72 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



not excessive, I was able, on the evening of the day of its discovery, 

 to observe it in the presence of a nearly hall-moon. 



Professor Peters, the Director of the Litchfield Observatory at 

 Clinton, N. Y., and O. W. Landreth, assistant observer at the 

 Dudley Observatory, Albany, N. Y., Mere the only ones, in any 

 part of the world, who were so fortunate as to get a glimpse of 

 it. Professor Peters followed it until August, and his valuable ob- 

 servations enabled Professor Holetschek to compute its elements, 

 which seem to be unlike those of any other known comet. 



When the moon withdrew, and at the termination of a long peri- 

 od of cloudy weather, when it would have been possible for me to 

 re-find the comet, I was on my way to Denver to observe the eclipse 

 of July 29, at which time I discovered what I consider to be (and 

 which I think astronomers generally, when they are conversant with 

 all the circumstances, will concede to be) two intra-Mercurial plan- 

 ets. This, probably, is not the place to go into details; but if any- 

 thing be said, it seems as if I could hardly say less than what fol- 

 lows : Professor Watson, at Separation, observed 9 Cancri, and, 42' 

 southeast of it, what was undoubtedly an intra-Mercurial planet. I, 

 observing in the same region, saw two stars, one of which, I took for 

 granted, as did everybody, was 9 Cancri, and the other the same 

 planet Watson had discovered five minutes previously. But upon 

 comparison of observations, and after the elimination of all probable 

 errors, I found so much discordance as to justify the prediction that 

 I had not seen 9 Cancri at all, but, rather, had discovered two plan- 

 ets neither of which was seen by Watson, nor was his planet seen by 

 me. It may be proper to state that Professor Watson discovered 

 still another planet, farther from the sun and near to . 



On the 23d I shall start for Cambridgcport, to order, from Alvan 

 Glare & Sons, my new Telescope. It will probably be of 9 inches 

 aperture, and is to be provided with all the modern improvements. 



The observatory will probably be ready for the reception of the 

 Telescope when finished. 



For the coming year I design to continue comet-seeking as here- 

 tofore; but, as I shall have enlarged facilities and improved means 

 for micrometric measurements, I also purpose to determine the posi- 

 tion of nebula?, and to measure close double stars. I shall make de- 

 termined eftbrt with high powers to detect some of the intra-Mer- 

 curial planets while in transit, and perhaps near their greatest elon- 

 gation. 



San Francisco, Cal. : Office of u The James Lick Trust." 



In response to your annual circular, recently received, I have little 

 to say in addition to former advice. 



The litigation is still progressing. In January last the trustees 

 received a favorable decree in the Nineteenth District Court. The 



