New-York tribune., 1895-07-09


ject and carried on bv him without break or hitch
and with the same intention and enthusiasm What
a matter Of second or third consideration to an,
other and work already begun Is often discon'mure %
important II Is not only the superintendent VINO Is
changed every four Years HIS naval assIs,ahss ASSIST h
comes interested in his work and capable OF dong
II well than he is ordered on to sea ana "a n0,lcs sirs
enough experience 10 be OF value, Is ordered away.
PETTY REGULATIONS.
The education OF a naval officer is not supposed
70 make him astronomer. and the traditions
and discipline Of that service not calculated TO
produce efficient directors for great scientific in
sttu;ons In China IT may be possible for the Man
DARN at the head OF naval affairs to turn at his
desire a captain or commodore who has spent the
major part OF his .ife the high seas into a
great astronomer. but these methods do not obtain
scientists who have devoted their lives 20 study
should be subjected to military discipline. Petty
fire the ambition Of scholars The members OF the
trary way in which they handled. and maintain
that the regulations they are subject to are better
In the beginning the superintendent were chosen
for their knowledge and scientific attainments.
notab'v lieutenant Maury the first and Lieutenant
Glliss tho second superintendent Later on rank
seems to have determined the selection and we
have rear admlrals and commodores at the head Of
the observatory under a comnande in charge at
the Bureau OF Equipment, to which bureau the Oo-
servatory ls attached. while the claims Of eminen
astronomers OF lesser official rank ignored. No
one will contend that certain rank In the Navy
makes A man capable Of ntelligently directing ar.
Economical work Secretary Herbert recognized
those facts when he made change in the internal
government, and formulated new rules. which went
Into operation last September. Under the new or
der an astronomical director has been created VINO
shall have charge OF and be respons be for the d.
recton scope. character, quantity and preparation
for publication OF all works purely astronomca
This rule would seem TO give the director apsoue.
power over the astronomical work. but by otner
c h haSdI ." ha are new
that THE astronomical director shall not enter into
any agreement with 9tnsr OPS b be' time nr for
any observer or employe more than month Wit, WIN
or, the roaGs & = Officers ASSISTANTS
conputers and employees performing duty at tne
sha Of PS the Yaea e
These regu a,ions leave the asronomcal director p,
a director In name only. with the sinews OF war III
the possession OF the naval superintendent
DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR.
The astronomical director has. however some
wsll-de6ned duties His assistants are scientists,
learned middle aged men who have been many
years In the service He Is asked TO report on 'he
qualities OF these subordinate officers astronomers
and computers. These reports shall state the apii-
tude efficiency zeal, attention duty, punctuaity
health department OF each. with any especial re-
mark deemed necessary" Although II is matter
for regret that the eminent director Is handcapped
in his work by a divided authority. II IL gratifying
70 learn that ne al least earn his salary py thc
espionage he is required 20 exercise over ms co'.
leagues Another potent reason for the trc.oh r AZ
the observatory the lack of esprit du corps Inc
most superficial observer cannot visit the oDser'd.
tory without recognizing that there Is spirit OF
discord and indeed. the lack Of harmony is a gen
orally acknowledged fact. The astronomcal director or
when asked the reason, quoted Napoleon aiii ms
marshals and said that no Government ran "llnou.
friction which optimistic view may be the corrrct
one but 10 a laynan II would seem that with UNITY
among the staff there would be a prospect i0r
time felt the limitations OF the naval government
and In his report for the year lsi6-f whicn was not
publ until $50 During the year lsio-4 the
great work of making a catalogue OF al the stars
ibe In this latitude lndusriousy prosecuted; 50
indusriously indeed. that The corps OF conputers
has been found altogether insufficient TO Keep pace
with the observers Cunreducel observations are
swept over the calculations in 1876 ready FOR me
press with the other observations printed IN ms
volume but owing 10 the continued draitS "nl'h
have been made upon the force Of the observatory
for officers FOR service. ! have 0een coHlpeieu
not only 70 abandon this attempt but paruaIly 10
suspend the labor Of observing for n catalogue.
The great zone catalogue. the abandonment or
which is thus pathetically announced. mas never
been published and this + one OF many los oppor-
unites that the Naval Observatory has had OF pac-
ng Itself side by side with the otner great opser't-
tories of the world
Another example OF the limitations OF the obser-
vatory IL its neglect 70 publish the zone catalogue
of the Gll,iss observations. which were made AZ
roa Is for publication AT the time OF ieu'"pant
Csss death in 1896 According - the official report
q. superintendent McNalr for october l. lN1 IL was
officially published and distributed. actually II Is
he no Tangible for the delay. AT least none
that can be made public An investigator who asks
embarrassing questions with the idea oi using the
answer in print Is invariably referred 10 Paraeralh
e3i u the Naval Regulations which prohiplts oif-
cers and employees Of the Navy from talking Tor