ‘Hygeia’ was built, in 1890, she was considered the largest and fastest bay steamer afloat. She was capable of carrying up to 2,000 passengers and crew and was finished to the highest of standards. The state rooms were lavishly adorned in polished Oak, Hungarian Ash, Walnut and Sycamore – decorated with gilded pilasters. She would carry some 3,000,000 passengers around Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, during her career of 41 years. The PS ‘Hygeia’ was considered far too young to be scuttled and sent to an early grave – just outside Port Phillip Heads . . .Scale model of PS Hygeia