Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-05-27
THE PROPOSED ASTRONOMICAL EXPEDITION.

THE PROPOSED ASTRONOMICAL EXPEDITION
4 Since our publication Of the Report Of Commit-
tee OF the House Of Representatives respecting the
proposed Astronomical Expedition to the Southern
Hemisphere, we have observed, in papers from
every part Of the country, notices Of the project
The following, from among them, worthy Of
being transferred to our columns:
FROM cIscIsSArI GAZETTE.
AsrnosoMIcAL EsTERPnIsg rue UNITED STATES
Our attention has been wildly awakened to this subject by
report Of the Naval Committee OF the House Repre-
senlatyes which published in the National Inegencer
Of April 18th, and which repubish with the editorial
marks by which il is there introduced II gives the high
est qualification find that science at last becoming OBJ
ject Of national concern in this republic.
ToLieut GlLLIss United States Navy believe, belongs
the merit Of having caused the Observatory be established
at Washington and should his enterprise be crowned
with by more accurate determination OF the suns
paraaxhc sole basis for measuring the celestial spaccshe
will lay his country under sill, higher obligations 1t
to US that there very substantial ground for congratulations
the progress which Astronomy has recently made among
Not only have wellfunished ObervaoIies in WASH
ingion, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Csnbdg in
number, believes than any single nation in Europe and
all within the last few but others promised New
York aud elsewhere and, what is better sill, have As
tronomers me,oous if not celebrated, any other
As understand the matter, oil that has been certainly de-
termned with regard the planet Neptune, and its e
feet upon the perturbaons Of Uranusof which the theory is
nearly CON- eeds the work Of two American Asiro-
nomers Walker and Peirce who together have defined the
track Of Neptune for the last fifty years within less than SCI
Of and thereby demonstrated that Neptune Is not
the planet mathemaicaly predicted by Leveer Adams
Them too have Mitchell and LOOMS aud Bond and Ken
DALI all energeicay pushing forward the science into new
4 fields Of observation
But national pride has carried further than in
tended We invite the attention Of the
from the National Inteligencer. ra
AsrnoSomrcAI DISSERTATIONS We have examined with
pleasure the report OF committee OF the House OF Repesen-
ayes respecting The proposed Astronomical Expedition 10 the
Southern Hemisphere. Our present knowledge Of the dmen
sos OF the solar system entirely upon the paralax OF the
which deduced from the transits OF Venus in l76
and 1862 These observations made with great
and the results derived from them doubtless deserving of
great confidence but the observations male almost al
century ago, when astronomical instruments compare
lively rude. Another opportunity to repeat The kind
of observations will occur before the year 1874 and that
transit will not be visible in the United States. Is pre-
sent knowledge Of the dimensions of system complete
as to leave nothing further be desired Professor Encke
thinks that the Of his determination of the sans paraax
does not exceed the twentieth part Of second There
able astronomers who do not feel equal confidence in his
results, and think highly desirable that they should be
confirmed BY some independent method Such method is
10 be found IN simultaneous observations Of Venus Mars at
two stations remote possible from each other. II 10
test this method that it is proposed to send expedition to
point Of Chilli to make observations upon these planets
in with observations made in the United States This
method first proposed and urged by eminent maihe
natcian of Europe The plan has received the sanction of
the American Philosophical Society and the American AGA
deny. has also been approved by
IN this country, whose testimony appended TO the report
of the committee Of Congress. We sincerely hope that
obstacle may he nterposed carrying this plan into full
ecuon, the results of which cannot fail to be valuable to
the Of science, well credi;ate the country
FRon THE NEW YORK STAR.
ExrLoRISG THE DEAN SEA.--We have already noticed
the arrival Constantnople of the expedition the Dead
Sea- and the Suan when informed of the project could not
well understand its object but expressed entire willingness
TO afford the gentlemen every facility in the We
do not however, anticipate any important results from
the expedition The Lake Asphaes Dead has evil
IDENTITY been formed from subtenanean fires, the whole
surrounding country being full of bumen and probably the
doomed cities erected this formation Of Napha,
which, taking fire, the whole formed into
lake. the waters OF which exceedingly heavy and bitter
The depth Of the water will be asceraned and lis specific ga
witty, and probably interesting "reminiscences but
will end The lake always in dsolaie barren posi-
ton, near which nothing could flourish We should think
that dragging the Tber would be much profitable
operation, if believe what history tells us, that
some OF the Roman Emperos after giving splendid dinner
party ordered the golden dishes and pitchers thrown
into the Tber and The table repenshed with fresh plates
interesting memorial has been recently presented
Congress- and received with favor IL is proposed
foot expedition the southern available position on
the Western Continent for the purpose Of making oserva
tons OF the planet Venus with view 10
determination of the solar paraIax which involves only
the distance OF planet from the sum- but the dmen-
sons Of the orbits of all the bodies of system The
utility is present data for and accurate deter
mnation Of the longitude The proposed station in Chill
will afford ample base Of six thousand miles The
mttee recommended increase Of the appropriation Of five
thousand dollars.
MAJOR GENERAL SCOTT.
L