New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-13
TIE DUDLEY oBsEsvAToRY AFFAIR.
DEFENSE or DIR GOULD BY THE SCIEN-
TIFIC COUNCIL.

brought By Mr. OlcOtt, the President Of the B)ard
OF Trustees, against DIR. Gould inasmueb as bg the
use Of the psmet Of the writers, aud under pledge
Of their management OF the sc.eutfc concerns OF
The Observatory, the large donation of Mrs Dudley,
as well as m.ny smaler ones, we're procured The
claim il fair one end should be candlily co0sid-
cred We regret that in an article 30 BRET as that
Of newspaper notice must necessarily be, We eau
not do it the justice it deserves. We plunge how
ever, a. orce ntO the middle Of il, and make frat
tDis extract to show the relation between the Board
aid the Council, as necessary requiste 10 under
stand all that subsequently followed:
"The Transactions Of January, 1853 constituting,
"a thew DO ~ moral if po' legal point Of vie r.
contrsit between the Trustees Of the Dadley Obsef
victory ard The Scentic COun I'll, deserve ID be stated
IN some detail. NJ. Olcott had made, u behalf OF
the Board, 10 a member Of the scientific Coutcl
Prof Bscbe, several propositions, the accep snce Of
al ole Of which by the Council would DO satisfactory
10 him.
"The circumstances Of our appointment should not
here be lost sigtt Of nor the fact that friends and
doaoIs to the Observatory took part In the meeting;
nor that the Executive Committee composed OF Mr..
Ocolt and DR.. Ara shy took part in the meetiog-he
former addfessin, 1t, erd bota Of them calling upon
Prof Henry and DR.. Gould 10 90 the same. These
gentlemen slwsys wrote aud said 10 the the scion
fc control OF The Obse -vstory was to bs exclusively
with "a. We vera toe Scientific Courci to msnsge
the scientific concerns Of the Observa.ory, and not to
suggest 10 or advise With the Trusees-'he CouIc !,
not the counsel,
"Tbe first Of Mr. Olcot's proportions was 70 pace
the Observatory iaimed Ately and entirely under d..
GOolds charge, SUBJECT Only 70 the Scientific C)uncd
in scientific matters provided he wcdo nrlng. "o az
sjsants with HIM, and provided all would labor with
out expera ae 70 the Observa,Ory-Mr Olcott g1aran-
eng a. the tin that the email mount necessa
for mounting the ustfumsots and the Indispensable
eqr ipments 81 ould D. tOiDished
This proposition the Council acceied to as the
best that. under the circumstances Of the iustItu-
ton. could be made, and because il enabled them
TO u.e "Dr. Gould's extraordinary talents and
precision 10 such ways as by their fruis to ln-
duce new donations to the Observatory" For
the two previous years srch had been the relation
between the Board and the Council; in f.ct, the
" institution was dead when the Council agreed to
supervise It, and il was revived by the pledge of
" their scientific regulations that i. should be msde
ga national, frs,-clsss Observatory" The
Council knew that DIR. GOulds assistants in the
longitude party Of the Coast Survey would JON him
az volunteers in HE astronomical lab0rs, az they
did; sni of lese gentlemen, who are charged by
Mr. OlcOtt as having treated members OF the
Board with "insolence, pIevarlcation, and false
" hood" whom be sueers at as "Pstron's sauts OF
4" the institution" though not "out OF their
teens" the Council says:
owe challenge the city of Albsny to produce four
youpe men more exemplary 10 their characters, or OK
cellent in their attainments. Earning IRON
the G., verpment by scientific labor mere pttance,
by labor continued through many hours OF the day
that il has been aGjudged throughout the world to be
dsy's full task, they nevertheless volunteered 10
assst DIR. Gould in his gfatuitous and severe ol az
the Dudley Observatory Receiving no supp0rt rom
shelter themselves ara essential by ITS proximity 10
the Observatory to the execution OF work by nsh' OF
by day, with no comforts or luxues OF iurniture or
appliances Of domestic life provided at the cost OF the
Tinstees at least the independence OF their posi-
ton should have been acknowledged ny the B)ard,
and they should have been treated with gentlem,nly
mdness and courtesy, perhaps even wita some indi'
cations of sympathy and regard which might serve as
recognition of their noble zeal and dsntefestedness.
Such were the assistants. Now, who is DR..
Gould. who commanded so completely on one
SIDE the admiration and respect of such men a,
Bache. Henry and Perce, but who, the President OF
the Board of Trustees discovered, before four
months were over, neglected his duty, from
:, discreet unwilnguess to test his skill as prsc-
teal astronomer :" The Council reply:
Though selfrespect might prevent him from an
swerug this question himself, yet the Scientific Coun-
ci when accused of want OF csuton or honesty on
his account, may be permitted to answer IT, Ut.
Gould graduated at Cambridge, vita high honors;
He early resolved TO devote himself to astronomy aud
for this purpose passed four years In Europe lie de-
voted year 10 study at Berlin, under Enche, one
10 research at Gottipgen under Gauss, and nearly TWO
wears more to labors a. the Imperial or koye
observ stories of England France and Russia,
under the superintendenee OF men Ike AIRY,
this way he was enabled to become acquainted
/ with the peculartes of each observatory
/ and from the talents land we may say genus) Shlch
he exhibited in the scquistOn OF the old and sugges
tion of new knowledge, he gained general esteem,
! and the warm fIencshp (Df which We have abundant
proof of the most diet ngui'hsd astronomers OF Eu-
/ rope. Returning to America, he was employed en-
/ tie Coast Survey, as successor to the Ilu:trlous
Walker in the practical deternr s,iops % longtuies
by the telegrsphic system; ard We beg to place the
POSITIVE results of HE abos in tbs lire against the
Judgment OF Mr.. Olcott, however coIhien,y eA
pressed.
"When. q few years sgo tire astronomical exps-
diton urder Lieut.. & lies mad been fitted olt by the
United States Government and sent TO Chill, tor the
purpose of determining the distance OF the sun from
the eslth- this being the great ssI onomca unit upon
which all our measurements Of t,e vss. distances OF
spsce dc depend-neary three years were devoted by
III, accomplished officer in charge and his assistants
10 obtauir series 0. extended add minute observa-
tons Upon the return OF the eapedllon, the Thoie
collection Of observations made in pursuance oi
lhe objects Of the e1pedi ion was place1 Oy
the Secretary of the Navy in the hsrds OF Dr..
Gould for reduction aud the determination OF
tie desired quar ti,ies The maDner 10 which this
woik wss performed has met the general
srp,obaiiou of the scientific world. d.. Gould hss
continuously sustsined at his expense for the last
une years an astronomical journal OF the trs. ci.s
Through lis columns the principal additions TO as-
.ronomy which have been inside in country aring
the period above mentioned, have been given to the
word. i, hiss become standard of references IL ths
history of nomy, which on account of the eonnec
ton Cf i's editor with the Dudley OoservaNry, ma,
ieryed With other circumstances, 70 render Tie name