Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-29
The Comet of 1851.

star gaZerS. The scientists at the naval ob5er-
vatory are improving the opportunity aff )rded
by cloudless nights to study the celestial
stranger. It VIII require series OF onserva.
tens be fore the elements OF the comets orbit
cen be accurately stated. Mean while such
computations as have been made are based
up, Tp1n 4, the ssme data a. as that upon Which @ NJ
Upton said that the per1helon passage would
occur about July 1st On account of the posi-
ple errors In the data on which he worked.
Of the way. Upon the same data, 1t has been
figured at the obserp atory that the head or
nucleus is about 100 miles In diameter. the
hszy envelope around the head about 800, 600
In diameter, ard
THE TAIL ABOUT 50O0, 900 MILES LONG.
Prof Harkness has made a model showing
the relative positions of the earth. the comet,
and the sun, and the orbits of the earth and
the comet The question is frequently asked
why 1t is that The comet is said to be going
north, and at the same time approaching the
sun. BY 'going north" the astronomers mean
the direction OF the line of vision from the
tion. The orbit Of the comet, which is now
approaching It's perihelion, passes within the
orbit OF the earth. About June Goth the comet
then being ten millions Of miles away towards
the sun. About that time 1t began to be visi-
BILE to people north OF the equator. It is now
from the earth. After passing the perlhelion
1t Will 60 south, or recede from the north pole,
put 1t will probably remain visible until it van
tshes In the distance. It cannot be definitely
stated now how long it will be before 1t reaches
the vanishing point
WHAT PROF. HARDNESS SAYS.
1T is not improbable that we passed through
the tail of the comet about the goth of june"
said Prof Harkness to q STAR reporter to day.
tae ne S4
probably balanced by the increasing distance
rom the earth, go there is apparently little
change" Have there been any observations
the repor;er Porte Yes epe'0ScSas' Was at naesa WoTs
with the spectroscope last night the
main result Is bright continuous spectrum
probably the ordinary comet spectrum, except
that the continuous spectrum is brighter than
from this comet"
THERE ARE NOW FIVE VACANCIES in the re-
tired list Of the army. Two of them will be
Plnkney Lugenbeel, OF the 5th infantry nd
Col. F. T. Dent, OF the lst artillery.
ATTORNEY GENERAL. MAcvEAaH will arrive
here to night on the 10 O'Clock train from Phil
adelph1a.
THE PRESIDENT has decided not to leave for
Williams college until next Saturday. Before
he returns he will visit st. Albans, VT, as the
guest OF Governor Farnham. There he will
make an address to the people and hold a re-
ctpt10n.
SURGEON AT FREEDMEN's HosPIrAL-It Is uu-
derstood that DR.. Palmer will, In day or two,
tender his resignation as surgeon in charge OF
the Freedmen's Hospital The colored people
OF tie District have been pressing the claims OF
DR.. Augusta and DR.. PurVis, and 1t is probably
that one OF these gentlemen will be appointed
ARMY ORDKRs.-First Lieut.. Il. n. Gilman
18th Infantry. is relieved from duty In the sig
Dal service and will join his company; 1st Lie1t.
n. F. lamar. 18th infantry, is relieved from
duty at the Louisiana State University aud
Mechan1cal and Agricultural College, Baton
Rouge, La, to take effect July ], 1851. and win
join his company.
AMONG THE PRESIDENTS CALLERS To DAY
were Governor Foster, General Swain. Secre-
tar! Blaine, resentatives Keifer, Hobbs and
DeZeDdorr. The yorktown Centennial Comn;s-
sion called in body to pay their respects
TneIe Toene " were re- not many people q. the White
P. NJ. G. James, Secretary Hunt, and Collector
Proud OF Baltimore. called on the Presiden
this afternoon.
SECRETARY BLAINE said last night he had 10
made up his mind whether he should go to
Maine this week or not. He is In excellent
health and weighs 100 pounds
AMONG THE NAMES mentioned for District
CoDmisstonership is that OF ex-senator Cragln,
Of New Hamshire. The impression now fs
however, that the President does not contem
plate making any immediate changes In the
District government.
COLLECTOR RoBBHTsoN's CoMM1ss1oN.-Tne
President TO- day signed the commission of
State Senator Robertson to be collector at New
York. He Will enter on his duties the 1st OF
Lext month.
APPo1NTED.-The President to-day appointed
D. T. Davis collector of customs at Bangor,
Maine, vice Smith Suspended.
A BALTIMORE DELEGATION was at the White
House this afternoon In the interest OF Col e.
A. Webster as collector OF the port there and
Capt Robert Cathcart as naval OFFICER The
delegation consisted of Philip Dawson and
Philip and William Buehler. The train tnat
them near BladeusbuIg. and delayed them
several hours
TRANSFER OF CARPET CONTRACT AT THE TREAS.
URY.-A committee OF the Treasury officers
few days ago awarded the carpet contract to
". B. Moses andlC. ". Hays. of this city. Sec
re,ary WINDOW did not approve that award.
He, on the other hand decided to ACCEPT the
propt sal Of J. Il: Pray & Co, of Boston. to fur
ing the ne xt fiscal year aJ 81 % per yard. Pre-
vfous to making the decision all the samules
submitted by bidders were sent to New York
TOT expert examination by persons familiar
with the manufacture OF carpets. All labels
and other marks which would In any way lodi
care tne manufacturers name were removed
with view to securing an impartial opinion as
to the merits Of the several carpets After an
exhaustive examination. during which parts OF
the samples we're taken apart, the committee
unantn ously selected the sample submitted BY
Pray 4 co. The contract is TO furnish Is 900
yards, more or less. The carpeting Is for the
different pubic buildings under the Treasury
A. T. Stewart & Co. have been awarded the
contract for furnishing carpet trimming
PRRsoNAL.-Senator Sherman has Just been
made an LID. by Kenyon College.-Inspec-
Tor General Sackett is in New York.-Ex.
Representative j. Allen Barber died at his
home In Lancaster, Wis, yesterday, after
weeks illness. His estate is valued at
s. coz, ,000.-Misses Nellie, May and Mabel GIL
hllaD, daughters OF the U. s. Treasurer leave
the City this afternoon for Connecticut, where
they will spend the remainder OF the summer
-EY. SnpQkpr Uo