438 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1885. 



in progress with the director of the observatorj' at, Lisbon, and prepara- 

 tions have been made to undertake the work here very soon after it is 

 known that it will be begun at Lisbon. 



Meridian transit instrument : The work has consisted principally of 

 daily observations and reductions for clock corrections in connection 

 with the time service. 



Time service : During the past year the demands upon the time serv- 

 ice have greatly increased. In Washington, the number of clocks of 

 the Gardner system in the various public offices has increased from 20 

 to 84. The total number of time-balls now dropped by the Observatory 

 signal is eight, at the following points : Philadelphia, Baltimore, New 

 Orleans, at branch hydrographic offices ; N^ew York, Western Union 

 building; Navy Department, WavShington; navy-yard Washington; 

 Hampton Roads; Savannah. A ninth will soon be added at the tor- 

 pedo station in Newi)ort. 



The branch observatory at Mare Island, which is fitted with a dupli- 

 cate of the transmitting apparatus of this Observatory, has been con- 

 nected with the mainland by a cable, and time signals are transmitted 

 daily along the Pacific coast. A time-ball has been erected on the 

 island for the benefit of the Vallejo shipping, and is dropped daily at 

 noon of the one hundred and twentieth meridian. The Hydrographic 

 Office time-ball at San Francisco is also dropped at the same instant by 

 signal from the Mare Island Observatory. 



Photography : In the programme of work proposed for the current 

 year it was stated that the work of taking sun photographs daily would 

 be inaugurated as soon as practicable. The work of the Transit of Ve- 

 nus Commission has up to this time prevented any regular system being 

 adopted. 



During the year the names of 1,408 visitors have been recorded, and 

 1,137 permits were issued for night visitors, for whose accommodation 

 the small equatorial is set apart. 



The records kept by the several observers and watchmen show that 

 only about one night in eight is good for observing, while an exception- 

 ally good night for astronomical work cannot be reckoned upon much 

 oftener than once a month. 



The Commodore renews the recommendations of his predecessors that 

 the Observatory be removed* to the new site purchased in 1880, and that 

 a board of visitors be appointed to visit the institution annually. 



A special report of Professor Harkness is added, giving the progress 

 of the work of the Transit ot Venus Commission. 



Upsala. — The unpublished observations of nebulae and clusters up to 

 1880 are now prepared for the press. With the Zoellner photometer it 

 is proposed to determine the magnitudes of the comparison stars used 

 by Argelauder, Schoenfeld, and Oiidemanns for variables. 



*A coiBinittee of the National Academy of Science has, at the request of the Secre- 

 tary of the Navy, jjiven careful consideration to this qncstion. Their report may be 

 found iu Senate Extcittive Document No. 07, 49t/i Congress, 1st session. 



