The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-04
THE THREE COMETS.

To THE EDlroK OF THE HxRALD:-
have Just read Professor Parkhurst's Interesting
letter the three comets OF 1877 and being person.
ally interested In what no says OF comet hope you
will deny littc space in your next ISSUE to
or two corrections regarding my alleged fail
to properly announce It's discovery, &C. He in
error In several particulars. ana know he will DO
pleased 10 be set exactly right in them ALL and, as
many would infer that had dono my duty In
bungling manner, simple justice 70 myself demands
this brief reply. He says:-"swft undertook TO an.
nounce or specify his discovery, but the observers
skilled IN tho art Vt the National Observatory could
not lind tho comet, and there Is evidence
that any announcement was madc which
abcd any person skilled In the art to 1nd the
comet until alter Borellis discovery" II
may not be universally known that astronomers
have made arrangements with certain telegraph CON-
panies both In this country and In Europe, and also
with Of the cable lines TO telegraph all dis
coveries in astronomy free Of charge Those madc in
this country to be telcgraphed immediately 10 Profess
Henry, Of the Smithsonian Institution; he TO
cable IL TO tho President Of the Academy OF Sciences
at Vienna, and he again send all tho prime pal
obscrvatories Europe. process applies to
discoveries made Europe In order, therefore, tor
q person to lay claim to the priority OF such dis
covery no must comply with these conditions The
vital question here, Did do so2 That strictly
fulfilled them the following facts will show:-l drst
detected the comet at Oh. som., and Instantly sus-
pcctcd It's cometary character. In ten minutes
motion was detected; but not daring 10 telegraph Il
until l was moro tnan sure, ! waited q hall hour,
when, getting It's position as closely ~ my instru-
mental means would allow, sent In language brlcf
according astronomical CUSTOM 10 Professor Henry
the following telegram
To Professor Jo.rpn hssxr Wsshns.sa. 3 y. - 10"
faint. slow, northeast. 1. SWIFT.
The astronomer receiving this message roads thus
a. Swift, OF Rochester, n T., y. A.. al VI. 3om.
discovered a new comet IN right ascension On SON.
decnation north 81 degrees IL has no tail, FAINT
and Is moving slowly toward the northeast" Ny
duty In tho matter here ended. But ! Gas exceed.
ingy anxious that bc3re morning, good observation
should DO made for exact position and endeavored TO
reach Dr. Peters tho being nearest 10 mo probably
having clear sky, but Uica said .'Ofco at CLINTON
closed:" so sent telegram TO the Naval Observatory
The noxt DAY received. with great regret, despatch
saying they could not lind and asking Tor another post
ton Its Iantness anu hazy atmosphere we're. prob
ably, the causes Of failure. l have doubt that
waited until darkness allowed mo again 10 SEQ T. aud
getting another position, transmitted TO them tho
right ascension ana Jeclinaton and added IN deld
with Pr" Although had gwen position correctly
made stako In the name OF the star, discovering
which next morning promptly made sor.
rcction, sending message that tho star
not n but Mu. We're the disadvantages under which
| labor, and for years have laDorcd, known 10 tho
public this error would cause no surprise.
The question is. whether tho weather al . Der.
tain observatory allowed tho comet TO be- found but
whether did or did not insure snccessfui claim 10
priority by complying with the conditions bed
VIZ, by tcegrapbIng at once To tho only person
thorzed TO receive this Information, ing is correct
position And did give It's position within tho limits
demanded BY the conditions 40 forth by Mr. Park.
hurst a0d analogous 80 the principle OF patent Law
which be refers? answer did. Professor Newton,
OF Yale College, found u readily, and xroossor Gund
ZACH, OF the optical works OF this city sent mo a
gratuiaory card, saying he found with a -four Inch
telescope In few minutes from tho description OF
positon given In my letters 70 tho throo papers
published hore. which description Identical with
that sent Professor Henry. No blame attaches any
vrho hutu nj ns We ng mi
accrues n my claim DO not fully established, aud
have, through your columns, submitted these facts
with tlle comment to the impartial judgment Of tho
world
Perhaps Il win DO interesting TO your readers to
learn this comet Is less faint than has been repre-
scnted. one night observed II distinctly with Glib
bous moon. another astronomer witnessing Il On tho
same OCCASION LEWIS SWIFT.
ROCHESTER, May l. 1871