Evening star., 1897-03-11
Recognition of His Labors.

Tor deC aces or centuries. instead OF fnontnS
or years, in the early half of the CEN
tury.
Recognition of His Labors.
His unprecedented labors have brought
Professor Newcomb unprecedented rccog-
milton from learned institutions and en-
lightened nations. During the last decade
scarcely a great university in the world
has celebrated notable anniversary with
out conferring on him honorary degree.
Leyden in 1879. Edinburgh in 1854. Heidel
berg and Columbia in lSs6, Dublin and
Padua in 1892 and Princeton in 1876 are
among the institutions tnat have conferred
doctorates. In 1874 he was awarded the
gold medal Of the Royal Astronomical So
ciety, and in 1873 the great gold luygens
medal of the University of Leyden, which
is given only once in twenty Years for the
mCst important work in astronomy during
the period. In 1871 the Russian govern
ment ordered his portrait to be painted for
the collection of famous astronomers at
Pulkova. and in 1890 the car presented
him 4 magnificent vase of jasper ON Il
marble pedestal. He was elected an asso-
cite of the Royal Astronomical Society in
1872. corresponding member of the Insti-
tut de France in 1874. foreign member of
the Royal Society in 1877, a member of tn.
Royal Institution of England in 1881 one
OF the eight foreign associates of the Acad-
c!ny of Sciences. InStitut IL. France in
ls.'5, and an officer of the French Legion
of Honor in 1896. Within a fortnight he
has been authorized by act of Congress to
receive this distinguished decoration of the
French republic: and within a week he
las been notified of election as an honorary
member of the Imperial Academy of Sci
enceS of St. Petersburg. and Of the award
OF the Schubert gold medal (.t1o rublesp by
the academy. this being the third instance
only OF the giving of this prize. Even in
far Japan his work has heen recognized
through the official presentation OF pair
of exquisite bronze vases.
A Busy Man.
In addition TO his official duties Prof
Newcomb has always been a busy man: he
was for some years professor of astronomy
in Columbian University and for ten years
professor of mathematics and astronomy in
Johns Hopkins University; he aided ma
teriaily in the equipment of the Lick OBJ
serVatory in California. and passed on the
glass and mountings of the great telescope
before its acceptance; he has written a
series of text books on algebra geometry
trlSonometry. logarithmS. calculus and as
tronomy, besides his weIl-known general
work on Popular Astronomy he has
even dipped into finance and political econ
omy, on which he has published several
books and numerous articles in the Mort
American Review, the Forum and other
standard magazines. He is a member of
the leading scientific societies of this coun-
try, including the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, OF which he
"eS t'stSiutlii HI 1876. ana Ine National
Academy of Science, of which he was vice
president from 1SS; TO 1850: he was the
first president of the American Society for
Psychical Research, and in December last
was elected president of the American
Mathematical Society; he also holds honor
ary or corresponding positions in all bu.
one of the official academies of science in
Europe. Within a few days he has been
invited to sit for his portrait for Johns
Hopkins University
Despite his astounding industry Prof
NeWcomb Is remarkably well preserved and
youthful. About ten years ago he suffered
an attack of some obscure nervous disorder
which interferes slightly with locomtion,
and he has since found it desirable to avail
himself of annual vacations, sometimes
spent abroad; yet his intellectual activity
is undiminished and finds expression in fire.
quent articles, scientific, economic and even
literary-only few months ago novelette,
from his pen, entitled, THE Wreck of the
Columbia, appeared in a leading maga-
zine and attracted much attention. HI. is
often at the Cosmos Club. and a frequent
host at his home in the northwestern pa I
of the city, 1870 street. and next to an
abtrrse calculation he enjoys nothing bet
ter than tho Sc social diversions which Hux-
ley cynical!y characterized as "lethal asen-
cieS'