The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-01
obituary.

PROFESSOR BOND, OF CAMBRIDGE ORsERv AroRY.
William Cranch Bond, one OF the most eminent and la
borous of this country, who died in
bridge saturday last his 69th year. the director
for many years Of the Cambridge Observatory His
tribuons TO the science Of astronomy have entitled him
TO of the highest places among its voaries and his
demise leaves gap the ranks Of American that
will not be readily filed. In the splendid instruments at
his command in the Cambridge Observatory he had un-
dOubtedly most valuable adjuncts in the prose-
cution Of his observations but IL must be said that
he bent them TO his will with the power of a
great genius His unlocked for demise invests with
more tender interest the description which Edward
Everett gives his fifth Mount Vernon paper Of his visit
TO Cambridge Observatory and bis ausion to its
bic director and his SON. with whom he viewed the Doaa
comet last October through Of the finest telescopes
the world, Of which Cambridge claim to be the pos
SCISSOR.
bad asked permission (says Mr. Everett) the DAY be
fore Of the venerable director Of the Observatory, vii
liam e. Bond, to make this visit. Even with this pre-
caution, it was not without hesitation that allowed my
self, for half hour TO divert to the gra.if ,aon of
curiosity however natural and audabe, Of the pre-
cious moments which, when employs by the skfui OBJ
the use Of powerful telescope, impor
tan to science No one ought TO visit first class Obser
vaory without remembering that while he Ia gratifying
bis taste by contemplating the Heavens through glass
like the Equatorial at Cambridge, he is wasting the time
Of men of the highest emnence, and misapplyng 10 all
scientific nens Of the two most powerful efracors
Professor Bond devoted long lfe TO the study OF
favorite science. He was born in Portland, Maine.
September 0, 1880. In 1902 he was apprenticed TO
his father, who matchmaker, and he con-
nued at that occupation for nearly fifty years Very
early in life he evinced a prediction for astronomy
In 1915 he commissioned by the corporation of Har
ward College to collect information with regard obser
vaories and Instruments and accordingly embarked for
Europe In 1889 he was invited by the college superu
tend the erection Of the Observatory a Cambridge and
appointed director, which Office he held to his
In 1912 the honorary degree Of Master Of Arts
ferred upon him by Harvard College. His last abors
the taking of Photographic maps of the stars. He
corresponding member of the Institute of France
Of La socete Phlomatque dc Paris, an associate of the
London AstJ onomica Society," and q member Of several
scientific bodies of this country. He established OF
the earliest private Observaories in America, Dor
CHESTER Mass In 1885, just previous 10 taking the drec-
torsbp at Cambridge he appointed by the general 60
vernment to conduct series of Astronomical
logical observations, with the Exploring Expe
don then fitting out under the command OF Capt Charles
Wilkes, U. S. n To his practical skill observers
piece Of mechanism called the "sprng governor" by
which time is vsiby measured to small fraction Of
second. To the same skil In applying scientific know
ledge TO mechanical in sarge part owing what
s known in Europe tho 'Amercan method" Of record
ing obse, vations by electro magnetism.
The grand refractor for the Of the Cambridge OBJ
which was ss lure by Asrz Maher
arrived this country in December 1885,
and equatorial mountngs did not arrive until Jnne ls47
From that time Professor Bond and his SON. Mr.. George
Bond also astronomer Of great emnence gave their
undivided attention to the objects Of the Observatory
For the hrtt four or ave years after receiving their
grand rcfracor they gave their who strength to that
class OF observations for which this instrument affords
peculiar advantages such as The following: observations
of planets the satellites Of Saturn Uranus and Nep
une double stars especially such have considerable
proper notion together with general review Of the
most remarkable nebuln. They have published in the
great nebula in Orion and that of Andromed accompa-
MED with drawings Of the most careful and elaborate
The younger Bond for several years maintained con
slant and systematic search for comets. With the comet
seeker be swept the entire heavens least once
month, and whenever he found any nebulous body with
which he was not familiar II was subjected 70 special
examination He has thus been the independent discov-
Of een eoe but unfortunately It subsequently ap-
peared that each of these one bad been previously
discovered in Europe The comet OF August &c. 1885, be
discovered seven days in advance Of European ason
omers Two other comets he discovered on the same
night that they were seen in Europe viz those Of June
164b and April H. lS49 Having found this species
Of observation too severe trial for bis eyes, he has
for the last three or four years given up cometseokng
altogether
In April, 1882 Professor Bond, in conjunction with his
eoD, commenced series Of 0bseT vations which conem
plated the formation of most extepsve catalogue Of stars
down TO- the eleventh magnitude designing at the
time to include in the series many Of the twelfth magn
tpde as could be got without nfer ring with the
nation OF the brighter ones. They had completed two
entire zones for the whole circuit Of the heavens the
equator TO twenty minutes of north dccnatop, dis.
containing $500 stars The result of these observa
tons published in the first volume of the Annals
Of the Astronomical Observatory Of Harvard College,
1865 The professor then undetoo zones from 20 "
40 minutes north declnaton, which he also completed
Professor Bond also discovered the eighth satellite OF
Saturn, after sixty years Of brreDness in that region
just two days before was by Lasse Of Liverpool
with bis great Newtonan reflector Captain Smyth says
In his Cycle OF Mr.. Bond.--
The elder Bond one OCCASION saw an eclipse of the
6rtt fatete OF Jupiter In the shadow Of the third both
satellites beng of the planet, and both shadows on
cumsance necessarily OF rare occurrence and probably
never seen before.
Professor Bonds valuable communications with refe
to the celebrated comet last year fresh in
The memory Of our readers.