New-York tribune., 1899-12-17

Navy Department in the summer OF 1885 for the
purpose OF observing and reporting upon the Or
ganlzatlon and methods OF the national oDserVato-
rles abroad.
Professor Brown went as far Pulkowa, after
which world famous institution 1t Is not lmproDaDie
he will model the conduct OF the Naval OoserVa-
tory. since he says in footnote TO his lauuatory
report on the Russian observatory:
NV experience since the date of this report has
only deepened my conviction that the prihciPites t
ears ear ago for prosecuting their fundamental work
still far in advance OF those e&stiIs har,,a Ise o.
the present day in any other government ooee '"
First-By the determination Of right ascensonss lions
and declinations with separate instruments, eacn ~
of which, by its proper design, IS pest auapteu "
secure the highest precision. ,, ,,,oat,or
of accessories for controlling or studying the all
muth and level Of the transit instrument, ,,oo,,s
30 as to free them largely from the effects OF at
mospherc, variations.
Professor Brown belongs to the army OF self
made men, Born in the little town of Hammonds:-
port he grew up at a period when military aHalrs
occuped the attention OF the whole country. he
applied for cadetshp at West Point falllng IN
this he bent his energies toward preparing hhseu
for the career Of an engineer. Inc req scHooi
house with short sessions and long vacatons' the
higher school ambltiously known as the academy
and a half crazy Swedenborgian minister, VINO
taught him chess and Latin. furnished him with
education sufficient to enter Cornell stout heaE'
a fragile body and $40 were all he possesseu u
carry MIN through the college course. but ne LOOK
"a high place In his class.
IL was not an easy matter, however iol .ne
Young scholar to support himself and pay for his
tuition by working in the huskins Heus anu - a
printers devil Toward the enc oil we ~ .. en-
his spirts fagged and only for the announcement
of the president Andrew - White ne pghT H WHtte
been forced 10 give I'VE Sin SP 'ne o 20 OH With his work
and has since followed the career OF MS lriehu
Al the end OF his first year at Cornell Mr.. Brown.
Unexpectedly receiving an appointment 10 cauev
stlp at Annapolis entered the Naval Academy
/ and was graduated four years later with the nish-
est hon0rs. Science. rather than war appeaied 70
/ him and following his promotion to the grade OF
ensign Mr.. Brown obtained "a billet In the '-oast
Shorty alter entering this service. he placed
temporarily in charge OF party with directions 5
to get men and material ready FOR the season n !, >
WORK, which began IN Juy; MHh Cnai i eoty ."oI " ~
zeal Mr. Brown succeeded in finishing nearly al!
the work planned for the summer before ms rehet 81
reported and THIS energy Tesuted III .te te'Iei ~ b U
permanent and most desirable position III the
survey The death OF the superintHendens H en- hoM Md
ever, prevented the realization OF TINS oier, anu M
Ensign Brown became a candidate fot ADMISSION 10
/ Gbandier appointed him His first detail to
the Naval Observatory at Washington, out at MS
/ Observed three hundred and three stars OF the
/ HBcrliner Yahrbuch" used by DR. Auwers in the
/ was afterWard continued at Madison. whose Board
of Regents has offered. through the Secretary or
/ the Navy, "a superior instrument for its continual
! lion and completion on a wider scale. There he
/ obtained with the Repsold meridian circle some OF
From Madison Professor Brown was transferred 10
] the Naval Observatory at Washington and mas
/ served there continuously since.
I In cooperation with Professor FrIsby. he reduced
and published the Gilliss catalogue from observa.
tions made at Santiago de Chill from lSi9 TO lS2
by the enthusiastic astronomer to whom, more
than to any else the foundation OF the observa-
tory is due. For various reasons the reduction
/ and publication OF this pioneer work. which would
have made Glliss's name famous as an astronomer
/ had il been published twenty years before, had
been continually delayed. Professor Brown under
took the work, did II with the greatest accuracy.
and has made Of the few valuable catalogues
OF southern stars dating from the middle OF the
] present century
In 1898 Professor Brown assigned to- the 26-
/ inch equatorial. the charge OF which he now
gives up to assume the chief place. His work
on this instrument has been In the same direction
as that laid down by his predecessors. and of the
painstaklng and conservative character
Among his published researches those OF the
satellites OF Mars. Neptune and Saturn; in addi-
tion to the satellite work he has measured several
hundred difficult double stars, and observed faint
comets asteroids and other objects. Several years
ago Professor Brown began Photographic study
OF stellar spectra with the Idea OF obtaining the
motion OF the stars In the line OF the sight His
labors. indeed almost every branch In
modern astronomy, and his work deservedy Is
+ noted for It's accuracy.