146 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



Three hundred and seventeenth meeting. 

 March 6, 1849. — Monthly Meeting. 



The President in the chair. 



The Vice-President, Mr. Everett, read a letter from Profes- 

 sor Schumacher, of Ahona, inclosing printed copies of a com- 

 munication from the Secretary of the Royal Astronomical So- 

 ciety at London to Lord Palmerston ; also letters from M. 

 Arago and from Baron Humboldt ; touching the position of 

 Professor Schumacher in his connection with the observatory 

 at Altona, and as the publisher of the Astronomische Nachrich- 

 ten, and the dangers that threaten them in consequence of the 

 disturbed state of the relations between Denmark and the 

 Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Whereupon it was unan- 

 imously 



" Resolved, That the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 

 entertains a high opinion of the importance of an observatory at Al- 

 tona, as a convenient point of communication between countries dis- 

 tant from each other, and of the value of the Astronomische Nachrich- 

 ten as a medium of intelligence for the whole scientific world ; that it 

 recognizes the great importance of Professor Schumacher's services 

 in connection with the Altona observatory and the publication of the 

 Nachrichten, and would regard as a public misfortune any event which 

 should interrupt his labors, or discourage the generous zeal with which, 

 during a long and honorable career, he has successfully exerted him- 

 self for the promotion of astronomical science. 



" Resolved, That a committee be appointed to address a letter to 

 Professor Schumacher, transmitting a certified copy of these proceed- 

 ings ; and that a copy of the letters this evening submitted to the 

 Academy be sent by the committee to the other learned societies and 

 observatories of the United States." 



Mr. Everett, Professor Peirce, and J. Ingersoll Bowditch 

 were appointed to constitute this committee. 



Professor Peirce, after calling attention to a recent com- 

 munication in Sillimaii's Journal, on the trisection of angles, 

 exhibited an instrument for this purpose, which was devised 

 many years ago, by the late B. R. Nichols, Esq. He also ex- 



