THE INCORPORATORS 121 
Association for the Advancement of Science in 1850, and was 
twice elected President. 
Dr. Caswell was an eminent speaker, a convincing writer, 
and a good citizen, taking an active part in all the interests of 
his city, his state and his country. He published a number of 
scientific papers, besides essays, biographical sketches, and 
sermons. His death occurred on January 8, 1877, at Providence, 
Rhode Island. 
(From JosEPH LovERING, in Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy 
of Sciences, vol. 6, 1909, pp. 363-372.) 
WILLIAM CHAUVENET 
Born, May 24, 1820; died, December 13, 1870 
William Chauvenet’s father, William Marc Chauvenet was 
born in Narbonne, France, in 1790. Upon the downfall of 
Napoleon, he came to America and engaged in several unsuc- 
cessful business ventures, including a brief experiment in farm- 
ing at Milford, Pennsylvania. Here his son, William, was born 
in May, 1820. William Chauvenet received his elementary 
education in the schools of Philadelphia, and at the age of 16 
entered Yale College, from which he was graduated in 1840. 
From an early age, he had shown a special aptitude for 
mathematical and mechanical studies, and soon after graduation 
was engaged to assist Professor Bache in magnetic observations 
at Girard College. Not long afterwards he was appointed a 
professor of mathematics in the Navy, and upon the death of 
Professor David McClure in 1842, was placed in charge of 
the naval schools, which were then located in the Naval Asylum 
in Philadelphia, but in 1845 were removed to Annapolis. The 
old plan of instructing midshipmen when at sea had proved 
unsatisfactory, and an eight months’ course at the naval schools 
was substituted. This in turn seemed far from adequate, and 
Professor Chauvenet elaborated a plan for a regularly organized 
institution for the training of naval officers, and urged it upon 
the consideration of several successive secretaries of the Navy. 
It was not until 1851, however, that a regular four years’ course 
