Royal Astronomical Society. 



59 



" The latitude of my house is the same as that of the observatory, 

 viz. 35° 53' 54", as given by Lieut. Raper ; but I have not yet had 

 an opportunity of verifying this point. 



" On the voyage to Malta from England, and since my arrival 

 here, I have had ample means of examining the work above alluded 

 to ; and I feel it right to say, — and I hope you will communicate 

 my testimony (such as it is worth) to the Astronomical Society, in 

 favour of the book of my highly valued friend, their secretary, — I 

 have gone over almost every part of the Practice of Navigation, and 

 some of the parts a great many times, and I can say without quali- 

 fication, that I am acquainted with no work so well adapted for the 

 use of sailors, none so luminous and precise in its style, nor so sim- 

 ple in its use. The tables, too, are well arranged and of very ready 

 application, in consequence not only of the distinctness of the pre- 

 cepts, but the good selection of illustrative examples. It is much 

 to be desired that Lieut. Raper should publish his second volume, 

 for such works contribute greatly to the improvement of practical 

 navigation, not merely by the information they furnish, but by rais- 

 ing the standard of accuracy, and teaching that even by moderate, 

 but well-directed, exertions, any ship may be navigated with far 

 more certainty and speed than by the ordinary and loose methods 

 still, unfortunately, too much in use afloat." 



V. Observations of Bremicker's Comet made with the Equatoreal 

 Instrument of the Observatory of Padua. By M. Santini. 



As soon as the notice of this discovery was received, the comet 

 was immediately sought for at the Observatory of Padua ; but clouds 

 and the light of the moon prevented it from being seen till the even- 

 ing of the 22nd of November : it was extremely faint, and presented 

 itself under the appearance of a light mass of vapour faintly illumi- 

 nated, without sensible trace of a nucleus. It was observed till the 

 evening of the 27th of November ; after which time other occupa- 

 tions hindered M. Santini from making further observations of it till 

 the 1st of December. After this time the clouds and the light of the 

 moon caused him to give up the hope of seeing it again. 



M. Santini has computed elements of the parabolic orbit of the 



