The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-18
THE UNION.

tina, was rights for the President is the head OF the
army and navy But here they put under ths depart
eentha is say under the Secretary OF the Treasury
and this authority extends TO the whole, and they
qulred to be used far practicable And II IS the
design OF my amendment TO carry out that practicabty,
by having the whole work done by the navy under the
direction of the President II is very practicable Tor
them (he navy to do the whole work, as shall show
in the proper place AT present quote this apPropria-
ton clause oil lsiithere may be others OF the same
knd-to show that words in il not found in the laws
which the appropriation is founded and that these
words all Entertainments and variations, having the
effect perhaps. of egtmatng sub sAeaao, the depart
ures from those acts.
We will now what the coast survey is actually
gagged in, and proposes to engage n and to what vast
distance It has travelled from the acts which authorized
it, n semi official publication made at Cincinnati, we
read as follows:
"The laws of Congress under which the survey is
at present osanaed. iobds the erection and onlit oil
sh The demands of science The survey being thus
hing and engages the asssancs Of the local
throughout the country, Already series OF observations
delphia and Chares'on, Atlantic and, recently,
they have been commenced at Cincinnati"
Here is very neat and clear declaration, and cool
1t Is clear and neat Congress having forbid the coast
survey to establish, or to maintain, permanent OBJ
servalory, then the coast survey will go into con-
nexion with all the local observatores OF the Union.
And for what purpose! Not to survey the coasts, but
10 survey the country, and the heavens to boot In
fact, to do the exact business of permanent Ma
tisnal Observatory We all remember the assaults
upon Mr. Adams for the light houses of the skies and
the denial of their constulionaliy; and we have just
the prohibition OF observatory the very act
astronomer for it. But the of science, it
above law and therefore, the coast survey will be
above law and will do what it was forbid TO do, not by
having one observatory, but all! Sir the object OF
the prohibition not against brick and mortar
against the stone and timber which built the Observa
tory-but against the business of t-aganst permitting
this coast survey to engage IN the work and business
of National Observatory.
Listen to another account of the business in which
the coast survey is engaged and see how exactly
it is employed in the peculiar work of an observa-
toytha of determining the differences of longtudes and
lalitudes the earhs surface. 1t is in an official
port the House of representatives, and is thus herald
ed in Elk. Doc No 81 OF the present session:
ELEcrao-sIAaSErIc ASTRONOMICAL
Letter Secretary of the Treasury communicating
report by the Superintendent of the Coast Survey.
application OF the galvanic circuit to astronomical
clock and telegraph register in determining local d. far
ences OF longitude and in astronomical observations
generally -[Januaiy 6, 1919 Laid upon the table. and
ordered be printed together with 1000 copies
2j0 OF which for the superintendent of the Coast Survey
Treasury DEPARTMENT, January 3, Is4'.
SIR have the ,aor transmit for the information of
tenden OF the cyast survey Professor A. Bacle com
municating the report OF the assistant charged with tel
yavanc circuit in connection with an astronomical clock
and telegraph register, to determining and registering the
the Of any astronomical phenomen
AS this application is of Importance only in the
survey operations but to practical astronomy generally
have deemed it best to make special report OF TO the
House OF Representatives, that may thus obtain due pub
lcity
Very respectfully, your obeden servant,
Secretary of the Treasury.
To the Hon. X. G. WINTHROP
| Speaker OF the House of Representatives.
The document goes on to show that Dr. Locke, OF Gin
cinnat is the inventor Of the magnetic clock and ele
graphic register OF which mention is here made and |
have another document showing that the National OBJ
servatory proper of this city, awaited itself of the
servatory; that have two observatories-one prop
| er and improper--one authorized by law and the
other forbid BY law-both doing the same thing. in the
same city, 1t is the letter of Lieut. Maury of the OBJ
servatory to the Secretary of the Navy asking leave
purchase of these magnetic clocks for the of the
National Observatory. The letter pays just tribute
beautiful in style--such model of simplicity and per,
spicuity and OF scientific descriptionhat will read
more OF it than the occasion absolutely demands will
read it ALL while the occasion would only require to
show that the National Observatory is very properly
awaiting itself OF DR.. Lockes discovery:
"NAEIosAL oBsrnyAroxv:
Washington, Jan. 8, 1919
"slR' have the honor of making known you mos,
important discovery for astronomy, which hns been made
by Dr. Locke of Ohio and of asking authority from You
to avail myself of il, for the use and purposes OF this OBJ
''The discovery consists in the invention of magnetic
clock by of which, seconds of time may be dvl-
ded into hundredths accuracy and precision
the mach'nst with rule and compass, can subdivide an
'Nor do powers end here; They such that the
astronomer in New Odeans St Louis, Boston, and OF
every other place which the magnetic telegraph reaches,
may make Sfs observation, and at the
this clock here in Washington, record the instant with
wonderful precision.
.'nus the in Boston observes the of
star it fits through the field of his instrument and
the meridian of that place. Instead of looking
clock before him. and noting time in the usual way, he
key aud the clock here subdivdes his seconds
the minutest traction and records the time with unerrng
accuracy.
"The astronomer in Washington waits for the star
his meridian and it does, DIR. Locke's magnetic
clock again touched it divides the seconds and records
the time for him with equal precision.
"The difference between these times is the longitude
of Boston from the meridian OF Washington.
''rhe astronomers in New Orleans and St. Louis, and
every other place within the reach OF the magnetic
wait for the and as comes TO their meri-
dan they have but touch key and straghtway the
central magnetic clock tells their longitude.
"And thus this probem which has vexed astronomers
and and pepexed the world for reduced
at by American ingenuity, TO form and method the
most simple and accurate.
''Whe process much simplifed, the results
greatly refined. In night the longitude may now be
dete rpned with far accuracy by OF the mag
nec telegraph and clock, than 1t can by of obseva
ton according TO any other method that has ever been
tried
alt is therefore, well entitled be called IMPORT
discovery; and belongs that class of achievements
by which the beautiful and enduring monuments
erected national honor and greatness 1t Is national
triumph and my eelmgso professional pride will not al
low pass it by without calling your attention TO the
garland that has been hung about by the navy.
ITO the belongs the honor OF having first applied
the magnetic telegraph the determination of longitude
Five six years ago, Capt Wilkes, OF the navy used it tor
determining the difference of longitude between this city
and Baltimore. This the first time it had been applied
such purpose and it great Improvement upon
the methods which, that me had been used for find
ing the longitude for reduced the results down TO the
curacy with which between the ticks of the
could be measured the face the clock by
eye and ear