New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20
THE NATIONAL OBSERVATORY.

The letter OF our Washington correspondent
on the subject Of the NAVAL Observatory winch
appears in another column OF this issue SETS
forth some facts Of importance to al VINO are
Interested in the good repute OF Government
science The institution which In fact, II NOT
I'm name Is the National Observatory OF the
United States enjoys the prestige or an honor
able early history. 1t has had more than one
great naval commander rs Its superintendent.
and II Is the seat where in times past scvera'
of the leading astronomers Of our country ear
ricd on works which brought fame both to
themselves and TO the institution. The rcputa-
ton thus acquired led Congress. some twelve
years ago. to rebuild the institution on very
large scale, supply It with what were supposed
to he improved instruments and double the
annual appropriations for It's support
Singularly enough, this policy, instead Of in
fusIng new activity into the establishment and
starting 1t on a higher career. seems to have
brough. on something much like a general pa
ralysis from which recovery has been slow ana
uncertain The story seems like the familiar
one Of the small merchant who. successful In
the conduct Of a modest business fails entirely
when tempted to great ventures by sudden
addition 10 his capital. The men whose works
made the institution famous have all departed
or are about to retire, while those who are left
seem to have no problem before them which
the costly and complicated machinery will en-
able them to attack with success. For ten
years past the world has heard little or moth
Ing Of any result gained by the large sums
which have been expended on the establish
ment. and we cannot be surprised by a grow
ing disposition on the part Of the public to ask
whether it Is OF such practical use. either to
the Navy or to science. rs to Justify Its con-
tinued support.
The only object in supporting such an nst-
tuition Is that Of contributing our due share TO
those branches Of astronomical science which
are not adequately provided for by universities
and other institutions Of learning. The qles-
ton whether or not we should embark in an
enterprise having this object In view may be
an open one. But II we are TO do so the re-
suit must be such "a TO command The respect
Of the scientific world. To spend more money
in the attempt than any other nation and then
fail Is for the reputation of the country
than If we should abandon the attempt entire
ly. We only give increased color 10 the I'M
preston. so prevalent among untravellod Tor
elgners. that we are Nation whose Intelligence
does not correspond to It's wealth
We have intrlsted tho management OF our
only National Observatory to the Navy, ana
allowed 1t to be Administered as naval sta
ton. There nrc obvious reasons why this pol
lev has become less defcnsible than ever. The
requirements OF the naval profession are now
so cxnctng that the naval officer can no longer
become an expert In subjects outside the line OF
his profession: while astronomy like every
other science has become so complex that no
one can pursue IL with success who does not
make 1t the principal business of his life. II
Is unjust TO the fair fnme Of our naval officers
10 saddle them with such responsibility as
they are now bearing In trying TO run one OF
the greatest observatOrIes Of the world, and
they will gain in public esteem by either frank
~ acknowledging the change in the situation
and declining the burden, or taking more eff
cicnt measures than nre now proposed 10 raise
the observatory from the low estate In which
there Is reason TO fear It has fallen.