ASTRONOMY. 49 



Rochester Observatory, Rochester, N. Y. 



Professor Lewis Swift, Director. 



My Telescope is a 4|-inch achromatic, and was equatorially mount- 

 ed ; but being at present without an observatory, I have changed it 

 to an alt-azimuth, as being much more convenient for comet-seek- 

 ing. For the past one and a half years I have done my observing 

 comet-seeking a specialty from the flat roof of an elevated building 

 commanding in every direction an unobstructed horizon. 



Arrangements are pending for a regularly equipped observatory, 

 with probably a 9-inch Telescope, Micrometer, Driving-clock, etc. The 

 line of study will be, as heretofore, comet-seeking and the forma- 

 tion of a chart of all nebulae visible through a telescope of 5 inches 

 aperture. For many years I have seriously felt the want of such a 

 chart. I shall construct it for the especial benefit of comet-seekers. 



The result of the year has been the discovery of comet c, and ob- 

 servations of comets a, 0, e, and/. Comet cl, " D' Arrest's," with all 

 my efforts, I was unable to find from excessive faintness. 



The secondary tail to comet I discovered, and published a de- 

 scription of it in our city papers, long before I heard of its discovery 

 in Europe. 



Office of " The James Lick Trust." 



The specific information that you request we are unable to give, 

 as the construction of the Lick Observatory has not been actually 

 begun. 



I am instructed, however, by the president of the trustees to en- 

 deavor to give you such information concerning the proposed ob- 

 servatory as might prove of interest. 



Mr. Lick reserved in his deed of trust the right to himself de- 

 termine the site of the observatory, and, after long consideration 

 of various other points in California proposed, finally selected the 

 summit of Mount Hamilton, situate in the county of Santa Clara 

 and about thirteen miles east of the city of San Jose (in a direct 

 line). 



In consideration of this selection, the county of Santa Clara agreed 

 to assume the expense of constructing a suitable road from San Jose" 

 to the observatoiy site, which is now completed. 



By said road the distance from San Jose" to the summit is about 

 twenty-five miles. From San Francisco to San Jose the distance is 

 a little less than fifty miles by railroad, with two lines available. 



The summit of Mount Hamilton is elevated above the sea about 

 4250 feet, and in point of atmospheric conditions favorable for an 

 observatory is, so far as appears from present information, probably 



C 



