New-York tribune., 1888-04-13
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE LICK OBSERVATORY.


under the directisr Of the Lick Trustees by EDWARD
HOLDEN III. D.. President Of the University OF Cal
fernia, Director OF the Lick University. Volume l.
1887. Sacramento: State Printing Office
The issue Of the first volume Of the publications Of
the Lick Observatory. prepared by Professor Holden,
is event Of considerable interest, defining the
real beginning of serious work in what promises to be
OF the fruitful observaores in the world.
Professor Holdens volume possesses also distinct his
torca value for IL contains careful survey of all the
preliminary work done In founding the Lick Observa-
tory, and is a testimonial to the faithfulness and
intelligence Of the trustees, less than record Of
tho difficulties which had to be overcome in fitting
the summit Of Mount Hamilton for the necessary build
ngs The general outline of the observatorys history
is probably familiar by this time to the majority Of the
reading public. II will be remembered that Mr.. James
Lick wealthy and public spirited Californian appro
prated the sum of $4,000 during his lifetime to the
establishment Of observ atory, which contain
powerful telescope, superior TO and moro powerful
than any telescope yet made, with all the ma
chncry appertaning thereto and appropriately
nectod herewith"
The first board OF trustees appointed In 1876.
Before he died Mr.. Lick made changes In the board
and In the general plan After his death there
much embar assing litigation before the terms Of the
various trusts created by him received satisfactory def
milton But all the trustees successfully appointed
the observatory trust proved energetic and prompt
The work to be done was Of kind necessitating con-
siderable expenditure of time In the first place the
makers of the great object glasses for the projected
telescope had TO be found that involved careful Inquiry
In Europe. When subsequently II decided TO en-
trust this difficult and delicate task TO Messs. Alvan
Clark d Co., long period OF waiting became unavod-
able owing to the slow process OF the manufacture
In casting such large OF glass required
for hrysx inch object glass; IL is almost Inevitable
that several trials should have to be made before the
right results obtained. Each of these trials, In
volvng the melting and mixing Of from half ton to
IN Of N a
the anneaing furnace and very gradual cooling and
careful subsequent manipulation, consumed two or
three months and twenty trials made before sue
reached. Then followed the cutting, grinding
polishing Of the gigantic lenses, another work Of
time and patience; so that several years elapsed be-
fore the important parts Of the great telescope
ready for mounting.
Meantime, the trustees and Professor Holden, aided
cordially by Professor Newcomb Professor Burn
ham, and other OF science, had plenty TO do Tho
selection Of a site for the observatory could not be
made until series Of prolonged visits to several pro-
posed locations had bcen made and tho atmospheric
conditions at each place thoroughly tested by an
pert Professor Burnham did this work. and after
staying sixty days Mount Hamilton he wrote q
report to the effect that the prevailing atmospheric
conditions exceptionally good and the seelng'
probably better than in any existing astronomical
station in any part of the world This settled the
question of site. Mount Hamilton (4302 feet high
was chosen Congress made grant OF the necessary
Land, the county of San Jose undertook build and
keep good road to the summit Of the mountain and
the Lick trustees prepared TO break ground. 1t was
not easy to utilize the mountain top Seventy-two
thousand tons of hard rock had to be removed (some
Of 1t to be cut down thirty feet before the
Sary plateau could be cleared The trustees, however,
sharp, practical and they wasted the
funds I'm their hands Finding that the freight in
ported bricks for the buildings would be a considera
BILE item, they made their own bricks on the mountain
and thus saved 10000 at ono stroke. The water
supply was at first troublesome but presently some
small springs were found some $50 feet below the
summit of the mountain, and that problem solved
Tho observatory buildings wero constructed from the
designs of Professor Holden Long before they
ready, however, work done at the station. In |
1882 the transit of Venus was observed at Mount |
Hamilton, and a largo number Of extremely promising
Photographic views were then taken. The construc-
ton and perfection Of the various instruments went
on steadily in many workshops, and by tho end Of |
1886, which Is tho date to which this volume Of the
Observatory Publications is brought down, everything
was In advanced state, the great object glasses
were finished, and II only remained to mount the
telescope and complete the great dome "a feet
dameterl in which 1t is to be operated Professor
Holden in the frs. volume gives interesting and quite
full descriptions Of many of tho Instruments to-
getber with woodcus illustrating them or parts Of
them, and equally full accounts of the buildings In
which they housed. No pains have been spared
in procuring the best and most complete apparatus,
and in every detail Of construction the designer has
had In mind the astronomical work to be done
Hero found careful accounts Of tho twelve-inch
rofractor by Avan Clark Sons, the six and half
Inch equatorial, the driving clocks, the portable
equatorial, the photo heograph, the meridian circle
the fourinch transit and zenith telescope combined
the Hohwer clocks the chronographs the sesmomcters
and nearly all the instruments the great telescope
itself Doubtless the description Of that is reserved
for the second volume, before the completion Of
which it will have been put in complete working
order.
Tho equipment of the Lick Observatory has been
such to encourage the hopcs Of all astronomers
are watching the foundation of this most promising
station Professor Burnham's tests with double stars
have already shown that the highest powers
found finer field Of service than the llmpId equable
and constant stmosp phere OF Mount Hamilton furnishes
during two-thirds of every average year. Tho fogs
which roll in through the Golden Gate and the Bay
of Monterey rarely rise higher than two thousand
feet, and approach the summit of the only
few days in the year. Save IN the rainy the
nights usually and clear is the that
planets and stars be far closer the horizon
than in any other observatory Tho range OF
poration, therefore, is wide, and Burnhams
tion, resulting In the discovery of several double
stars with fourinch glass, justihes the expectation
that when the unequalled powers of the Lick telescope
are applied to the heavens there will be rich stellar
discoveries 1t is gratifying know that Mr. Licks
noble gift to science has thus far been administered
with much WISDOM foresight economy and success
and while the trustees unquesonably entitled
the fullest credit for the loyal and able manner in
which they have discharged their onerous functions
II must be recognized that the labors of Professor
Holden have contributed great deal TO tho prosperity
Of the undertaking and its scientific completeness
Considering the of difficulties to be sur
mounted, and the compleIity Of the work to be ac
complshed in fact 1t may we'll be said that the results
creditsbo alike TO the business capacity and the
scientific attanments OF the many very able who
have been associated In the enterprise.