The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-12
WASHINGTON CHAT.
~ THE SPECTATOR.

Naval Observatory vacant, and there is
much speculation as to who viii be his
successor This once Is one OF the finest
plums IN the government service. and fur
nishes a delightful retreat for an officer
weary Of sea duty. who could be content
FOR a while with little or nothing 70 Go.
for the superintendent OF the Naval OBJ
servatoTy is not supposed to inspire OF
direct the work Of the observatory. which
Is the duty OF the astronomical director.
but all orders are given by him. no
matter where they emanate. and he Is
expected 10 keep the machinery OF the in
stitution we'll oiled and to induct esprit
de corps. Outside Of this. his iabors are
not strenuous and more perquisites go
with II than with almost any other
billet in the navy.
The observatory. situated northwest Of
the city on the Tennallytown road, lies
In the midst Of beautiful and well kept
grounds and Is surrounded by wide
spreading shade trees. Besides the Office
buildings and the observatory, there Is a
house for the naval superintendent.
spacious, handsome dwelling with stable
and greenhouses attached. A more beau
tiful and restfuI environment could not
be imagined Il is far from the noise
OF the city. in q healthy locality. but is
near enough for those who i've there 70
enjoy everything the town affords. The
grounds about the superintendent house.
his greenhouses, and the animals he
keeps are cared for by government ser
wants. This establishment and the emolu-
ments that 90 with the Office are not toe
out OF the scale for the Office OF super
intendent Of the Naval Observatory. but
they are greater than accompany similar
Offices In the service; hence il is a most
desirable berth for an officer in search
of comfortable asylum after strenuous
duties elsewhere
The officer named for this position
must have reached the rank Of captain.
but any Officer above that grade Is avail
able. The two most prominent men
named IN this connection are Capt. Her
bert winslow and Capt Harris. either
Of whom VIII be acceptable 10 the star
there, Capt Winslow is a native OF Mas
sschusetts and was graduated from the
Naval Academy IN 1859. Since then he has
had a varied career. and is. perhaps as
competent as any naval officer would be
to direct the work Of a great scientific
establishment concerning which the New
York Posi- asked the following questions
some wears back. questions that have
never been answered. nor can they Be
answered scceptably to-day. FOR time
has not improved conditions at the Naval
Observatory:
What was the observatory built for?
What do the scientific men Of the coun-
Try, ard OF the world. think CT It's work
What credit does II do the officers %
the navy concerned in its management
What relation has its work 20 the wants
OF the naval or any other branch OF the
public service? What means are taken
By the Navy Department 10 insure It's
scientific output being Of real value"
The other candidate for the position.
Capt Harris was e member OF the same
class IN which Capt WinslOw graduated,
and was promoted 10 his present rank az
about the same time. His service in-
cIudes two years. from 1852 70 1854. at the
Naval Academy. 50 that he has 4 knowl-
edge OF the conditions that exist there
and doubtless a theory as 70 how they
can be improved With a change OF 81
perintendents at the observatory there
Is always stirring I'D Of things, but
this stirring ID does not last long enough
70 rid the place OF barnacles. and the per-
sonnet soon falls back into the old rou-
tine.
Those who have deeply studied The sub
ject maintain that the reason why the
history Of the observatory IS so dissP-
pointing compared with similar lnStitu-
tons in other parts OF the world IS be-
cause OF naval control. and the reason II
is under naval control is that It originated
IN that service. The demand Tor q
meridian In Washington is without doubt
the seed from which the Naval Observa-
tory grew. President Adams was an En-
thusiastic advocate Of the project 10 es-
tsblish an observatory. and the fact hat
one was finally founded Is IN a great de-
gree owing 20 his influence and unfag-
ging interest He first recommended II
in his message TO Congress in December.
IS2s. and he did not relax his efforts until
Congress took action. The original idea
was for the foundation OF a national OBJ
servatory. but a Philistine Congress
would not recognize the necessity foT
such an institution, and IL was only on
the unitarian plea that the navy needed
a depot for its charts and instruments
that Congress. stirred 20 action By the
vigorous efforts of a few naval officers.
devoted astronomers. finally. in 1870. made
a modest appropriation OF $500 for this
purpose. This small sum was the nucleus
Of one OF the most beautiful and expen-
rsvely equipped observatories in the world.
Theve has been a constant struggle 70
obtain this end, and no department OF the
government has come 10 more splendid
/ results through greater difficulties. bui
/ its output OF work is not commensurate
with the outlay for its equipment and
what it costs 70 maintain l.
To Lieut.. GiIliss and Lieut.. Maury the
observatory practically owes its exist
ence. The former worked untiTingIv for
/ the success OF the bill providing for its
I establishment. and the latter was its
I first superintendent. Lieut. Maury was z
I gallant officer and an able astronomer, as
( was his successor, GilliSs, but after the
/ retirement OF the latter. rank. and not
/ fitness. determined the selection of The
superintendent, and many Of those who
/ have been at the head Of the observatory
( had neither the requisite knowledge HeT
/ proper appreciation OF the fundamental
work, and lacked the ability to map out
a plan and inspire and direct the work;
/ hence for number OF years Il has beer
! a matter of laissez fare az the observa-
/ tory, and its staff has become so accUs-
/ toned TO this atmosphere that Il is doubt
( ful il they would welcome a change.
! Admiral Barnette. before he was
stricken with the desperate Illness which
4 threatens his life. formulated a plan for
/ the administration Of the observatory
which had much to commend it. but il
/ was received in a half-hearted way BIZ his
r.nsf -r-,n a-e -ifeStl,- content u L.