668 REPORTS OF ASTRONONICAL OBSERVATORIES. 



tiou is about comiolete. The press-work was, however, postponed on 

 account of the incomplete state of the general reductions of the obser- 

 vations to appear in Part II. These reductions cannot be completed 

 without a small additional appropriation for the j)urpose. 



The library. — The library contains 8,500 volumes, distributed about as 

 follows : 



I. Works on astronomy, mathematics, geodesy, physics, meteorology, 

 and geography, including transactions of learned societies — about 0,200 

 volumes. 



II. Pamphlets on the same subjects, each one separately bound in 

 paper covers, i)laced in drawers, and classified by subjects — abont 1,000 

 numbers. 



III. Miscellaneous works of reference, &c., in the office of the Super- 

 intendent — abont 700 volumes. 



IV. Publications of the United States Senate and House of Repre- 

 sentatives — abont 600 volumes. 



Total, 8,500 volumes. 



A card catalogue of about 1G,000 cards has been completed. It is 

 not necessary to print this at present. After the cards become soiled 

 by use, they should be printed to preserve them. 



Distribution of the publications of the Observatory, — A list of 921 names 

 has been prepared, and to these correspondents our j)ublications are 

 distributed. Academies of science, public observatories, and the princi- 

 pal colleges, receive the complete volumes. The appendices are dis- 

 tributed to all observatories, to the principal astronomers, and others in- 

 terested in astronomy. 



In return for this liberal distribution, the library receives, free of cost, 

 the publications of the principal observatories, learned societies, &c., of 

 the world. 



Since February, 1870, about 12,000 separate numbers of our publica- 

 tions have been distributed. These were mostly to fill sets which had 

 been left incomplete in former distributions. At present all our corre- 

 spondents have complete sets of our volumes, as far as we can supply 

 them. 



In addition to his duties as librarian. Professor Holden takes his 

 regular tour of duty as an observer on the transit circle ; and he has 

 made a set of drawings of the planets Saturn and Jupiter, with the 

 26-inch equatorial, and a series of measures of the dusky ring of Saturn, 

 in continuation of those made in 1879. 



During the year the Western Union time-ball iu New York has failed" 

 nine times : once on account of a heavy snow-storm ; four times owing 

 to interruption to the Western Union lines ; and four times owing to 

 accidents to machinery. The Washington time-ball has failed twice, 

 owing to accidents to machinery. 



West Point, Xew Yorlc. 



\ West Point Observatory. 



Longitude from Washington, 12"^ 22^71 E. 

 Latitude, 41° 23' 31" K 

 Director: . 



