RESEARCH IN THE EXACT SCIENCES. 1 83 



Hence my proposition comes to this : Either — 



(i) Endow more really first-class posts, such as will attract good 

 men. It is no use getting youngsters into the science unless there 

 is some prospect for them ; or, 



(2) Look about for means for drawing into the work of discussion 

 occupants of existing positions of repute who are now either wasting 

 their time accumulating little-needed observations or are prevented 

 from doing such work by the lack of machinery — /. e. , of funds for 

 getting computing done — for there is a good deal of computing 

 attached to most discussion of masses of observations. 



One could accordingly meet the present need in a variety of ways. 

 When you were over here I was speaking of a " calculating bureau ' ' 

 (and you seemed to approve). This would follow from the second 

 part of No. 2. If a man (like Sampson or Durham) knew that he 

 could get computing done pretty easily if he would arrange the de- 

 tails, he might be rendered efficient when otherwise his way would 

 be blocked. The relief might be compared to that afforded in the 

 matter of printing and publication which our societies have afforded 

 and which the American observatories are finding in their ' ' bul- 

 letins ' ' and ' ' circulars. ' ' Before printing was easy much good work 

 must have been lost. 



But this is only one way of meeting the need and is practically 

 included in your method, which includes, indeed (if I understand 

 you rightly), all the elements I have sketched. At the head of your 

 suggested organization you could scarcely fail to have at least one 

 first-rate man, which so far meets my point i. You virtually meet 

 the first part of 2 by establishing, instead of a new observatory to 

 multiply observations, an organization of a new kind, which will set 

 a good example to others, and the rest of 2 I have already considered. 

 I have written truly ray thoughts as they occur, and hope this letter 

 is not too long and rambling. One can not help, when these inspiring 

 letters talking of new projects come from over the water, building 

 a few castles in the air. One of my castles is a really critical astro- 

 nomical journal, for discu.ssing the work of others rather than pub- 

 lishing our own. To some extent the V. J. S. does this, but we 

 could do with an English journal of the kind, and a better one. If 

 you get your way perhaps this journal might be tacked on to the 



scheme. 



H. H. Turner. 



