vi OBITUARY NOTICES OF MEMBERS DECEASED. 



characteristic kindness, but in due time introduced him to Professor 

 Hilgard, of the Coast Survey, who in turn introduced him to Pro- 

 fessor Winlock, of the " Nautical Almanac." 



At this time the headquarters of this publication were at Cam- 

 bridge, Mass. Encouraged by a note from Professor Henry, Mr. 

 Newcomb started for Cambridge in December, 1856, hoping to find 

 employment. After some delay, he was finally installed as computer 

 at a salary of thirty dollars a month. Humble as this may appear to 

 us, the day of receiving the appointment was probably the happiest 

 of his life up to this time. Professor Newcomb speaks of his first 

 arrival at this destination as follows : 



I date my birth into the world of sweetness and light on one frosty 

 morning in January, 1857, when I took my seat between two well-known 

 mathematicians, before a blazing fire in the office of the Nautical Almanac 

 at Cambridge, Mass. The men beside me were Professor Joseph Winlock, 

 the superintendent, and Mr. John D. Runkle, the senior assistant in the 

 office. 



Nearly five years were passed here amid surroundings which 

 were very pleasant and agreeable, the more so by contrast with Mr. 

 Newcomb's former life. They were years of education and develop- 

 ment, the opportunities being peculiarly favorable. No fixed hours 

 of attendance were required at the office. If the work assigned was 

 due satisfactorily, that seems to have fulfilled every requirement. 

 This made it possible for Mr. Newcomb to become a student in the 

 Lawrence Scientific School, from which he graduated in due time. 

 His course was naturally largely mathematical under the direction of 

 the well-known Benjamin Peirce. The number of students at this 

 time, following this line of work was naturally small, but Professor 

 Peirce's abstruce lectures found at least one appreciative listener. 

 We naturally feel considerable pride in the prominent place which 

 American astronomy and astronomers occupy in the world today. 

 Matters were, however, very different in this respect fifty-five years 

 ago. It was about this time that the situation was summed up as 

 follows by a German " Gelehrte " who had recently visited this 

 country, " You have one astronomer. Professor Peirce, and no 

 mathematicians." The prediction of Alexis de Tocqueville, that 

 the conditions of life in America would never be favorable to the 



