Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-02

-fe 0GEENWICH OBSERVATORY
Ask any resident OF Greenwich TO- point
.. t.. most prominent feature OF the
town. and 10 Is ten 90 one that boz VIII
.U.ate the historic Greenwich Hospital
a-. him about the second most impor-
-rr feature and II he Dee particularly
..r.wl bee may say the Royal cbSerFa-
-g Locally. The hospital is thing
t.m l0ue Importance, while me OBJ
s.- -.rr ls seldom thought Of
SER tte observatory is the manuiac-
trr 0r creator. of time for the whole
zsf world Pretty nearly every one
t. board of Greenwich time. although
few may have taken the pains 20 fn1 out
ua.t .t means But Greenwich time as
b. determined iu this observatory
Dominates Che earth. Wall street Is IFS
sar- the scho0l-b0y Of San Francisco
ms. hasten at fits bidding the army
r-..r vi Berlin IS governed by 81; the
t.H7 q the great ocean liner ln the
r b. ~ the Atlantic ring at It's bl-
fr- Che Factory whistles OF the worIi
t.u 70 its CALL Every single line OF nu-
nan .07cevor r. under fits domination
rs IN YEARS OLD.
~.. questionable monarch. Charles IT,,
established the observatory In 1910, ana
while he lil not know much about as
r...ur. Dc bad sense enough 10 app'e-
.t. Tho value TO commerce Of q correct
standard of time. go he gave these IN
......ns for Flamstced, the first aslro-
,.u.r Forthwith 20 apply hiInse lt
-. tho utmost care and uilechce 10
t.. re.t.fying Of the tables OF lhe mo
hons Of tho heavens. and the PAGES OF
tt. f,.f stars. so as 10 find out the
rrff 900 De- d
IN r.rfaetirr Of the art Of navigation.
ind. t9 DO all these things the generous
rr,. IL gave Mr. Flamstecd 900 ster-
Irr r- 500 and doubtless considered the
donation tremendous one.
lr FI.oetced seems TO have manager
~. task with fair success. however. con-
s.f.-.ng that hc started without scientific
rrtrlucnts of any kind. and without an
observatory. assistants. charts or any OF
if. rafarheruaIia OF the modern astIOno-
rr.- Moreover he held his job for
frv-frc years. and only relinquIshed
DIS task when death stepped IN. But ne
r.H. good start and when his sue
r...or the noted Haley. assumed inc
f... 'r 1920 the Greenwich Observatory
u.. FOO established fact. Although 2yl
Years old. the institution has had only
Dr-t chief astronomers. which, incident
v. goes TO show that the study or
.roromv must be- conducive 20 longeVi-
r Christie. the present chief. was APP
pointed n 1851 and in an probability
u continue in the hOuOred position for
many years.
ANCIENT AND MODERN MINGLED.
|ha observatory buildings are located
'r rte centre OF Greenwich Park. beau
Wni piece of ground 20 acres I'm extent.
They are a~curlous mixture % the an-
o.0r and the modern. and they tell the
history Of the growth Of The place more
clearly than mere words. Within the
Hsf few years great additions have been
".ie 20 the observatory. under the direc-
toa of Nr Christie These include the
putting up Of fresh buildings. which
.fe iuft now in the course OF completion
and Equipment
The visitors TO the observatory there
iort-ard The visitors are extremely few,
strangers in the place causing Interrupt
ton o. very careful and delicate busi-
teFs-tnds himself confronted by the Old
ana ttc new portions. the former. with us
qnainiiy picturesque gables and roughly
N'e' roofs. forming a strong contrast 10
me new erection with is central tower
cLpre1 by "a dome and rs four wings
adjusted 20 the four points Of the com
.asz
The FIRST thing that strikes The visitor
90 entering Tie gate 4 the humble as
poet Of this temple Of science. What he
stes give no evidence OF the uses 10 which
me buildings are put. except what may
~ gathered from the sits covered Dy