The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-21
.NIPPONS AIDED
BY AMERICA
RANGE FINDERS AND SIGHTS
ARE MADE HERE.
The Japanese Ransacled the World
in Their Search for Defensive Ma
terial-What One Allegheny City
Workshop Did for Them--Connec-
ton Between Astronomy and War.
Brooklyn Eagle.

StarSaZlnS anu .llldHhliiilfS- iiiehJ oPPSN
to be as antipodal as anything can De.
Nevertheless, astronomy and warfare are
so closely related that instruments tor
these two apparently diverse sciences are
manufactured by the same hands, uhoer
the same roof and, in a measure, accord
ing to the same principles. Inc science
of destruction has been so far developed
that it calls for assistance from Almost
every field of human activity 1t IS no
longer a. question of brute force or weight
of numbers, but of careful calculation and
scientific adaptation Of means to ends.
The engineer, the draughtsman, the cleo
trician the chemist, the physicist and the
optician have been impressed into the
service of the red god, Mars, and share
the honors of war with the admiral, the
general and the man behind the gun.
To know for instance, the secret OF
Japanese success against the Russians, a
good many things besides the patriotism
and the fighting abilities Of the soldiers
of the mikado will have to be taken into
consideration. The Japs have ransacked
the world for anything that could add to
the efficiency of their army and navy;
and to a modest little workshop on OBJ
servatory Hill. in the city Of Allegheny,
must be given moiety Of the credit for
the good account of themselves that the
gunners on the warships of Japan have
rendered. The rangefnders and gun
ever military science is considered of i'm
portance; they equip the navies of the
world, and are relied on to give efficiency
to the scheme of coast defense adopted by
more than half the great powers of Chris
tendon. They were first adopted by the
United States government. Perhaps on
account of the record established at San
tiago and Manila bay, other countries
were not slow about giving them a trial.
They are now In on the great battle
ships Of England, France, Germany, Aus
tria and Italy. Japan gave them tenta-
tive experimental trial. That they gave
satisfaction must be inferred from the fact
that since the outbreak of the war in the
east the island empire has placed an or
der that will keep the workmen on OBJ
servatory Hill busy for many months to
come. 1t should be said, however, that
the optical parts of the gunsights and
rangefinders alone are made here The
mechanical and metallic parts are turned
out at other establishments, In most cases
located in the countries requiring the in
struments.
The Brashear Astronomical works is the
only establishment of it's kind in America.
1t might truthfuly be added that it is the
leader Of its kind in the world To the
work done here may be attributed some Of
the most remarkable discoveries Of the last
twenty-five years in astro- physical re-
search. 1t has aided in the mapping Of
the heavens, and has led to the discovery
OF stars, nebulae and asteroids without
number. The governments Of the great
nations Of civilization, the worlds most
famous scientists and the vast army of
amateur photogra piers meet on common
ground in Brashear's workshop.
From rolling mill employee to foremost
maker Of scientific instruments in the
world is a long step. 1t IS a step that
could never have been taken without a.
A,,to to- -
backed up by unfailing patience, tireless
industry and unremitting determination
and tenacity Of purpose. While working
in the rolling mill Dr. Brashear studied as
tronomy and mathemat tics, and began the
making Of scientific instruments and re-
searches in the field of astronomy. He
was a practical mechanic, and for this
| reason was we'll fitted by training for tho
| mechanical part of his chosen career
Some thirty years ago he fitted up a
| small workshop in connection with his
home. Here, when his days work was
done, he labored far into the night on the
production of some scientific instrument
needed for his own researches. In this
work his wife was just as keenly interested
as he was and when he arrived home
from the rolling mill he always found the
fires lighted under the boilers in his work.
shop, ready for the evenings toll. His
wife also learned to grind and polish
|
IRENE accuracy and delicacy Of touch.
having successfully constructed several
telescope mirrors.
The first instrument of importance he
constructed was a rejecting telescope OF
| twelve inches aperture, on which large
part of his leisure and Of the hours stolen
from sleep for two years was spent. Just
as 1t reached completion it met with dis
aster and all his toll and planning went
for naught. With the true philosophers
spirit, which never stops to count the
cost, so long as the aim be worthy, he
began on the new again next evening, and
ere long was able to explore the realms
of space with telescope of his own con.
struction.
However. burning the candle at both
ends Is a dangerous and destructive oper.
alton, and before long nature threatened
to revolt. Working all day and half the
night is more than flesh and blood car
stand, and the enthusiastic young sci.
enlist was threatened with a complete
physical breakdown. 1t came to a point
where choice must be made between
the rolling mill and the scientific work.
shop. The heshpots Of Egypt were at
tractive, but the promised land of scien
tifc attainment, even tho the roat
thither lay thru a wilderness Of financial
difficulty, drew with force that could
not be resisted Luckily a Moses arose
in the person of William Thaw, one O
| LIE greatest pAludIltllIOplSIS ana mos
? public spirited citizens that Pittsburt
has ever had. Mr.. Brashear was made
, professor Of science and placed in posi-
ton to begin in earnest his life work o
pushing forward the boundaries of hui
man knowledge" 8,
J The workshop on the hill that ha
made the name of Allegheny City famou
among men of scientific attachments tn
world over built in 1880. Among tn
early achievements Of it's director was tn
development of a method of silverin,
mirrors, which was first used by Profes
3 sor Langley on his famous Mount Whit
ney expedition, and which Is now use
J the world over for silvering first surfac
- mirrors. Like all Of Professor Brashear'
many discoveries, this was made a FIRE
! gift to science and to the world at large
unprotected by patents and unincum
8 bered by secrecy In 1884 a method @
correcting errors OF curvature in optica
surfaces was discovered and published
!, 1t has proved invaluable aud is use
= wherever optical instruments are made.
. About the same time Professor Bra
shear discovered i method Of polishn
rock salt prisms and lenses, in such
manner as not only to give them bril-
liant surface but also to obtain an &C
q curate figure. The researches Of Profes
sor Langley, now the director of tn
3 Smithsonian Institution and Of Europea
physicists have demonstrated the valu
G of this work. About the same time wor
). was begun On Professor Rowland's graf
Q ing plates. After year of hard wor
h the problem which had baffled many 9th
ers was mastered. Since that time NOR
| than 1000 plates have been finished an
Oh 1n1 TOx,Nf ,,l.,,,