National Republican., 1873-11-24
ASTRONOMY.
Csiaabia Tars-vcreis -Lecture 90 Lice.
tenast whsslsr's RzDsaisiss.

Csiaasia Tars-vereis -Lecture 90 Lles.
tenass Whssisr's RzDsAisiss.
Last night DR.. Kampf, chief astronomer Of
Wheelers exploring expedition, delivered very
Interesting lecture In the assembly rooms Of the
above-naned association, In which he explained
very lucidly the nature Of observations made BY
the expedition, and demonstrated the n,sds= sps-
randi by astronomical expertments, executed By
means sf the instruments used In the neld. We
Eve .uS3c.ned erief synopsis OF the principle
The expedition, conducted by Lieut. wsseisr,
was accompanied BY three astronomiosl oosps q
TONED u ssis Lake, While he tso osSs1s, s,sss. M
ing 70 The west and southwest respectively, trav-
eled from place 70 place In order TO determips
ne " pSs,soa 9, sss Issss Ths de-
oomplishsd BY ascertaininG the iongitude and
latitude, The site Of these pointa, which -
called ,oossrvinS stations, after having besn
Ance BY large mouuments, eru6sdded In The
ground about four feet and projecting above the
surface abost three feet. Upon these moas-
for the purpose q making tAe subsequent obser-
vstions necessary 70 further detefminattsas.
The instrument uaed for observations Of Tine d
Of ) saivanic battery, with the chfoaometsr,
which latter breakini, the electric circuit nsrks
upon the former its time.
u o,ae then 70 s,sss.s sownSnics,oS sn
and me station just occupied. q is necsasary
Sat the telegraph wire Of the Western Union
o Q any any % other lins = conducted into,snd oon:
y strumeut is placod a. nearly a. possible IN the
cridlan and . meridian marx Is located, then
90 error Of the chrocometer may BE- detsrnlnsd
.hrough the agenoy sf star observations. II (ths
telegraph line not being used Ter the transmits
SION OF business) there are no obstacles observed
by intesmsdistc stations then the chronomaters
time At both the permanent and the tFansieat
stations, thereby showing The difference hstWeen
.he Two Instruments used. tHere Dr.. kampf
BY which-knowins the errors Of the two chro-
nometers-the difference Of longitude u ascsr-
This operation being repeated on six diasrs.,
nlghts, csnnot fall TO yield . result ansvcring
entirely all purposes Of science. After the o6.
seryatlons oi longitude are completed the upper
thereby enabling the astronomer TO turn ~
same upon horizontal base, one hundred -
eighty degrees backward and forward. For sac1
stars, one Of which must ouiminats on A. ne ESQ south
side d nearly the same distance Of the zenith a
the other does on the north side. The difference
meter scrcx sSd ,Ss DEVIATION y, ~ n,ero
ment In . horizontal plane 10 determined by 4
level tExample illustrating the course OF OBJ
seryations and the computation Of the nnai
In order to attain to nrst class result there
must be made ITO observations Of this kind. By
these means the position OF the points above
alluded TO 10 nxed, and IL now becomes the duty
Of an experienced topographer % connect shsn,
with natural objects. Th(s 70 very easy task,
inasmloh a. the Western portion Of our oosntry
| abounds In gigantic mountains, visible for hum
dreds OF miles, which mountains may readily Be
brought Into connection with these pointA By Q
proper triAnsulatlon. tDr. Kampf here dwelled
a. length upon secondary and tertiary Tisnguls-
In conclusion Or. Kampf spoke very giowi nsiy
OF the interchangeable energy and eminent ntneSs
OF Lieut.. Wheeler, sulosjzing particularly hia
and his readiness 10 aid his subordlnites, By all
means conceivable, In q proper discharge Of
| their respectful duties. Z