REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON OBSERVATORIES 1 65 



solar spectrum and of its changes. I send you an account of a sim- 

 ple arrangement for that purpose. 



It would be of special interest if these observations could be com- 

 bined with researches on the amount of humidity in the free atmos- 

 phere (by means of kites). I hope to return later to certain ques- 

 tions that I believe to be of great importance. It will always be a 

 great pleasure to me if I can be of service to you. 



\^Fro7n H. F. Ncwall, Esq., The Observatory, Cambridge, Englayid^ 



Cambridge, May 22, igoj. 



I almost hesitate to put down some of the ideas that have occurred 

 to me about the establishment of a large astrophysical observatorj^, 

 for they are rather crude, incomplete beginnings than formed judg- 

 ments, and if I put them down at all it is only in the hope that they 

 may help to clear matters rather than with the idea that they can 

 carry any weight. 



First of all, let me say it seems a grand project to provide for an 

 observatory for observ^ations of seadar physical phenomena of solar 

 origin. It is perhaps an open question whether it is desirable to pro- 

 vide for allied stellar studies. Many people must share the same 

 instinctive doubt about a universal observatory as about a universal 

 instrument. One may definitely count on individual enterprise to 

 provide for many of the researches indicated in your paragraph (3). 

 Existing observ^atories do or can or should deal with most of the 

 studies referred to, and it would be a pity in any way to risk cramp- 

 ing either performance or obligation in these matters. Moreover, 

 there are the elements of competition; as, for instance, in determi- 

 nation of motion in the line of sight for fainter stars one ma}^ count 

 on advance from existing observatories. 



If in 3^our large astrophysical obser\^ator3^ large special apparatus 

 were available it might well be desirable to let the place become, as 

 it were, a court of final appeal, whither perhaps rival pioneers might 

 themselves resort to put their views to the test. In such cases, for 

 instance, it might be a matter of " more light " being needed, and 

 the pioneers might be expected to take with them their own eye end 

 apparatus for attachment to a large light grasping instrument ; but 

 one would like to provide in every way against retarding small 

 private enterprise and pioneering elsewhere. One must avoid any- 

 thing that would lead to the position, " Oh, it is no use doing this 

 or that ; they have that on their program up there." 



