Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-30
UNIVERSITY.
cornxHcyxEEr wHYK-rHS WORK
OF THE YEAR.
what Has Been Done In che OBSERVATORY
Other pepartmsnts-0rsda-
ates in Law.
tRepor,ed for the p'spaseh.l
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA,
June %. 1886.


UNyyERsrrY OF VIRGINIA,
June 20, 1886.
The past session has been . very sue
c<ssful ono. In the matter OF equip
ment the University has never been in
, better shape, and the work accomplished
presents very gratifying results. Espe-
cially 10 this true Of the great Observe
tory established here by the muni6cence
ofLeandsr Mccormick end others. Its
great equatorial has been chiefly en-
ployed in the examination and sketch
ing of southern nebul@. The nebula
In Orion, and the Tridd and Omega
pebule have received special attention.
Three hundred and fifty.one observa-
tons Of miscellaneous nebul@ have
been made, resulting in 226 drawings
and the discovery Of 233 nsbul1, which
are supposed not to have been hitherto
detected. Tho features seen indicate
that the performance Of the instrument
employed surpasses that Of any OF the
sres. refiectors which have been used
in tho examination OF nebule, the ex-
animation Of complicated structures
seldom failing 10 show features not no.
ticed elsewhere. Observations have
been made of Barnard's comet, 1885,
Barnard's comet, 1886, and Tuttle's
periodic comet. Tuttle's was observed
ct only one other place-Nice, in
France and there by means Of the ln-
strument presented to the Republic
of France by NJ. Biscbofsheim--a very
large instrument of thirty-inch aper-
ture. Barnard's comet OF 1886 was
observed here three weeks after 1t
ceased to be visible at other observsto-
ries. The year proved to be bad one
for astronomical work. The Director.
Professor Ormsnd Stone, says that no
other year in his experience contained
30 many cloudy nights. The director
has prepared and published notes OF his
observations, under the general title OF
Publications Of tho Leander Motor
mick Observatory"
The University through Professor
Fontaine, is doing very important
work in geological research. The later
field work has been devoted to investi-
eating the geology and collecting the
fossils of . belt Of country extending
from Washington to point twenty
miles south Of Petersburg. This belt
is situated near the head Of tide in the
rivers. The strata contain number of
fossil plants of exceptional interest from
q geological and botanical point Of view.
He has been fortunate in finding this
fora, for it fills gap Of great impor-
lance in the geological records. The
United States Government will publish
the results Of these Investigations du-
ring the present summer. Professor
Fontaine is now in the field.
Thirty young men have been en-
gagged the past SESSION in original work
in the chemical laboratory. This is an
unusually good showing. The results
Of their labors will be published as
papers prepared by them in the differ
ent chemical publications of this coun-
try and Europe. Among these papers
this year are Notes on Mercurous |
Hydrate mot before described, Lead |
Shot, Production Of Platinum Silicide,
Pure Zinc from Bertha Zinc Company,
Native o. Iron from Highland County,
Peculiar Variety Of Malschite from
Montana, Amalgam Of Mirrors, &c.
Another enterprise, which has at
tracted much attention, is the publica-
ton Of the " Annals of Mathematics"
bi.monthly magazine devoted, as its
title implies, to mathematical investiga-
ton. 1t is edited by Professor Ormand
Stone, Of the Leander Mccormick OBJ
seryatory, and Professor William NJ. |
Thornton, Of the School of Mathematics,
and has long list Of contributors in
this country and Europe.
The library has been extensively |
added to. The Austin bequest added |
some 5000 volumes, which, together |
with the purchased volumes, runs the
total number up to about $4,000.
The register Of deaths among the
alumni last year is unusually long.
DR.. John Stage Davis, who had been
connected with the University from his
boyhood as student, instructor, and
professor, is first on the list, followed
by Colonel Henry A. Darlington Of
Charlotte, General Robert Toombs OF
Georgia, Charles +. NJ. Garnett tdistin-
guished eDgineer), DR.. Frank Cunning
ham Of Richmond, Bishop Henry Z.
Lay Of Maryland, William Frazier for
mer visitor, DR.. A. NJ. Fauntleroy OF
Stanton, w. c. Hamilton OF Balti-
more 10 lawyer Of fine pron.ise), Pro-
lessor A. b. Brown of Richm md Col
lege, and several others.
The following are the graduates in
Law: William f. Bsggers, Union, W.
Va; William II. Bryant, Clifton Forge,
w. Va; L. NJ. Coleman, Markham,
Va; Clarence Dallam, Henderson, KY;
A. II. Davis, University Of Virginia
A. s. Farrow, University Of Virginia
II. d. Flood, Appomattox Courthouse,
Va; r. E. Hall, Wheeling, W. Va;
FIR. Lassiter, Petersburg, Va; S. Y.
Long, Russellville, KY; J. I. Lupton,
HarIisonburg, Va; NJ. F. Maury,
Richmond, Va; o. F. Mears, Keller,
Va; b. S. Minor, Comorn, Va; E. NJ,
Moore, vicksburg, Miss; NJ. A. Nor
rison, frankfort, Md; G. w. Nc
Ciintic, Buckeye, W. Va; F. F. Nc
Wilkie, Portsmouth, Va; W.. 9. Pres
ton, Columbia, S. c.; B. Dun. Reeve,
Bradford, Pa; R. W. Roberts, Mil
ledgeyille, Ga; 4. S. Rufiin, Old
Church, Va; G.. u. Smith, University
Of Virginia; @. A. Swanson, Swanson
vile, Va; R. G. Taylor, Baltimore,
Nd; +. j. Thomas, Sutro, New; r.
w. Tomlin, Old Church, Va; j. b.
Whitfield, Tallahassee, Fla.
The joint celebration Of the societies
occurred this morning, beginning at ii
O'Clock, u. w. Muir, Of Kentucky, pre-
siding. A large and brilliant audience
vas present to hear the address by the
Hon. w. O. p. Breckenridge, Of Ken.
lucky. The platform was occupied by
\ members Of the two literary societies,
by members Of the Board Of Visitors,
= and by professors and distinguished
visiting alumni.
Professor Whe eler read the report OF
the committee Of professors appointed