New-York tribune., 1895-07-09
THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY.
IT'S WORK PAST AND PRESENT, AND ITS
SHORTCOMINGS.
THE LACK OF A COMPETENT HEAD FELT-NO
UNITY OF ACTIoN-A SPIRIT OF DIsCORD
RAMPANT AMONG THE PROFEssORs-
LOST OPPORTr MITES -sUGGES-

| LOST Opportunities sIGGES-
TIoNs OF REFORM.
| Washington. July 8 (SpeciaD-The idea Of an OBJ
servaory to be part OF great National university.
originated with President Washington. whose ambi-
tions for the Capital city lmitess and whose
! wise and comprehensive plans have unfortunately
not all been carried out The first recorded official
| action in this connection is the Introduction In
Congress- in 1910. OF memorial from Mr.. Lam
bert Of Virginia. insisting the necessity
OF establishing first meridian at Washington. The
select committee having this memorial In charge
recommended the establishment OF a meridian. AMI
| presented Mr. Lambert's calculations. Mr.. Lam
! bert and his memorial appear and then in the
| Congressional records and after Joint resolution
was passed in 1921 to establish meridian at the
capital, President Monroe appointed him to make
astronomical observations to determine the ongi-
| tude OF the capital from Greenwich
| The demand for a meridian at Washington IL
without doubt the seed from which the Naval OBJ
servarory grew. President Adams en-
thusiastlc advocate OF the project to establish an
observatory and the fact that finally
| founded is I'm a great degree owing to his influence
and unnagglng interest He first recommended 1t
| in his message TO Congress in December. 1895. and
| he did not relax his efforts until Congress took
| action. The original idea was for the founda tlon
| of a National observatory. but a Phstine Congress
would not recognize the necessity for such in
| NtlfulOn, ana " WAS only on tHc UNITARIAN plea
that tho Navy needed depot for its charts and in
strumens that Congress. stirred to action by the
| vigorous efforts OF a few Naval officers devoted
astronomers. finally. In lsio made modest ap-
propriation OF s25 900 for this purpose This small
sum the nucleus OF one OF the beautiful and
extensively equipped observatories in the world.
| There has been constant struggle to obtain this
! end and department OF the Government has
come to more splendid results through greater diff
ncui!cs
Lieutenant Gilllss. OF the Navy who worked un-
tIrlney for the Of the bill in Congress was
directed by the Secretary OF the Navy to prepare
plans. visit other observatories consult and cor
respond with astronomers. and 1t he who
placed tho observatory working basis Part
of the money appropriated used to erect a
| building west Of tho White House. overlooking
TraIdock's Field and there is n tradition that this
site the President Washington had in
view for the purpose II proved. however. not a
wise selection. The proximity Of tho Potomac
which AT that tine considered 4 to
health and the growth OF the city. with It's smoke
and noise. toward tho observatory were used
quirements for rs removal. which Congress author
izei r the latter part Of the seventies.
THE BUILDINGS.
The tract Of sevcnty-two acres Of virgin woods In
wh -h the present observatory stands. in circle
! ico feet from It's centre Is the heights between
Georse,own and TennaIly,own The buildings were
were begun. ani while they in process OF erec
ton. Mr. Whitney. with his broad ideas and gen
eral culture. was fortunately at the head OF the De
plriment. and the work bears the stamp Of hts ad
mlnistratlon and that OF hts successor Mr. Tracy
Tho observatory buildings are handsome and COM
moIous. their equpmeni-wlth the exception ~ the
Instruments the resettlng OF which the astrono-
fncrs IN charge of them cr.tlcse perfect. and the
grounds picturesque and beautiful. house has
been built for the superintendent at cost OF 22co
AMI Is heated anl lighted at the expense OF the
Government. ami he has SIX acres of land FOR his
own use This generosity on the part Of tho Gov
eminent IS notable when one considers that the
entire appropriation FOR the creation OF the OBJ
servafory was only $500 Recently Congress has
been Amos, munnccn, In It's allowances Everything
seems TO point the possibility OF great accom-
pllshmen, bu, thus far the history of the observa-
tory has been very disappointing. anl the enthu-
sasfn AZ It's foundation % have died out
with the exception of the splendid work Of Pro-
fessor Hail. Whose discovery OF the satellites OF Mars
made him famous FOR all time no one VIII attempt
20 deny tha, Naval Observatory, from an astro-
nonica standpoint and compared with the other
great observatorics. makes poor showing Adverse
criticism ~ the methods employed at the observi-
tory is met with the statement that IN naval in
sttutlon tho first duty Is 20 the needs OF the Navy
80 one Will dispute this fact but IL Is not logical
% suppose that tho Government would build and
equip an observatory that compares favorably with
any IN the world AZ cos, of over three-quarers OF
a million ~ dollars and annually eNpend from $1,000
- $50 90 for the issue Of few chronometers. sex
tants spyeasses and binoces which could with
cAll satisfaction and at less expense be sent from
the Rrooklyn Navy Yard and for the limited OBJ
scryatona necessary for strict naval uses Nor Is II
reasonable 10 suppose that the Government would
maintain such Institution school where a
few naval officers can have Postgraduate course
In science or for the amusement and edihcaton Of
the public which. under certain conditions and with
the permission of the power In control. Is allowed
on two evenings of each week 70 visit the obsarva-
tory and look through the telescopes This is Of
course. a very amiahle arrangement but the fact
that II seriously intcrferes with the work Of the
observers seems not 10 have been taken into con-
slcration. The visitors. however. are as a rule
appreca,ive which is doubtless a balm to the spirit
II the astronomers. who called from their regu-
lar work frequently when the conditions are most
ausplcious for its prosecution To act as showmen
for them.
ODDITIES OF VISITORS.
An enthusiastic old lady VINO not long ago viewed
,he wonders OF the moon through the great cGua-
torlal exclaimed with rapture: "Ain't that just beau
ffnn How would admire to see fash OF light
ming through the teescoper' one Of the astrono-
mcrs. who has been at the observatory some twenty
wears or more had recent amusing II annoying
experience with official OF high degree. whose
head soon after fell into the basket. Mr. --
announced his intention OF visiting the observatory.
The evening designated happened 70 be cloudy. but.
nothing dauntcd the energetic official and his con-
tingcnt went TO the observatory to be met by the
statement that II was impossible 10 see anything
through the telescope "Well we Will try anyway
said he The amused astronomer guided by dim
outlines trained the telescope on Saturn. The unac-
c,stomed eyes OF the insstent official could
nothing TRY another one" he ordered. Again
and again the telescope was moved. and each one
Oh bia fo
distinguish nothing Oncial determination had no
effect I'm removing the clouds. The astronomer re-