The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-11-23
The Late Henry Draper, ID. d., LII. II,

Professor Henry Draper, the astronomer
and chemist, whose death in New York was
announced Tuesday, was born in Prince
Edward county. Va. May !, 1887. In lS47
iiis idtuvi' o'iN ia,v ~. JVnn W. DIai'vi,
whom lie cXcclled in fame and TO whose
chair he succeeded on his death, in January
last, removed TO New York, aud was ap-
pointed professor OF chemistry in the Uni
ver>itv Of that city. Professor Henry Dra-
per was educated in the academic and med
zeal departments Of the University, and az.
ter receiving his degree from The latter
spent two years in Europe. On this
trip he saw Lord ROSES great telcscODe.
which, together with some discoVerir, he
had made u Il medical student. turned IN,
attention TO celestial Photography. . de-.
partmcnt OF science in which ii, nyncrj-
mcntS were sufficient TO make his rcputatlUn
| After returning from Europe he construct
ed q fifteen and Onc-half inch rejecting
! telescope, aud with the aid OF this instrl-
! mcnt took photograph OF the moon fifty
! nchc, in diameter. Iii, methods Of grind
! ing and polishing and testing rejecting
mirrors were then noticed extensively,
/ being the subject OF Il publication bv the
smithsonian institute. His work in the
construction OF his telescope was largely
done with his own hands, and President
Barnard, Of Columbia College. said oi the
making OF his silycrcd- glass spccilum that
il WAS probably the most difficult and
costly experiment in celestial chemistry
ever made" Ia celestial chemistry " the
labOr> OF the ardent scientist continued.
Professor Draper was the first to obtain a
, photograph OF the fixed line, in the Spectra
Of stafs-an experiment that has been re-
pcatcd only once or twice since. His WORK IN
this direction was continuous, and ne i
said to have obtained photographs OF more
than one hundred OF the spcctra OF different
/ stars. Scientists or students III SCIENCE
Only can appreciate the fact TINT MS piio-
/ toulYlOh OF the diffTactiOn spectrum ia>
been unexcclled 10y any taken later. II
comprised a greater range than any 0thci
that has been taken, and II was copied IN
! tool cut used in Sccchi's work on the sun,
=, we'll as by autograph in the proceeding
of the British Association. In 1874 Pro
fessor Draper was appointed by Congress
10 the commission created TO observe the
transit OF Venus across the disc Of the sun.
By the commission kc was appointed SUI
pcrintcndent OF the Photographic Depart
ment, and was 80 successful IN h- work
that a special gold medal was struck in hi>
honor by order OF Congress in The
Philadelphia Mint. II was the most
signal honor that had ever been
paid TO any one for scientific work
by the American Congress. In 1877
he published II paper entitled "Discoyery
Of Oxygen in the sun, and New Theory
OF the Solar Spectrum" This theory has
been disputed since hc advanced ii, hit the
tendency OF scientific study since that time
Is said TO have been toward a yindicatlon
OF his conclusions. In 1878 he went tothe
Rocky Mountains TO photograph an eclipse
OF the sun, and for two years thereafter he
worked TO obtain photographs Of the nehula
OF Orion. His observatory at Hastings on
Hudson and his laboratory in New York
city were said TO he the Gesl equipped Of
any in the United States. il not in The
world containing all the best appliance, Of
I science that are kneWn.