The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-20

lsn542 9l.s3.
lsie-43 I,2,a5
1884 lsi,i28
i Isss-sS I ~ sss
In two years amount equal to the whole coast sur,
vey appropriation, aud in years five millions of dol
lars This is besides her arctic and antarctic exped
tons and besides her irgonometIical survey, which
from 1911 to 1917, cost Gl 100000,
The amount of expenditures for pay of officers and men
employed in the photography OF the survey and
which have stated above be found in the reply of
the Secretary of the Navy the Secretary the Treas
urya document which am sorry is not printed and in
the hands of every senator
The salary of the superintendent has been referred to
and the whole 10 that is that salary has ever
been fixed by law. 1t is temporary employment
The annual compensation originally made to Mr. Hass
Ter has been continued to the present day When he re-
sumed his work IN 1882, there were about four years
perhaps hve-when the amount OF 81 800 claimed for
weights and measures not paid him. In 1885
however, the terms of the appropriation bill refer
ring to the superintendent used and considered
as covering the back pay, and the back pay Of
$1,000 per annum was given to him. His compensa-
lion at the close OF his life was So 900 per annum
The has been continued, dollar for dollar IN
the present superintendent There has been no change
in the compensation. The duy has changed only by in.
crease OF the time in the field He still retains under
the organizations the same amount of compensa
ton. be varied by the President any time AS
this migh the present superintendent to leave the
employment OF government. 1t would be serious evil,
superintendent. In justice should state that the re.
searches hydrometes for the revenue, and sugars
have been superintendent grauitously
But the next position taken that these Observa-
tons concerning latitude and longitude invading
the proper duties of the National Observatory Now Mr.
President two observatores since the establishment Of
the telegraph wires may determine difference OF longitude
with great accuracy But, how fixed observatory is to
determine the latitude of other places am wholly al
loss TO imagine The observatory can fix the stars bur-
unless put upon wheels and carried the country
IT have power TO f. the latitude and longitude Of
other places But this observatory is TO be made the re-
ceptacle of the coast survey instead of transferring il to
anrVPV--thp
The question arises, what law organizes this obserya
tory. How is it established? By what authority does
it exist! We find in the law Tor the coast survey
an express provision against the construction and MAN.
tenance of an observatory.
Charts and instruments turned over by the national
vessels returning from cruise put into the hands
of clerk in the Navy Department. and frequently in.
jured 1t became necessary TO have Office for them
An officer employed to rate the chronometers OF the
navy for which he required box ten feet square, lit
tie shed, and transit instrument That is all that is re-.
CURED to rate chronomeer. Finally, appropriation
made to build depot for charts and of the
navysay sexants, not telescopes, for they do take
telescopes to sea; they have nothing to do with nav
CATION. And out of this appropriation, at first limited to
S25 0o0-and still less amount approprated--has been
established an Observatory, recognised only depot of
charts and instruments OF the navy of the United States
And in the first law, the appropriation was for giving
the Secretary authority to contrae! for the building Of
suitable house for a depot. The appropriation of
$4,000 was made for carrying this into effect
Following this down to the year 1874, no appro
prlation made for an Observatory, but under
~N----c~'-'
and miscellaneous expenses, 1t continued TO 1s47. In
that Year, under the head of the bureau of medicine
there appropriation made designed TO cover the
expenses of superintendent for observatory Them
Tor the first time you find the observatory and the super
| intendent
| Resting upon the provision of no law the appropia
ton had to be construed i'm the of appropra
ton OF the following year, 10 fix the fact that was an
appropriation for the superintendent of the Observatory
In the year lS4S II appears very distinctly
Then, the face of the express prohibition of the
Observatory in the law for the coast survey without
any other law than TO build the depot for charts
and Instruments find this Observatory erected with
| a superintendent.
So the building and all the appurenances Of the regu.
lar established system OF astronomical observatoes have
arsen How lar 1t can De justified. how far il be
explained, know not The chairman of the Committee
on Naval Affairs may do if he desires the same appro.
priatIon this year last. 1t amounted, think, to
$4,000 for an observatory and superintendent the result
OF which have yet to learn; yet to learn of the single
astronomical discovery which has been made claimed
except one, which forbear allude to, founded on
udicrous mstakeand after ali these expenses for build
Ing this term OF years. and this fixed position, with all
the advantages OF the instruments which be brought
70 bear.
And now, sir shall this observatory take charge of the
determination OF the latitude and longitude of the
those observations upon which all primary ,rianguaons
OF the coast surrey mast necessarily es Shall they
until this observatory the country and deter
the latitude for them? The coast survey has employed
obsevatores TO make astronomical observ atoms for sta
ons thus could be done better than in temporary build
ngs, and at fifth the cost-tha is for about S20Oa
year. whereas would about ISL 900 to erect te mpoa
PROVIDE observers. 1t economy,
them to use these observatoes; ami when the law pro-
hibted tins constructing and maintaining observaories,
cannot conceive that prohibited the use of observalo.
so far it contributed to the objects and economy Of
the work.
II was to avoid, suppose connecting the government
with the establishment OF such institutions and their
maintenance, that the prohibition was made When sir,
the observatory is erected and maintained, and offers
facilities for observation surely could have been de-
signed to forbid their use for temporary purposes 1t it
was astronomical observations which were to be eX.
Guided, why then, authorize the appointment OF
astronomer! Ii astronomical observations are 10 be
made, surely they should be made under all the crcum
stances which give the greatest accuracy.
The advantages, Mr.. President, of mixed organiza.
ton fully shown under the operations of the present
work. The army and navy are brought together bya
harmonizing lInk-a head not supposed to be preu.
diced in favor of either the one or the other The
superintendent OF the whole lays down the pan presses
his land survey in advance of his photographed
surveys and while the Autographed survey, by OBJ,
serving points upon the coast will test the accuracy and
emulate the land pares there can be no rivalry Other
than generous one--there be no jealousy between
the two arms OF the survey, conflict of rank between
the assistants and the who has charge OF it, and
binds The whole together by the fraternzng bands OF
science The results the good feelings which
have existed IN the operations of this work. far as
have learned jusfyins fully the wisdom of the plan
which was adopted by that Secretary of the Treasury
who took the deepest interest in this matter, and who
was the best qualified, probably, since Mr.. Gaatn, to
the regulations of the Hon. John G. Spencer From that
time TO this ii has continued. 1t is carried on now
exactly under the organization of the original es
tablishment as modified by the regulations OF is43;
me superintendent operating constantly IN Inc
neld oeing about threequarters of the year IN opsh