The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-14
The Great RefractOr at the National
Observatory in Washington.
New York Observatories and
Private Telescopes.
Lord Rosse's and the Other Fa-
nous Instruments.
HOW THE COMET IS.

Ing. There are but rev people in this country who
realize the amount Of time and money which are
spent every year on astronomical observations OF
stellar phenomena. 1t would be difficult, Tor in
stance, TO tell how many astronomers are intent
on this very day upon watching the comet and her
beautiful tail. There are nearly sixty observa-
tories in this country armed with more or less
powerful telescopes for the observation OF sucn
Migrants as this comet
THE TELESCOPE WASHINGTON.
The most powerful is the one at the government
observatory in Washington, constructed by Avian
Clark h Sons, OF Boston, the Wen known telescope
makers. This nrm, which reflects great credit
upon Anne rican science and enterprise, has cup.
piled some OF the best observatories In
Europe with large refractors. The first glass the
firm made was rve inch rejecting telescope. They
were greatly encouraged by their first success and
made larger and larger telescopes Mr.. Clark sent
. number OF his glasses to the Rev. W. r. Dawes,
an amateur astronomer OF England, who had rec
ognzed the extraordinary ability OF the firm In
shaping object glasses. Mr. Clark in making these
glasses, had 10 import his rough discs rom Great
Britain where they had greatly improved methods
OF casting the rough glass The trials Of the firm
were many and severe. Instead OF encouraging
these pioneers ID an important branch Of industry
the government actually set obstacles in their
way by levying the monstrous tax of more than
thirty per cent upon the rough discs which they
had to import. In 1862 Mr.. Clark finished the
largest refractory telescope which the world OF
science could boast OF at that time. The aperture
ofits object glass was not less than eighteen and
q half inches-three and a half inches more than
that OF the famous refractors used at the great
oDservatOries OF Pulkowa and Cambridge. With
this telescope discovery of the greatest import.
ance was made, and the satellite OF Sirius
FIRST SEEN BY HUMAN EYES.
Such was the attention which This great discov
cry commanded in Europe that the French Acad-
envy bestowed the Laande meda-an annual re-
ward for the most interesting discovery which has
been made-on Mr.. CLARK. Thus the firm was
honored by the scientific men Of Europe, while in
this country, where a great refracting telescope
was so sadly needed at rhe Washington observa-
tory, their recognition was far from being ade-
quate. The glass at Washington an old
fashioned affair, with none OF the modern appli-
ances and really disgrace to the country. The
subject had frequently been mooted in Congress,
and various suggestions had been made in regard
to the purchase OF more powerful glass, worthy
Of the National Observatory. At last the
magnates in Washington awoke from their
sleep and appropriated $4,000 for the pur-
pose. The Clarks obtained the contract
and pledged themselves to make an instrument Of
twenty six inches aperture-the largest which had
been made thus far was twenty-five inch glass.
The making OF such large instrument is attended
by great many difficulties The glass discs for the
lenses were ordered in England, but more than a
year passed before they could be completed. The
cost OF the necessary dome, tower and foundation
end the glass has exceeded 100000, but the coun-
try possesses an instrument which Is worthy Of It's
name and will render inestmaDle service to sci.
ence. 1t is the largest reiractor ever made and is
glass which win bear comparison with the great
telescopes OF Lord Rose and Lasse notwithStand
ing their superior size.
CINCINNArI's WORK.
Cincinnati, which has had an observatory fol
more than seventy years-being indeed the Queen
City OF the West as lar as scientific enterprise is
concerned-purchased, in lS45, telescope with
an object glass OF twelve-lnch aperture, OF Merz
MAhler the great telescope makers at Municn, for
about S1O 900. Under the supervision of Professor
Mitchell a handsome observatory was built. The
telescope had five eye-pieces and nine microme-
tiers, with 1,40O power aud the necessary clock.
work for steadily viewing star. In 1870 a new
and larger site for an observatory was donated by
Mr.. Klzour, one OF the most prominent and active
citizens OF the place. The building will be much
larger and handsomer than the old observatory.
THE OBsERvATORIES IN THIS CITY.
New York has number OF telescopes which are
paying a good deal or attention to the comet.
There is first of all. The reractor at DR.. Rutner-
fords observatory IN Second avenue, at the corner
OF Eleventh street. TINS gentleman ranks with
the great amateur astronomers like Lord Rose
and others, having devoted much Of his time and
wealth TO this noble science He mas made the
telescope himself The first instrument, which he
made In 1854, for phntographng stellar groups,
and was intended TO be substitute for the hlar
micrometer method OF measurement. This was a
reiractOr of eleven inches aperture, with two dis.
tinct glasses, composed OF Two lenses each one
Tor photography and the other for vision. The
present telescope was made by DR.. Rutherford in
1862 IL is OF thirteen inches clear aperture and a
considerable modification OF the old instrument, a
lens being added to the usual glass. This lens
is so constructed that 1t snortens the locus about
One-seventh. 1t has about six eye-pieces and
magnng power 81 Loo one e eles ahdn with oo s
Mr.. Campbell, OF this city, has twelye-inch glass
an his observatory on the BROOKLYN Heights; It's
local length Is thirteen rect, and II Is probably
worth from $4,000 70 $4,000.
ATsoR cry TELESCOPES.
At the Columbia college there is a small tele-
length, which is mounted on the green for the ln-
struction OF the students. 1t was made ~ Avian
Clark and Is worth probably, 5000 or $1,000.
MIR. Harrison, well known citizen, connected
with the Board OF Education, and Mr. Fitz have also
six-nch glasses in their private ooservatoTles, and
Professor Henry Draper has an enormous silver
glass refector, OF twenty-six inches aperture and
Hastings This is probably, the only large reflector
in this country, all the other Leading telescopes
being reractors. Professor Diapers reflector has,
There are a number of small four and I'VE inch
glasses at the various colleges IN TINS city, at the
Packer Institute, in Brooklyn, at the New York
University and in private observator!es. The num-
Der of small telescopes, OF six-inch aperture and
upwards, throughout the country is also large.
Besides the Washington and Cincinnati telescopes
there are several, however which are OF consider
able size and worthy OF mention. Harvard Uni.
versity has an excellent reiractor OF fifteen inches
aperture and go In length. 1t is equatorlalJ
mounted AMI cost $40, 600. Allegheny, Pa, has q
glass OF twelve or thirteen ncn aperture and about
fourteen feet focal length. AT Ann Arb0r, An
napolis, West Point, Amherst College, Dartmouth
College, Rochester and IN many other cities OF the
Union there are also good telescopes, although o
smaller size.
cHIcAGos GREAT LUCK.
Chicago which has already a very valuable re
tractor, made by Avian Clark, viii soon oe aDe tt
boast OF the possession Of the "blggest'' lnstru
ment in the country. Mr.. Mccormick, the reaper
manufacturer, has ordered refractor OF Alvar
Clark which will be OF quarter OF an men large
aperture than the great telescope in Washington
This order was given at the time the government
contracted with Mr. Clark Tor the instrument nov
at the national observatory and Mr. McCormict
might have insisted upon having his telescope
nrst. but he waived his right and allowed the gov
eminent TO have the precedence. Mr.. Mccormick
will pay $4,000 Tor this relractor and Chicago vii
rejoice that it has the biggest thing out.u TIL,
Lick Observatory in san Francisco, will also so or
be armed with an enormous telescope, aud th