OP THE CNirEU STATES, 3fi5 



to go in future below this stopping point, and I never wound 

 it up as far as that point. This reduced its time of going, 

 till the weight rested on the floor to fourteen days, and also 

 destroyed the efl'ect of the attraction of the lens and weight. 

 The placement of the clocks here described requires great 

 care, attention to solidity, and various peculiar arrangements 

 which cannot be described here. Without such arrange- 

 ments, tliey would be spoiled immediately, and disappoint 

 the expectations which are with reason entertained of tlicm. 



Plan of an ObseiTutory proposed to be built in Washington. 



In my plan of operation for the survey, 1 proposed the 

 erection of two oI)servatories in such places as miglit be 

 found most advantageous. It seemed evident to me that the 

 use of these establishments might be extended to objects of 

 general scientific in)provement, independent of the survey, 

 without any consideraljle increase of expense : and my views 

 on this subject were supported by the approbation of many 

 eminent men in public life. 



When I rendered in the accounts of my mission for the 

 instruments in June I8i(5, the I'rcsident, Mr. Madison, as 

 well as the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Dallas. Were as 

 desirous as I was, that this part of my plan niight receive its 

 immediate execution. I thought it important that one of these 

 observatories sliould be located at the scat of government ; 

 and many considerations led me to select for this purpose a 

 part of the hill north of the Capitol, and in the centre of the 

 city. Circumstances whicli it would be useless to relate 

 here prevented the execution of tliis ])rojcct ; but still it may 

 be proper to give the plan and dcstription of the proposed 

 observatory, as they are necessary to complete the subject 



VOL. II. 3 B 



