Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18

Pension Office, took lodgings on Capitol Hid,
and borrowed his instruments from the coast
surveying authorities of that time. He had a
transit instrument, circle of reflections, an
astronomical clock and chronometer. william
Elliot teacher Of algebra and mathematics,
assisted him. A large platform erected TO
facilitate the work. The latitude was declared
to be 38 degrees So minutes, As seconds. Lam
bert made a cOpiouS report TO Congress, and
advocated National Observatory He may be
named among the great clerks-and there are
many noble men in all departments Of the
Government-who have risen TO eminence from
q desk in the departing
Though advocated by President John Quincy
Adams in 1925, yet no definite results were OBJ
tanned until some years later.
IN 1888 We are told, the Observatory had its
real beginning in an unpretentious wooden
building but l6 feet square erected at the ex-
pense of lieutenant in the Navy and equipped
only with five-foot transit instrument.
This old building stood near the Washington
property on North Capitol street, later the Hill
mar House, and so unusual was the beginning
of this now noted branch of the Government
that even the first instrument used was not
made for the Observatory but was secured by
Mr.. HasSler, the first superintendent Of the
Coast Survey for the astronomical work Of the
latter institution. This however, was between
1911 and 1915, when Mr. Hassler was detained
in England by the war. His plans for the eStab-
liShment Of the Coast Survey were not seconded
by Congress after his return, and nothing was
done until 1882 when the survey was revived
But according to an early writing, an ObSerVa-
tory was forbidden by law, and so MIR. HasSler
loaned his instruments to Lieut. Wilkes. The
building mentioned. 1t known officially as
depot" or a place where instruments and
charts might be stored.
Our informant further tells us that. in 1893,
when Lieut. Wilkes had been succeeded by Lieut.
GilliSs. a fortunate circumstance for the embryo
observatory occurred. The exploitation of the
South Seas made it necessary that the ObSerVa-
tions of the expedition to determine longitude
should be supplemented by corresponding OBJ
servationS at home, for the purposes Of COM
pariSon. During the absence of the expedi-
ton, between 1888 and 1912, Lieut.. GllllSS
worked increasingly, recording 10000 nans1ts
and doing thorough, reliable work which stands
today unqueStioned. To this work Of his, there
fore done at most opportune moment, the
Naval Observatory as it stands today, owes
its foundation.
For Congress, seeing that there was a prac-
tical side to astronomy, was at last after hard
work. won over and $25 900 was appropriated,
but still for depot of charts and Instruments.
Singuarly enough, the most effective lobbying
for this appropriation was done by comet,
which had excited public curiosity and upon
which GilliSs read an interesting paper before
the national institute. After the appropriation
obtained Lieut.. GilliSS went abroad 10 ex-
anime instruments and plans for an observatory.
THE site OF the Observatory was selected by
President Tyler and was originally laid out
as a public reservation for national university
II is peculiarly historically interesting as the
landing place Of BraddOck on April j, l755.
il contains 10 acres and is the second highest