The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-09-20
Where Time Begins.

On the right bank of the Thames
River, about six miles from London
Bridge, lies the famous market town OF
enwich-Greenvic, or green town,
as the Saxons called it. Here at one
time was the ancient royal palace
where Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth
and Queen Mary were born. This
building was afterward converted into
the Greenwich Hospital for disabled
seamen and is now used as the Royal
Naval Academy But if Greenwich
lost its interest as the former home of
royalty, 1t would still hold its place
among famous towns because of an
event which took place there August
Is, 1675-226 years aSo-thc laying Of
the first stone of the Royal Observa-
tory.
The site Of the observatory is
most fortunate one. 1t is built on the
highest part Of Greenwich Park and
is surrounded by beautiful old trees,
elms, Scotch frs and Spanish chest.
nuts planted in the time OF Charles III.
On this site formerly stood Greenwich
Castle built by Duke Humphrey, and
used by Henry VIII. as a residence.
prison, or sometimes as n place of de-
fense.
The establishment of the Observa.
tory is due to Charles II. For long
time the need had been felt for way
of finding longitude which would be
simple enough TO be used by seamen.
A Frenchman proposed way CT find
ing the moons distance from n star,
but John Flamsteed soon convinced
the king that the correct places Of the
stars were not known. Once con
vinced that for the sake of his sea-
men, IL was very necessary TO have
correct observations of the moon and
planets. the king appointed Mr. Flan-
stecd our astronomical observator.'
He urged him TO make correct tables
"of the motions Of the heavens and
the places of the fixed stars, so as to
find out tie so much desired lOngi-
tude of places for perfecting the art Of
navigation" Moreover. he gave orders
for the building of the Royal Observa-
tory.
Greenwich Observatory has grown
steadily in Importance. Wherever the
| English language is spoken, geograph-
! ers reckon longitude from the meridi-
| an which passes through the observa-
tory. and at l o'clock every day, b.
means of electricity. the exact time
is given to London and all large Eng
| lish towns.
! The clock which keeps the correct
! time and regulates so many of the
clocks in England is one OF the most
interesting clocks in the world. Every
night observations of the movements
OF the heavenly bodies are made and
recorded. and every morning the clock
Is regulated by actual observations of
star. Then every hour during the
day the railway companies receive
the correct time from the Greenwich
clock. and 1t fires the tine guLs at
Shields and Newcastle besides regu.
lating hundreds II clocks throughout
the kingdom.
But this is not all they DC at the
observatory. Here is recorded every
change of wind day and night with
the rates at which IL blows. the quan.
tity of rain that falls and the rate at
which IL falls, the amount of electrici.
~ in the air and it's quality. the
height OF the barometer and all
changes of atmosphere. Lately one
more duty has been added. and as
sistants are kept luSy taking photo
graphs Of the heavenly bodies. Chi
cago Record. Herald.