Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-01-25
SCIENTISTS ROW
SEEMS DEVELOPING
over TELESCOPES
Director Shearman's Plans For
Honolulu Reported Fought
BY Head of Lick; Sherman
Outlines Scheme for Hawaii

News has reached Honolulu OF a
row among scientists OF the Van
couyer and Lick observatories, ap-
parently arising from the Lick direc-
tors opposition to the Vancouver
mans plans for great telescope sta,
ton in Honolulu.
The news comes In a letter to the
Star.Buleltin from +. 5. II. Shear
man. whose plans for the Honolulu
observatory have been received with
wide favor here He proposes to
establish huge telescope here. and
comments that II will put the Lick
telescope away back in the shade,
and that perhaps this is the reason for
Director Campbelfs opposition lie
writes as follows:
Editor Honolulu Star. Bulletin.
Dear Sir: wish, through the
Honolulu press, to return my sincere
thanks for the many kind expressions
of approval that have received re-
garding my plans for the erection OF
a large telescope in or near Homo
lulu. An unfortunate illness has pre-
vented an earlier acknowledgment
am very pleased to hear that A. r.
telescope and observatory and wish
to publicly thank him for HIS kind
generosity and public spirit. I am
now preparing detailed plans for the
Chamber OF Commerce, Mr.. Cooke
and others to work upon, but the fol.
lowing circumstance has caused me
to slightly alter some Of the details
and it will be few days before they
are ready for posting:
Prof. Campbell, director OF the
Lick Observatory, has, ! believe, ad-
dressed letter to the Honolulu press
protesting against the suggested CO.
operation between his observatory and
the work OF the 10-foot reflecting tele-
scope that ! am trying to locate In
Honolulu. / have not seen his state
ment and therefore do not know ell
his reasons for declining the free use
away back in the shade. The mere
fact, however, that he has shown
anger over the proposed branch OBJ
servatory is proof that he would not
aid the plans that l have been advo-
eating. r. was mistake 70 have
mentioned his name ia connection
with this telescope, but did so out OF
regard to the feelings Of others who
desired such a connection. Personally
did not desire It,, and | am much
better pleased to be left alone and
undisturbed In the work OF erecting
and using this instrument
Perhaps one cause for Prof. Camp
bells misapprehension regarding my
plans was due to the fact that In my
appeal for the erection of this instru-
ment, published early In December.
1916, referred to proposed visit
to the Lick Observatory to discuss
this matter, but ! was taken III az
the last moment and could not 90.
Possibly If had personally gone over
the details with the Lick director I
should have met any objections that
he might have brought forward.
The telescope will, however, be
erected In Honolulu, and that, too,
without the aid Of any other obser-
vatory. Ii Is far better to be SELF
contained In this matter.
Il hope this brief explanation will
be a sufficient answer to anything
that Prof. Campbell may have said
In his letter.
In conclusion / again thank all
who have taken such a kind interest
in this matter.
Il am, sincerely yours,
''T. S. H. SHEARMAN,
Director, Vancouver Observatory.
Meteorological Office, Room 40,
Postoffice Building, Vancouver, B.
C., Canada, Jan. 6, 1917"